ABSTRACT
A vocalist, as he composes instantaneously throughout a performance, is drawing upon all his inherited knowledge as well as that memoria technica acquired from centuries of family training. The one way a vocalist can be tested and judged as a pre-eminent artist or just a pedantic grammarian, is by his use of taans. These are the configurations built up from the very simple graphs of ornamentation; they are not always symmetrical in pattern and develop into very dense and complex streamers of notes, sung at fast tempo. Many types of vocal music have evolved since its crystallization in Moghul times. Khyals, thumris and bhajans are most likely to be encountered in concerts given by Indians in our own countries. Vocal music developed especially in North India under the individualistic genius of Muslim musicians the drive in both Muslim and Hindu forms to express love of God in graphic, human terms.
