Forum | Week 4 | Classical Indian Aesthetics

Here are some of my interpretations of Indian Emotions in a musical/auditory context.
HASYA (HAPPINESS/JOY/COMIC)
Major tonality
Consonance
Bouncy rhythm
Laughter

ADBHUTA (WONDER/REVERENCE)
Augmented chords
Elongated notes
High pitched notes

VEERA (COURAGE/HEROIC)
Resolution
Major tonality
Loud
Trumpets/horns

KARUNA (COMPASSION/LOVE/EROTIC)
Slow tempo
Saxophone
Sparse instrumentation
Kiss sound (etc.)
 
KRODHA (ANGER/FURIOUS)
Loud volume
Clustered pitches
Dissonance
Short note length
Yelling/shouting

BHIBASTA (DISGUST/LOATHING)
Uneven rhythmic patterns
Minor tonality

BHAYANAKA (FEAR/TERROR)
Fast/accelerating tempo
Quick succession of notes
Dissonance
Screaming

SHOKA (SORROW)
Minor tonality
Slow tempo
Melodic
Elongated notes
Crying

SHANTA (SERENITY/TRANQUILITY)
Erhu
Sparse notation
Minimal rhythm