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The oral tradition in Indian music and unlimited potential of raga to grow has led to very little need for written music. The absence of written music in classical music performance has helped to evolve the so-called concept of improvisation or extempore composing which has become a special feature of raga music performance. There are two types of compositions in Hindustani classical music performance - one is a small pre-composed piece called "bandish" which represents raga, tala and genre, the other is extempore composing which is based on what one has learnt and practiced as well as what one thinks at the moment during performance, keeping in mind the rules of the raga and genre. There are musicians who compose good bandishes. However, their caliber as a performer is judged mainly by their ability to compose extempore - compose well, which pleases the qualified listener. Extempore composition is a fairly complex phenomenon involving the functioning of several elements such as (i) the intellectual skill of the performer (ii) his emotional level (iii) his mental and attitudinal conditionings (iv) his inborn / inherent faculties (v) his technical virtuosity and (vi) his background of training and studentship, etc. The Indian musician learns extempore composing during his long hours of training and practice. He familiarizes himself thoroughly with the positions, combinations, movements and expressions of the notes. Ranging from a single note to short and long phrases, the combinations he practices become more and more complex in the arrangement, movement and expression. The notes are explored in different ways in the context of the raga's personality and genre. However, it is the musician's aesthetic sense and his interpretation of the raga rules that decide whether a certain phrase is to be chosen or not. During performance, although he does not necessarily use the same phrases or sequences, he is already equipped with the skill and experience to create any variety of musical phrases. He draws upon this experience. In moments of inspiration he often comes up with something novel and remarkable that he has not tried before.
The function of bandish
Bandish's main function is to constantly provide an artist with schematic plan of a raga and genre, and help him explore directions in which it can...