Stephens

AAWM JOURNAL VOL. 6 NO. 1 (2017)

The Microtones of Bharata’s Natyashastra

John Stephens

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Abstract:

The Microtones of Bharata’s Natyashastra explores the rationale behind defining the twenty-two sruti microtonal system of Gandharva music, a precursor to Hindustani and Carnatic music, using the principles of five-limit just intonation. Other key theories of intonation, including 3-limit, 11-limit, and 22-TET interpretations, are compared with this approach. Each possibility is analyzed for its capacity to satisfy Bharata’s conditions and rules, while being applied practically on the vina, the ancient seven-stringed bow-harp to which he was referring. Ultimately, five-limit tuning procedures are determined to be the most probable explanation for the tuning system of the Natyashastra, and sequences are suggested for tuning bow-harps and the modern sitar to suggested frequencies of the ancient sruti-s.

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Contributor Information:

John Stephens is a sitar, surbahar and sarode player living in Los Angeles. He holds an MFA in North Indian Music from CalArts and continues to learn from Ustad Aashish Khan.

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