RAGA HARMONY

HARMONIC STRUCTURES AND TONALITIES IN INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC.

By L. Subramaniam.

In English. Published in 2024. By Westland Non-Fiction. Paperback. 126 pages. Rs. 399.

The author of the book, vidwan Dr. L. Subramaniam, is a global violin icon, well versed in Carnatic classical music as well as Western classical music. Born on 23 July 1947, he is the son and disciple of the illustrious  musician, Prof. V. Lakshminarayana.  He is a composer and music conductor who popularised the global fusion concept in the mid-1970s and has, over the years, collaborated with several great musicians. He set about creating a system that would integrate the melodic nature of the Indian raga system with the harmonic structure of Western classical music.

The book has five chapters besides a Preface, Introduction and Conclusion, with References and Appendix. The first chapter focuses on Western classical music, the second on Indian music, and the third on Raga and Mela concept in Carnatic music. The fourth explains the practical application of the concept of Raga Harmony with examples in two melakarta ragas Charukesi and Shanmukhapriya. The fifth chapter presents, what the author describes as “an analysis of the new concept of 36 scales”  and their mindboggling expansion, how they can be adapted to Western music, and help in exploring and experimenting with “raga harmony”. 

The book also has some colour photographs from performances of Dr. L. Subramaniam’s compositions on different occasions. 

The neatly produced book on Raga Harmony should provide good “food for thought” for students of music. 

S. JANAKI