Listen: Two film clips from the 1930s illustrate how the tabla accompanies instrumental music

After discussing the nature of tabla accompaniment to various forms pertaining to Hindustani vocal music over the past 24 instalments, we now turn to tabla accompaniment for instrumental music.

Usually, instrumental music concerts begin with an aalaap or the shorter aochar, both of which are introductory sections to establish the mood of the raag. They are followed by two to three compositions in the same or different taals. The performance begins at a slow pace and then works its way to a climax at an accelerated tempo. A similar treatment may be accorded to another raag that may follow.

As is the case with vocal music, instrumental music also demands a controlled theka from the tabla player once the composition or gat is introduced. But convention demands that the tabla player respond with solo passages at frequent intervals during instrumental performances.

The solo passage needs to be in consonance with the preceding melodic movement, though it can also suggest a further development along similar lines or a deviation. It is then left to the instrumentalist to choose either of these paths suggested by the tabla player, but there are times when both paths are ignored, and a third is chosen.

The taals that are used in vilambit or...

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