Ashok Ranade

A pioneer of Cultural Musicology in India, Dr Ranade was a missionary who contributed in enriching India's cultural life in the 21st century.

• Name — Ashok Da. Ranade • Birthplace — Pune, Maharastra, India • Place of death — Mumbai, Maharastra • Other Names — Ashok Da Ranade • Occupation — Indian musicologist

Ranade was trained under Pt. Gajananrao Joshi of Gwalior, Jaipur, Agra Gharana (training period – 1948–58), Pt. Pralhad Ganu of Agra Gharana (training period – 1958–62), Pt. Laxmanrao Bodas of Gwalior Gharana (training period – 1962–66) and Prof. B. R. Deodher of Gwalior Gharana (training period – 1970–74). He also got lessons & insight for "Voice Culture" from Prof B R Deodhar. Besides this musical training, Ranade had a strong academic background. He did LL.B. (University of Bombay, 1960), M.A. (Marathi, 1962 & English, 1964 – both from University of Bombay). He was awarded with title "Sangeetacharya" by Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Bombay in 1976.

He was Founder Director of University Music Center, Bombay (now, Department of Music, University of Mumbai) and served during 1968 to 1983. He was instrumental in foundation of Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology for American Institute of Indian Studies at Pune and worked as associate director from 1983 to 1984. Later he was appointed as deputy director (Research, Theatre Development and Publications) at National Center for the Performing Arts from 1984 to 93.

He was one of the pioneer of ethnomusicology in India. His books in English and Marathi are considered to be most authentic and thoughtful sources of cultural musicology. His books Indology and Ethnomusicology: Contours of Early Indo-British Relationship (Promilla and Co., New Delhi, 1992), Essays in Indian Ethnomusicology (Munshiram Manoharlal, New Delhi, 1998), Perspectives on Music: Ideas and Theories (Promilla and Co. Publishers, New Delhi and Chicago, 20080 and Reflections on Musicology and History – With reference to Hindustani Music (Indian Musicological Society, Mumbai-Baroda, 2001) give insights in Indian ethnomusicology. In Keywords and Concepts in Hindustani Music and Music-Contexts: A Concise Dictionary of Hindustani Music, he has meticulously explained many terms and concepts in Hindustani Art music with etymology and cultural connotations. Two of his books, Stage Music of Maharashtra and Maharashtra: Art music shed light on the musical theatre and art music in Maharashtra, giving a wider perspective about region based cultural musicology. In Some Hindustani Musicians: They lit the way! (Promilla Publishers, New Delhi, 2011), Dr Ranade's observations and interpretations about various maestros in Hindustani Music give us an analytical perspective along with the aesthetic experience of the musician's music. He contributed a lot in developing the "Aesthetics of Indian Music" through his book Sangeetache Saundarya Shastra (संगीताचे सौंदर्यशास्त्र). He also introduced the aesthetics of Western music to Indian readers through his book, Stravinsky che Sangeetik Saundarya Shastra. "The theory of six categories of music" is considered to be the most important and well accepted theory proposed by Ranade which structures Musical categories as 1.Primitive, 2.Folk, 3.Art, 4.Devotional, 5.Popular and 6.Confluence. He was pioneer in theorizing the unexplored areas such as Folk Music in India in his book Lok Sangeet Shastra (लोकसंगीत शास्त्र), Hindi Film Song: Music Beyond Boundaries and Popular music in the book Sangeet Sangati (संगीत संगती). He also contributed in Theatre theory with the book Music and Drama (Sri Ram Center for Art and Culture, New Delhi, 19910. His books Bhashan Rang (भाषणरंग) is used as a handbook of Voice culture for theatre. He had penned down his musicings on theatre in Bhashan Ani Natya Vishayak Vichar (भाषण व नाट्य विषयक विचार).

• Sangeet Natak: Hindi Film Music: A Perspective, Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, 1991 • Hasya Vinod Sukhatmika, (Anthology of Papers, co-edited with Prof. Vijaya Rajadhyaksha), Granthali, Bombay, 1992 (Marathi) • Kathashatabdi, (Anthology of Papers, co-edited with Prof. Vijaya Rajadhyaksha, Granthali, Bombay, 1993 (Marathi)

• Natyasangitachi Vatchal (1984) • Manapamanatil Gani (1986) • Sawan (1988) • Baithakichi Lavani (1989) • Devagani (1991) • Sangeetrang (1992) • Swarachakra (1993) • Rangbasant (1993) • Natyasangeetache Marathi Valan (1994) • Radha (1995) • Tribhang to Abhang (1995) • Rachana te Bandish (1997) • Gayakiche valan (2000) • Sanchit (2004) • Chandrabhairavi (2005) • Geetibhan (2007) • Santanchi Vatchal (2007) • Kala Ganesh (2008) • Ramgane (2009)