ABSTRACT
In contrast to what has been thought for a long time, this chapter argues that South Asian music was much affected by colonialism. It discusses the parallels and differences between the ‘classicisation’ of the two art music traditions, north Indian ‘Hindustani’ and south Indian ‘Karnatak’, through music reforms. Besides the impact of European orientalism and science, the chapter highlights the marginalisation of certain groups of hereditary musicians, especially the Muslim ustads in the north. It concludes that the modernisation of South Asian music generally led to musical standardisation and a growing (moral) distinction between ‘high’ art music and ‘low’ popular music.
