Rivers of Sacred Sound

The text of this book, preceded by an introduction, is presented in seven chapters and covers a period of approximately five thousand years. In an aural culture what was the role of gesture and what is its role now? There are many doors to open in pursuing these and other questions. This book opens some of them.

Rivers of Sacred Sound traces the flow of influences from East to West, from BC to AD and from wordless jubilations to the setting of texts. It takes the discussion about western chant beyond a European perspective. The text of this book, preceded by an introduction, is presented in seven chapters and covers a period of approximately five thousand years. There are many references all over the world to praising the divine with sound. Thus the starting point is the praise song, a fundamental impulse in mankind. The Rg-Veda requests that our loudest-sounding hymn be accepted, as food most delightful to the Gods. The Psalms request us to make a joyful noise unto God and to sing forth the honour of His name. Spontaneous songs became ritual events. In an aural culture what was the role of gesture and what is its role now? There are many doors to open in pursuing these and other questions. This book opens some of them.

Auteur

SOLVEIG MCINTOSH is a musician and research scholar in the musical traditions of Northern India. She qualified as a teacher in the 1970s and completed her Doctoral studies in 1993. She has given talks in Britain, Holland, New Zealand and India and has contributed articles to various books and journals. As well as publishing a book, Hidden Faces of Ancient Indian Song, she has produced a DVD, Ancient Indian Song, and three CDs, Traditional Vedic Invocations, Hymns of the Vedas and Sanskrit Songs to the Divine. She has given workshops both in Britain and abroad.

Contenu
Contents List of Figures vii List of Musical Examples ix Preface xiii Notation and Script xvii Acknowledgements xix Introduction 1 chapter 1 Historical Background 5 chapter 2 Language 17 chapter 3 Scale and Mode 49 chapter 4 Recitation, Psalmody and Silence 89 chapter 5 Alan4kaaras and Neumes 101 chapter 6 Rhythm in Chant 129 vi chapter 7 The Hand: Mudraas and Cheironomy 137 Epilogue 153 Glossary 155 Bibliography 163 Index 169