Essay On Folk Music

Introduction:
Ethnomusicologist Dr. Ashok Ranade has described folk music as music of people, by people and for people. He has centred the entire definition of music around people which shows the importance of audience in folk music. Songs sung by people since generations which have percolated down to other generations is a vital element. These songs are “by people” which shows that these songs were written and composed by common people who did not have any knowledge of classical music.
While Rabindranath Tagore has described it is music created by masses in excitable way in shaping the melodies in excitable language.
Elements of excitability which can captivate people’s imagination are attractive factors in any form of folk song. Again, Tagore

Ethnomusicologists failed to come with one definition of folk music or regarding the ingredients of folk music hence folk music began to be called by several names such as Adivasi music, Nagari music, and Public music. According to Chaitanya Kunte, a disciple of Dr. Ashok Ranade and a classical singer, “There are six categories of music: Primitive music, Folk music, Art music these are three categories. Then we get other three categories from this music called Devotional music, popular music and the third Confluence music.”
Origin of Folk music:
It is impossible to trace the origin of folk music. As it is impossible to track origin of various societies and their traditions, it is difficult to chart emergence of folk music. Folk music is not time bound and even though its roots are in traditional practices, the structure keeps evolving with the society. It incorporates various art forms, society and individual experiences to make it relevant. (Online article Chaitanya)

Important Ingredients of Folk music as listed by Dr Ashok Ranade and Ashwini Joshi
Use of musical