Sonic Liturgy: Ritual and Music in Hindu TraditionSonic Liturgy: Ritual and Music in Hindu Tradition builds on the foundation of Guy L. Beck's earlier work, Sonic Theology: Hinduism and Sacred Sound, which described the theoretical role of sound in Hindu thought. Sonic Liturgy continues the discussion of sound into the realm of Hindu ritual and musical traditions of worship. Beginning with the chanting of the Sama-Veda alongside the fire sacrifices of the ancient Indo-Aryans and with the classical Gandharva music as outlined in the musicological texts of Bharata and Dattila, Beck establishes a historical foundation for an in-depth understanding of the role of music in the early Puja rituals and Indian theater, in the vernacular poetry of the Bhakti movements, in medieval temple worship of Siva and Vishnu in southern India, and later in the worship of Krishna in the northern Braj region. By surveying a multitude of worship traditions, and drawing upon diverse sources in both Sanskrit and vernacular languages, Beck reveals a continuous template of interwoven ritual and music in Hindu tradition that he terms "sonic liturgy," a structure of religious worship and experience that incorporates sound and music on many levels. In developing the concept and methods for understanding the phenomenon of sonic liturgy, Beck draws from liturgical studies and ritual studies, broadening the dimensions of each, as well as from recent work in the fields of Indian religion and music. As he maps the evolution of sonic liturgy in Hindu culture, Beck shows how, parallel to the development of religious ritual from ancient times to the present, there is a less understood progression of musical form, beginning with Vedic chants of two to three notes to complicated genres of devotional temple music employing ragas with up to a dozen notes. Sonic liturgy in its maturity is manifest as a complex interactive worship experience of the Vaishnava sects, presented here in Beck's final chapters. |
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
according Acharyas Adrishta Agamas Agamic ancient Apurva Bhajan Bhakti Sangit Brahma Braj Bhasha century C.E. chant classical music culture cymbals dance Dattilam deity devotional music Dhamar Dhrupad Dhruva divine drama festivals Gandharva music Gandharva Sangita goddess gods Harivamsa Hindu Hindu tradition Hinduism Hindustani human hymns Ibid India Indian music IndoAryan instruments Kirtan language liturgical studies mantra medieval melody Mukhiya Musical Traditions musicians Nammalvar Natya NatyaSastra Nimbarka Sampradaya offerings PadaKirtan Padas Pakhavaj performed poems practice praise priests Puja Pushti Pushti Marg Radha and Krishna Radhavallabha Radhavallabha Sampradaya Ragas Rasa recitation reference religion religious RigVeda rites ritual and music sacred sound Saiva SamaGana Samaj Gayan SamaVeda Sanskrit Sarmadee scholars Selina Thielemann Seva singers singing Siva Soma songs sonic liturgy Srivaishnava style sung Swami Haridas syllables Tala Tamil temple Hinduism term Tevaram texts Tiruvaymoli Udatta Vaishnava Vedas Vedic religion Vedic ritual vernacular verses Vishnu Vrindaban words worship Yajna
Bibliographic information
| Title | Sonic Liturgy: Ritual and Music in Hindu Tradition Studies in Comparative Religion |
| Author | Guy L. Beck |
| Contributor | Frederick M. Denny |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Univ of South Carolina Press, 2012 |
| ISBN | 1611171083, 9781611171082 |
| Length | 256 pages |
| Subjects | › › Religion / Hinduism / Rituals & Practice |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |