Savoring the rhythmic beauty of traditional Indian music

In 11th century Europe, singing with harmonies had not yet been invented. But in India, a style of polyphonal music was being created that would retain its meaning and complexity in modern times. Brothers Ramakant and Umakant Gundecha have won international acclaim for their performance and revival of the dhrupad style of classical music, the precursor to modern North Indian song. Performed since the 11th century as entertainment for Indian royalty, dhrupad is known for its emphasis on melody and tone. With the chants of the Vedas as its roots, dhrupad retains much of its entrancing, spiritual aura. The brothers played last night to a near-full audience at the Annenberg Center's Harold Prince Theatre. Most of the audience -- which included few Penn students -- nodded and quietly mimicked the singers' own undulating arm movements. The performance typically begins with an alap, a nuanced vocal drone, followed by a rhythmic section, nom tom. Accompanied by the pakhavaj drum, the dhrupad song begins. In alternately resonant and nasal tones, the singers mixed adherence to a basic theme with subtle variations in rhythm, toying with the harmonies of their songs. One of the chief attractions the Gundechas offered is a skillful rendition of a revived cultural relic known for its complex investigations of rhythm. "The type of music these people sing is of an older style that is very rare now," South Asian Regional Studies Professor Allyn Miner explained before the show. "In India, they think of it as the original style of modern music." According to Miner, the technical demands of dhrupad music are significant. "It takes a lot of vocal control," Miner said. "You hear lots of nuances with the voices. It's got the dignity of a court environment." Sanjoy Biswas, an area resident who was exposed to the Gundechas' music as a child, studies the Indian tabla drum and expressed great enthusiasm for the concert. "If you can just listen with an open mind, it'll send chills down your spine," Biswas said. "It's not just like ODo, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do.' They're singing the Indian system with hundreds of notes between Do and Re." The majority of audience members betrayed their devotion to dhrupad when they perceived in an instant the moment the performance had ended by bursting into applause. To Western ears unaccustomed to Indian music, the conclusion of the performance might seem as subtle as the tonal style itself. Among the disciples of the Gundechas' music were several devotees to the sitar who understood the challenges of performing Indian music. Miner, who has been studying sitar for 25 years, still says she has much to learn. "You never, ever say you've mastered it," Miner said modestly, confident that the Gundechas would do the same. "They'll say they're always students."