This paper attempts to explain three widely-held 'stylised facts' abou
t the recent history of north Indian classical music. First, in the pr
ecolonial period, music and musicians were patronised by the courts. S
econd, from the early colonial period patronage declined and music ten
ded to be commercialised. And third, in the process, accumulated knowl
edge and the quality of crafts-manship decayed. In a received view in
music scholarship, the transition from patronage to market involved an
institutional change and a diffusion of teaching from 'family' to out
siders. Decay is attributed to the consequent reluctance of masters to
leach well. The paper disputes this view. It suggests that the decay
can be seen as an imperfect adaptation by individuals to the changing
economic environment, and that this is a more general phenomenon than
music scholarship believes. On the other hand, in the instructional sy
stem, which was primarily apprenticeship, there war; substantial conti
nuity. in this interpretation, music history can be seen to belong to
a larger history of north Indian craftsmanship. The paper illustrates
this proposition by drawing on the experiences of other skilled urban
crafts.