Iacobus Leodiensis [Iacobus de Montibus, Iacobus de Oudenaerde]

(iv) Idiophones.

Cymbals (tālam) and flat gongs have played, and in some contexts still do play, an essential part in marking out the divisions of a tāla. In some contexts they may be used to play rhythmic patterns, in a similar manner to the drums described above. The cennalam (small flat gong) and ilatalam (cymbals) of the kathakali ensemble often play patterns distinct from time-keeping.

The nattuvanār of the cinna melam changes from time-keeping with the nattuva tālam (a pair of cymbals, one of bronze and one of steel) to playing the rhythm whenever reciting choreographic syllables for the dancer, reverting to time-keeping when the song is resumed.

The South Indian gatam is a clay pot used as a struck idiophone. It is often present as a member of the Karnatak concert ensemble and plays rhythmic patterns along with, and alternating with, the mrdangam. Also occasionally present in the Karnatak ensemble as a rhythmic accompanying instrument is the mursing (jews harp).

India, Subcontinent of, §III, 6: Theory and practice of classical music., Instrumental traditions.

(v) Ensembles.

An ensemble for South Asian art music is best understood in terms of the musical functions: melody governed by rāga, rhythm comprising pattern and tempo (laya), and the two brought together under a time cycle (tāla). Two supplementary elements in an ensemble are an instrumental drone, reinforcing the system tonic, and a melodic accompaniment. Table 20 shows the main parts of ensembles in the two art musics today, grouped according to musical role.

	TABLE 20: Roles in South Asian art music ensembles
			Karnatak		Hindustani
			voice		voice (khayāl, thumrī, dhrupad)
			vīnā; more recently		bīn, sitār, sarod; more recently
	soloist		violin, flute etc		violin, flute, sārangī etc
			––––––––––––––––		––––––––––––––––
			nāgasvaram (temple		sahnāī (temple and ceremonial,
			processions, now also		now also concerts)
			concerts)
			violin		harmonium, sārangī (khayāl, thumrī)
	accompaniment		––––––––––––––––		––––––––––––––––
			[2nd vīnā; violin]		[bīn formerly accompanied dhrupad]
			––––––––––––––––		––––––––––––––––
			[2nd nāgasvaram]		[2nd sahnāī]
			mrdangam		tablā (khayāl, thumrī, sitār)
			(sometimes joined by		and other instruments)
			ghatam and/or kañjīrā		––––––––––––––––
	drum				pakhāvaj (dhrupad,
					dhamār; bīn)
			––––––––––––––––		––––––––––––––––
			tāvil (with nāgasvaram)		khurdhāk/duggī (with shahnāī)
			tambūrā/śruti-box		tambūrā
	drone		[side strings (vīnā)]		[side strings (bīn, sitar)]
			ottu (with nāgasvaram)		[3rd shahnāī]
			[hand (vocalist)]		[hand (dhrupad singer)]
	tāla		tālam (with nāgasvaram)		tablā (thekā)
			[side strings (with vīnā)]

Hardly any separate performers are listed for the vital function of regulating the tāla. In some circumstances sections of the tāla are marked by idiophones of one kind or another, as in the processional ensembles of south Indian temples (see below). In concert styles, however, the divisions of the tāla are marked either by the principal performer with his hand or by a string player on side strings, or are not marked at all. In Hindustani instrumental music, on the other hand, and even more in the vocal genres khayāl and thumrī, the time cycles are marked out by the tablā playing thekā (see §(iii)(b) above). Insofar as this practice dispenses not only with a separate reckoning of the talā by hand or idiophone but also with the very need for such a reckoning, it is a deviation (however widespread and familiar now) from an ancient and indigenous principle that separates rhythmic drumming from time-keeping.