Collecting Indian songs in late 18th‐century Lucknow: Problems of transcription

The vogue for “Hindostannie Airs” (English arrangements of Indian tunes) in the Anglo‐Indian community in Calcutta during the 1780s and 1790s raises interesting questions concerning the process of transcription. How did European musicians (who had little understanding of Indian music) make the arrangements? What part did Indian performers play? Above all, how did the irreconcilable demands of “authenticity” (faithfulness to the Indian originals) and “good taste” (the need to present the music in an acceptable European idiom) affect the development of the genre?