TITLE: Six Principal Ragas
SUB TITLE: With a brief view of Hindu Music
AUTHOR: Sourindro Mohun Tagore
PUBLISHER: Calcutta Central Press Company, Limited
PLACE: Calcutta
YEAR: 1877
EDITION: Second
BINDING: Gold-tooled red goatskin morocco, the front board with Vishnu in a sunburst
NO.OF PAGES: pp. 46, (10), xiv including 7 fine lithographed plates
SIZE:
Height: 31.5 cm
Width: 25 cm
Depth: 1.7 cm

THIS IS A PRESENTATION COPY TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE LEOPOLD K.G.K.I DATED 23 JUNE 1878

A fascinating mix of Indian and European traditions, produced in Calcutta.

Second edition of a collection of songs published to celebrate Queen Victoria's assumption of the title Empress of India on1 January 1877. The music was written in traditional Hindu style by Sourindro Mohun Tagore, but taking the lyrics from poems written under the pen-name Owen Meredith by Robert Bulwer-Lytton (1831-1891), Viceroy of India from 1876 to 1880. The musicis written using Western notation, but each song is preceded by a note of the raga or ragini. The modes are often associated with the subjects of the poems, which include night, a storm, the seasons, plants and animals. Tagore (1840-1914) came from one of the leading artistic families in Calcutta. Well versed in traditional Indian music from his youth, he became a patron of Bengali and Hindu music but also studied Western music and became an internationally known musicologist. He was founder andpresident of the Bengal School of Music and a member of several European learned societies.

The lengthy presentation inscription reads, "Her Submission, To, His Royal Highness the Prince Leopold K.G.K.I thus president of the Royal Society ofLiterature of the United Kingdom. With Sourindro Mohun Tagore's highest regards and most distinguished consideration. Calcutta 23 / June / 78".

The author was President of the Bengal Music School.