A Treatise on the Music of Hindoostan

A Treatise on the Music of Hindoostan is one of the earliest comprehensive works on Indian classical music written in English. Authored by Captain N. Augustus Willard in the early nineteenth century, it aimed to introduce the rich and complex musical traditions of India to Western audiences. The book provides a detailed account of the structure, theory, and practice of Hindustani music, exploring its scales, ragas, talas, and instruments. Willard analyzed how Indian music, though different from Western harmony-based systems, was deeply scientific in its tonal and rhythmic organization. The treatise also documents the social and cultural context of Indian music—its connection to religion, court life, and emotional expression. Willard’s work demonstrates respect for the depth of Indian aesthetics, particularly the spiritual and philosophical underpinnings of melody and rhythm. He describes how music in India is not merely an art but a means of spiritual elevation and emotional refinement. Though written from a colonial perspective, the treatise remains a significant historical source for understanding how Indian music was perceived and studied during British rule. It continues to be valued by musicologists for its documentation of early 19th-century Hindustani musical traditions and its role in bridging Eastern and Western musicological thought.