The Performance Practice of the Rig-Veda: A Musical Expression of Excited Speech

Although there have been much academic research about the Veda cantillation (the performance of a collection of Indian hymns) little had been done to reveal the basic principles which govern the Vedic cantillation. This study summarizes the characteristics of the Rig-Veda cantillation and discusses the implications for more general musical issues. The Rig- Veda hymns represent an extreme case in which the performance style is crucial in determining the style of the cantillation.