Indian Classical (Hindustani)
tagStarted pre-1200Peak 1900s–still activeLast big hit still active
Hindustani classical music is centered on raga and tala, with expansive alap, improvisation, and a strong distinction between melodic unfolding and rhythmic climax. Whether vocal or instrumental, it privileges gradual revelation, ornamented intonation, and time-as-shape rather than time-as-countdown.
History
The tradition evolved through North Indian court, temple, and pedagogical lineages shaped by medieval and early modern developments, gharana transmission, and later recording and concert reform; 20th-century masters such as Ravi Shankar, Bhimsen Joshi, Bismillah Khan, Vilayat Khan, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Kishori Amonkar brought the form to national and international prominence while preserving deep lineage-based aesthetics.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Darbar
- Hindustani music scholarship