The central part of the musical instrument is a keyboard which is similar to that of a piano. Milind Kulkarni demonstrates the beauty of the harmonium. The hand pump version was critical for the success of the instrument in India, as Indian musicians had a tradition of being seated on the ground when they performed. Also, the size of the instrument was made significantly smaller than before, for portability and playing comfort. Moreover, the number of keys was reduced. It even included a foot pump and a chair.Īfter being introduced in India, the harmonium evolved to get rid of the foot pump which was replaced by a hand pump mechanism. The harmonium was initially similar to the piano.
Since then, this pump organ has been a central part of Indian music irrespective of genre. They further believe that Calcutta, currently known as Kolkata, was the first place where the harmonium was introduced and spread all across India from there. Historians assume it was brought to India before the twentieth century, either by merchants from the West or by religious missionaries and musicians. It’s unclear who exactly brought the harmonium to India in the first place. Some even think of the harmonium to be the most commonplace musical instrument in Northern India. No other imported musical instrument has ever been so integrated with the musical culture in India. It is used in different mediums like classical music, folk music, and even films. It is currently the most popular free-reed aerophone instrument on the Indian subcontinent. The harmonium, although perceived to be an Indian musical instrument, was imported to India from the West.
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