Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
:
Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
,
KarnatakaKarnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
,
Keralaor Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, and
Tamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. It is one of two main sub-genres of
Indian classical musicThe origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
that evolved from ancient
HinduHindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
traditions; the other sub-genre being Hindustani music, which emerged as a distinct form because of Persian and Islamic influences in North India. In contrast to Hindustani music, the main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music; most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in
gāyaki (singing) style.
Although there are stylistic differences, the basic elements of (the relative musical pitch), (the musical sound of a single note), (the mode or melodic formulæ), and (the rhythmic cycles) form the foundation of improvisation and composition in both Carnatic and Hindustani music. Although improvisation plays an important role, Carnatic music is mainly sung through compositions, especially the
kriti-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
(or kirtanam), a form developed between the 16th and 20th centuries by composers such as
Purandara DasaPurandara Dāsa is one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic music and is widely regarded as the "father of Carnatic Music". Purandara Dasa addressed social issues in addition to worship in his compositions, a practice emulated by his younger contemporary, Kanaka Dasa...
and the
Trinity of Carnatic musicThe outstanding group of composer-musicians of Carnatic music which included Tyāgarāja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri, are commonly referred to as the Trinity of Carnatic music....
.
Carnatic music is usually performed by a small ensemble of musicians, consisting of a principal performer (usually a vocalist), a melodic accompaniment (usually a
violinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
), a rhythm accompaniment (usually a
mridangam), and a
tamburaThe tambura, tanpura, or tambora is a long-necked plucked lute . The body shape of the tambura somewhat resembles that of the sitar, but it has no frets – only the open strings are played to accompany other musicians...
, which acts as a
droneIn music, a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout most or all of a piece. The word drone is also used to refer to any part of a musical instrument that is just used to produce such an effect.-A musical effect:A drone...
throughout the performance. Other typical instruments used in performances may include the
ghatamThe ghaṭam is a percussion instrument used in the Carnatic music of South India. Its analogue in Rajasthan is known as the madga and pani mataqa "water jug"....
,
kanjiraThe kanjira, khanjira or ganjira, a South Indian frame drum, is an instrument of the tambourine family. It is used primarily in concerts of Carnatic music as a supporting instrument for the mridangam...
,
morsingA morsing is a wind percussion instrument, mainly used in the Carnatic music of South India and Sindh . It can be categorized under lamellophones, which is in the category of plucked idiophones...
,
veenaVeena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
&
fluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
. Carnatic music festivals take place in many South Indian Cities such as
ChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
., Bengaluru,
ThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
,
Origins and history
Ancient treatises describe the connection of the origin of the
swaraThe seven notes of the scale , in Indian music are named shadja, rishabh, gandhar, madhyam, pancham, dhaivat and nishad, and are shortened to Sa, Ri or Re , Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni and written S, R, G, M, P, D, N. Collectively these notes are known as the sargam...
s, or notes, to the sounds of animals and birds and man's effort to simulate these sounds through a keen sense of observation and perception. The Sama Veda, which is believed to have laid the foundation for Indian classical music, consists of hymns from the
RigvedaThe Rigveda is an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns...
, set to musical tunes which would be sung using three to seven musical notes during Vedic
yajnaIn Hinduism, yajna is a ritual of sacrifice derived from the practice of Vedic times. It is performed to please the gods or to attain certain wishes...
s. The Yajur-Veda, which mainly consists of sacrificial formulae, mentions the
veenaVeena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
as an accompaniment to vocal recitations. References to Indian classical music are made in many ancient texts, including
epicsIndian epic poetry is the epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent, traditionally called Kavya . The Ramayana and Mahabharata, originally composed in Sanskrit and translated thereafter into many other Indian languages, are some of the oldest surviving epic poems on earth and form part of...
like the
RamayanaThe Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
and
MahabharataThe Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. The
Yajnavalkya Smriti mentions
vīṇāvādana tattvajñaḥ śrutijātiviśāradaḥ tālajñaścāprayāsena mokṣamārgaṃ niyacchati ("The one who is well versed in
veenaVeena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
, one who has the knowledge of srutis and one who is adept in tala, attains salvation without doubt"). Carnatic music is based as it is today on musical concepts (including
swaraThe seven notes of the scale , in Indian music are named shadja, rishabh, gandhar, madhyam, pancham, dhaivat and nishad, and are shortened to Sa, Ri or Re , Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni and written S, R, G, M, P, D, N. Collectively these notes are known as the sargam...
,
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
, and
talaTāla, Taal or Tal is the term used in Indian classical music for the rhythmic pattern of any composition and for the entire subject of rhythm, roughly corresponding to metre in Western music, though closer conceptual equivalents are to be found in other Asian classical systems such as the notion...
) that were described in detail in several ancient works, particularly the
Silappadhikaram, and
BharataBharata was an ancient Indian musicologist who authored the Natya Shastra, a theoretical treatise on ancient Indian dramaturgy and histrionics, dated to between roughly 400 BC and 200 BC. Indian dance and music find their root in the Natyashastra...
's
Natya Shastra. This music system was prevalent in Tamil Region of South India in ancient days. It had no specific name mainly because it was the only music form then. Later it spread to all other Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam regions, undergoing changes in musical aspects and became a southern music. It gained a name when Maharashtrian Kings who patronized this music, named it as ' Karnatak' (Anglicized 'Carnatic') relating it to their immediate border region Karnataka where musicians came from.
In some north Indian circles it is referred to as 'Madrasi Gana' even today.
Owing to Persian and Islamic influences in
North IndiaNorth India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
from the 12th century onwards, Hindustani music and Carnatic music styles diverged. By the 16th and 17th centuries, there was a clear demarcation between Carnatic and Hindustani music. It was at this time that Carnatic music flourished in
Thanjavur, while the Vijayanagar Empire reached its greatest extent.
Purandara DasaPurandara Dāsa is one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic music and is widely regarded as the "father of Carnatic Music". Purandara Dasa addressed social issues in addition to worship in his compositions, a practice emulated by his younger contemporary, Kanaka Dasa...
, who is known as the father (
Pitamaha) of Carnatic Music, formulated the system that is commonly used for the teaching of Carnatic music.
VenkatamakhinVenkatamakhin also known as Venkateshwara, was a prominent musicologist and composer of Carnatic music; renowned for his Chaturdandi Prakashika in which he explicates the melakarta system of classifying ragas...
invented and authored the formula for the
melakartaMelakarta is a collection of fundamental ragas in Carnatic music . Melakarta ragas are parent ragas from which other ragas may be generated. A melakarta raga is sometimes referred as mela, karta or sampurna as well.In Hindustani music the thaat is equivalent of Melakarta...
system of raga classification in his Sanskrit work, the
Chaturdandi Prakasika (1660 AD). Govindacharya is known for expanding the melakarta system into the sampoorna raga scheme - the system that is in common use today.
Carnatic music was mainly patronized by the local kings of the
Kingdom of MysoreThe Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
and Kingdom of Travancore in the 18th through 20th centuries. The royalty of the kingdoms of Mysore and Travancore were noted composers and proficient in playing musical instruments, such as the
veenaVeena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
,
rudra veenaSee also veenaThe rudra veena is a large plucked string instrument used in Hindustani classical music. It is an ancient instrument rarely played today...
,
violinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
,
ghatamThe ghaṭam is a percussion instrument used in the Carnatic music of South India. Its analogue in Rajasthan is known as the madga and pani mataqa "water jug"....
,
fluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
,
mridangam, nagaswara and swarabhat. Some famous court-musicians and royalty proficient in music were
Veene SheshannaVeene Sheshanna was an exponent of the Veena, an Indian string instrument, which he played in the classical Carnatic music style. He was a concert musician at the court of the princely state of Mysore in south India.-Family:...
(1852–1926) and Veene Subbanna (1861–1939), among others.
With the dissolution of the erstwhile princely states and the
Indian independence movementThe term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
reaching its conclusion in 1947, Carnatic music went through a radical shift in patronage into an art of the masses with ticketed performances organized by private institutions called
sabhaSabha is one of the districts of Libya. It is located near the center of the country, in the Fezzan region. The capital is the city of Sabha, with a population of 130,000....
s. During the 19th century, Madras emerged as the locus for Carnatic music.
Nature of Carnatic music
The main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music; most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in a singing style (known as
gāyaki). Like Hindustani music, Carnatic music rests on two main elements: , the
modesIn the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
or melodic formulæ, and , the rhythmic cycles.
Today, Carnatic music is presented by musicians in concerts or recordings, either vocally or through instruments. Carnatic music itself developed around musical works or compositions of phenomenal composers (see below).
Śruti
Śruti commonly refers to musical pitch. It is the approximate equivalent of a tonic (or less precisely a key) in Western music; it is the note from which all the others are derived. It is also used in the sense of graded pitches in an octave. While there are an infinite number of sounds falling within a scale (or raga) in Carnatic music, the number that can be distinguished by auditory perception is twenty-two (although over the years, several of them have converged). In this sense, while sruti is determined by auditory perception, it is also an expression in the listener's mind.
Swara
Swara refers to a type of musical sound that is a single note, which defines a relative (higher or lower) position of a note, rather than a defined frequency. Swaras also refer to the
solfegeIn music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
of Carnatic music, which consist of seven notes, "sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-da-ni" (compare with the Hindustani
sargam: sa-
re-ga-ma-pa-
dha-ni or Western do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti). These names are abbreviations of the longer names
shadja,
rishabha,
gandhara,
madhyama,
panchama,
dhaivata and
nishada. Unlike other music systems, every member of the solfege (called a
swaraThe seven notes of the scale , in Indian music are named shadja, rishabh, gandhar, madhyam, pancham, dhaivat and nishad, and are shortened to Sa, Ri or Re , Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni and written S, R, G, M, P, D, N. Collectively these notes are known as the sargam...
) has three variants. The exceptions are the drone notes,
shadja and
panchama (also known as the
tonicIn music, the tonic is the first scale degree of the diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord...
and the
dominantIn music, the dominant is the fifth scale degree of the diatonic scale, called "dominant" because it is next in importance to the tonic,and a dominant chord is any chord built upon that pitch, using the notes of the same diatonic scale...
), which have only one form; and
madhyama (the
subdominantIn music, the subdominant is the technical name for the fourth tonal degree of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance "below" the tonic as the dominant is above the tonic - in other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdominant. It is also the note immediately...
), which has two forms. A 7th century stone inscription in Kudumiyan Malai in
Tamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
shows vowel changes to solfege symbols with ra, ri, ru etc. to denote the higher quarter-tones. In one scale, or
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
, there is usually only one variant of each note present. The exceptions exist in "light" ragas, in which, for artistic effect, there may be two, one ascending (in the
arohanam) and another descending (in the
avarohanaAn Avarohana, Avarohanam or Avarohan in Indian classical music terminology is the descending scale of any raga. Each raga has an avarohana and arohana. The notes descend in pitch from the octave tonic down to the lower tonic...
m).
Raga system
A
raga in Carnatic music prescribes a set of rules for building a
melodyA melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
- very similar to the Western concept of
modeIn the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
. It specifies rules for movements up (
aarohanam) and down (
avarohanam), the
scaleIn music, a scale is a sequence of musical notes in ascending and descending order. Most commonly, especially in the context of the common practice period, the notes of a scale will belong to a single key, thus providing material for or being used to conveniently represent part or all of a musical...
of which notes should figure more and which notes should be used more sparingly, which notes may be sung with
gamakaGamaka, also known as gamak or gamakam, refers to ornamentation that is used in the performance of Indian classical music. The unique character of each raga is given by its gamakas, making their role essential rather than decorative in Indian music...
(ornamentation), which phrases should be used or avoided, and so on. In effect, it is a series of obligatory musical events which must be observed, either absolutely or with a particular frequency.
In Carnatic music, the
sampoorna ragas (those with all seven notes in their scales) are classified into a system called the
melakartaMelakarta is a collection of fundamental ragas in Carnatic music . Melakarta ragas are parent ragas from which other ragas may be generated. A melakarta raga is sometimes referred as mela, karta or sampurna as well.In Hindustani music the thaat is equivalent of Melakarta...
, which groups them according to the kinds of notes that they have. There are seventy-two
melakarta ragas, thirty six of whose madhyama (
subdominantIn music, the subdominant is the technical name for the fourth tonal degree of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance "below" the tonic as the dominant is above the tonic - in other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdominant. It is also the note immediately...
) is sadharana (
perfect fourthIn classical music from Western culture, a fourth is a musical interval encompassing four staff positions , and the perfect fourth is a fourth spanning five semitones. For example, the ascending interval from C to the next F is a perfect fourth, as the note F lies five semitones above C, and there...
from the tonic), the remaining thirty-six of whose madhyama (subdominant) is prati (an augmented fourth from the tonic). The
ragas are grouped into sets of six, called
chakraChakra is a concept originating in Hindu texts, featured in tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. Its name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning" .Chakra is a concept referring to wheel-like vortices...
s ("wheels", though actually segments in the conventional representation) grouped according to the
supertonicIn music or music theory, the supertonic is the second degree or note of a diatonic scale, one step above the tonic. In music theory, the supertonic chord is symbolized by the Roman numeral ii in a major scale, indicating that the chord is a minor chord , or ii in a natural minor scale, indicating...
and
mediantIn music, the mediant is the third scale degree of the diatonic scale, being the note halfway between the tonic and the dominant. Similarly, the submediant is halfway between the tonic and subdominant...
scale degrees. There is a system known as the
katapayadi sankhya to determine the names of
melakarta ragas.
Ragas may be divided into two classes:
janaka ragas (i.e. melakarta or parent ragas) and
janyaJanya is a term meaning "derived". In Carnatic music a janya raga is one derived from one of the 72 melakarta ragas...
ragas (descendant ragas of a particular janaka raga). Janya ragas are themselves subclassified into various categories.
Tala system
TalaTāla, Taal or Tal is the term used in Indian classical music for the rhythmic pattern of any composition and for the entire subject of rhythm, roughly corresponding to metre in Western music, though closer conceptual equivalents are to be found in other Asian classical systems such as the notion...
refers to the beat set for a particular composition (a measure of time).
Talas have cycles of a defined number of beats and rarely change within a song. They have specific components, which in combinations can give rise to the variety to exist (over 108), allowing different compositions to have different rhythms.
Carnatic music singers usually keep the beat by moving their hands up and down in specified patterns, and using their fingers simultaneously to keep time.
Tala is formed with three basic parts (called
angas) which are
laghu,
dhrtam, and
anudhrtam, though complex talas may have other parts like
plutam,
guru, and
kaakapaadam. There are seven basic
tala groups which can be formed from the
laghu,
dhrtam, and
anudhrtam:
- Dhruva tala
- Matya tala
- Rupaka tala
- Jhampa tala
- Triputa tala
- Ata tala
- Eka tala
A
laghu has five variants (called
jaathis) based on the counting pattern. Five
jaathis times seven tala groups gives thirty-five basic
talas, although use of other
angas results in a total of 108
talas.
Improvisation
Improvisation in
raga is the soul of
Indian classical musicThe origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
- an essential aspect. "
Manodharma sangeetham" or "
kalpana sangeetham" ("music of imagination") as it is known in Carnatic music, embraces several varieties of improvisation. The main traditional forms of improvisation in Carnatic music consist of alapana, niraval, kalpanaswaram, ragam thanam pallavi, and thani avarthanam.
Raga Alapana
An alapana, sometimes also called ragam, is the exposition of a
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
or tone - a slow improvisation with no rhythm, where the raga acts as the basis of embellishment. In performing alapana, performers consider each raga as an object that has beginnings and endings and consists somehow of sequences of thought.
The performer will explore the ragam and touch on its various nuances, singing in the lower octaves first, then gradually moving up to higher octaves, while giving a hint of the song to be performed.
Theoretically, this ought to be the easiest type of improvisation, since the rules are so few, but in fact, it takes much skill to sing a pleasing, comprehensive (in the sense of giving a "feel for the ragam") and, most importantly, original raga alapana.
Niraval
Niraval, usually performed by the more advanced performers, consists of singing one or two lines of a song repeatedly, but with a series of melodic improvised elaborations. The lines are then also played at different levels of speed which can include double speed, triple speed, quadruple speed and even sextuple speed.
Kalpanaswaram
Kalpanaswaram, also known as swarakalpana, consists of improvising melodic and rhythmic passages using
swaraThe seven notes of the scale , in Indian music are named shadja, rishabh, gandhar, madhyam, pancham, dhaivat and nishad, and are shortened to Sa, Ri or Re , Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni and written S, R, G, M, P, D, N. Collectively these notes are known as the sargam...
s (solfa syllables). Kalpanaswaras are sung to end on a particular swara in the
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
of the melody and at a specific place (
idam) in the
talaTāla, Taal or Tal is the term used in Indian classical music for the rhythmic pattern of any composition and for the entire subject of rhythm, roughly corresponding to metre in Western music, though closer conceptual equivalents are to be found in other Asian classical systems such as the notion...
cycle. Generally, the swaras are sung to end on the
samam (the first beat of the rhythmical cycle), and can be sung at the same speed or double the speed of the melody that is being sung, though some artists sing triple-speed phrases too.
Kalpanaswaram is the most elementary type of improvisation, usually taught before any other form of improvisation.
Tanam
Tanam is one of the most important forms of improvisation, and is integral to Ragam Tanam Pallavi. Originally developed for the
veenaVeena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
, it consists of expanding the raga with syllables like
tha, nam, thom, aa, nom, na, etc.
Ragam Tanam Pallavi
Ragam Tanam Pallavi is the principal long form in concerts, and is a composite form of improvisation. As the name suggests, it consists of raga alapana, tanam, and a
pallaviIn Carnatic music pallavi is the thematic line of a song. It is usually one cycle long and repeated twice in order to give the percussionist the idea of the chosen taalam...
line. Set to a slow-paced
talaTāla, Taal or Tal is the term used in Indian classical music for the rhythmic pattern of any composition and for the entire subject of rhythm, roughly corresponding to metre in Western music, though closer conceptual equivalents are to be found in other Asian classical systems such as the notion...
, the pallavi line is often composed by the performer. Through niraval, the performer manipulates the pallavi line in complex melodic and rhythmic ways. The niraval is followed by kalpanaswarams.
Thani Avarthanam
Tani Avartanam refers to the extended solo that is played by the percussionists in a concert. The percussionist displays the full range of his skills and rhythmic imagination during the solo, which may take from two to twenty minutes.
Compositions
In contrast to
Hindustani musicHindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
of the northern part of India, Carnatic music is taught and learned through compositions, which encode many intricate musical details, also providing scope for free improvisation. Nearly every rendition of a Carnatic music composition is different and unique as it embodies elements of the composer's vision, as well as the musician's interpretation.
A Carnatic composition really has two elements, one being the musical element, the other being what is conveyed in the composition. It is probably because of this fact that most Carnatic music compositions are composed for singing. In addition to the rich musical experience, each composition brings out the knowledge and personality of the composer, and hence the words are as important as the musical element itself. This poses a special challenge for the musicians because rendering this music does not involve just playing or singing the correct musical notes; the musicians are expected to understand what was conveyed by the composer in various languages, and sing musical phrases that act to create the effect that was intended by the composer in his/her composition.
There are many types/forms of compositions.
Geethams and
swarajatis (which have their own peculiar composition structures) are principally meant to serve as basic learning exercises.
Compositions more commonly associated with Indian classical dance and Indian devotional music have also been increasingly used in the Carnatic music repertoire. The performance of the
SanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
slokaA ' is a category of verse line developed from the Vedic Anuṣṭubh. It is the basis for Indian Epic verse, and may be considered the Indian verse form par excellence, occurring, as it does, far more frequently than any other meter in classical Sanskrit poetry. The Mahabharata and Ramayana, for...
,
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
viruttamA viruttam or virutham is a Hindu devotional verse sung in Carnatic music concerts. Viruttams do not possess a set tala and are solely improvised using one or more ragams. It is one of many forms of manodharma in Carnatic music.A viruttam usually precedes rendition of a song...
and Telegu
padyamu or
sisapadya forms are particularly unique. Though these forms consist of lyric-based verses, musicians improvise
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
phrases in free rhythm, like an
alapanaAlapana is a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a raga in Indian classical music. As a term that is Sanskrit in language, alapana means "to speak, address, discourse, communicate". The flavor of the raga is outlined in the alapana by rendering the raga's permitted notes in...
, so both the sound value, and the meaning of the text, guide the musician through elaborate melodic improvisations. Forms such as the
divya prabandham,
thevaramThevaram is a panchayat town in Theni district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Thevaram located in the border of Kerala separated by western ghats-Demographics:...
and
ugabhogaThe term ugabhoga refers to a type of vocal piece in Carnatic music, in which the artist elaborates the treatment of raga characteristics through freestyle verses with or without tala.-History:...
are often performed similarly, however, these forms can also have a set melody and rhythm like the
devaranama,
javali,
padam,
thillanaThillana is a rhythmic piece in Carnatic music, from which the Hindustani tarana originated, generally performed at the end of a concert and widely used in dance performances. A thillana uses tala-like phrases in the pallavi and anupallavi, and lyrics in the charanam...
and
thiruppugazhThiruppugazh is a 15th century anthology of Tamil religious songs dedicated to Murugan, the son of Shiva, written by the poet-saint Arunagirinathar...
forms.
The most common and significant forms in Carnatic music are the
varnamVarnam is a form of song in the Carnatic music repertoire. A varnam is a relatively long piece and can range from 30 minutes to up to an hour. It is usually set to Aadi or Ata tala. It is the center piece in a recital of a Bharathanatyam dance. It is a tradition to start a recital in Carnatic...
and the
kriti-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
(or
kirtanam).
Varnam
This is a special item which highlights everything important about a
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
, known as the
sanchaaraas of a raga - this includes which notes to stress, how to approach a certain note, classical and characteristic phrases of a raga, the scale of the raga, and so on. Though there are a few different types of varnams, in essence, they all have a
pallaviIn Carnatic music pallavi is the thematic line of a song. It is usually one cycle long and repeated twice in order to give the percussionist the idea of the chosen taalam...
, an
anupallaviIn Carnatic music, the anupallavi comes after the pallavi and is usually the second section of any composition. It is then followed by one or more charanams. The anupallavi is optional. In such compositions pallavi is followed by one or more charanams....
,
muktayi swaras, a
charanamCharanam in Carnatic music is usually the end section of a composition which is sung after the anupallavi....
, and
chittaswarasIn Indian classical music, chitta swaras are a set of solfa passages . These are sung after the anupallavi and charanam, in the krithis which enriches the beauty of the composition. This is usually done by the performers and not by the composers and in Carnatic music is an important improvisation...
. They are sung in multiple speeds, and are very good for practice. In concerts, varnams are often sung at the beginning as they are fast and grab the audience's attention.
Kriti
Carnatic songs (kritis) are varied in structure and style, but generally consist of three units:
- Pallavi
In Carnatic music pallavi is the thematic line of a song. It is usually one cycle long and repeated twice in order to give the percussionist the idea of the chosen taalam...
. This is the equivalent of a refrainA refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
in Western music, with 1 or 2 lines.
- Anupallavi
In Carnatic music, the anupallavi comes after the pallavi and is usually the second section of any composition. It is then followed by one or more charanams. The anupallavi is optional. In such compositions pallavi is followed by one or more charanams....
. This is the second verse, also as 2 lines.
- Charana
Charanam in Carnatic music is usually the end section of a composition which is sung after the anupallavi....
. The final (and longest) verse that wraps up the song. The Charanam usually borrows patterns from the Anupallavi. There can be multiple charanas.
This kind of song is called a
keerthanam or a
kriti-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
. There are other possible structures for a
kriti, which may in addition include swara passages named
chittaswara. A
chittaswara consists only of notes, and has no words. Still others have a verse at the end of the
charana, called the
madhyamakāla. It is sung immediately after the
charana, but at double speed.
Prominent composers
There are many composers in Carnatic music.
Purandara DasaPurandara Dāsa is one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic music and is widely regarded as the "father of Carnatic Music". Purandara Dasa addressed social issues in addition to worship in his compositions, a practice emulated by his younger contemporary, Kanaka Dasa...
(1480–1564) is known as the father
(Pitamaha) of Carnatic music because of his pioneering contributions to Carnatic music. Purandara Dasa is renowned for formulating the basic lessons of Carnatic music. He structured graded exercises known as
Swaravalis and
Alankaras, and at the same time, introduced the
RagaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
MayamalavagowlaMayamalavagowla , is a raga of Carnatic Music . It is classified as 15thmelakarta raga under Venkatamakhin's melakarta system. Originally known as malavagowla, "maya" was prefixed to it after the advent of the scheme of the 72 melas. The number 15 was assigned to it following the Katapayadi sankhya...
as the first scale to be learnt by beginners. He also composed
Gitas (simple songs) for novice students.
The contemporaries
TyagarajaKakarla Tyagabrahmam , colloquially known as Tyāgarājar and Tyagayya was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...
(1759? - 1847),
Muthuswami DikshitarMuthuswami Dikshitar is a South Indian poet and composer and is one of the Musical Trinity of Carnatic music...
, (1776–1827) and
Syama SastriSyama Sastri is one of the most renowned composers of Carnatic music. He was the eldest of the so-called Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar being the other two. A major source for his biography is a chapter in P. Sambamoorthy's book, Great Composers, 69-94...
, (1762–1827) are regarded as the
Trinity of Carnatic musicThe outstanding group of composer-musicians of Carnatic music which included Tyāgarāja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri, are commonly referred to as the Trinity of Carnatic music....
because of the quality of
Syama SastriSyama Sastri is one of the most renowned composers of Carnatic music. He was the eldest of the so-called Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar being the other two. A major source for his biography is a chapter in P. Sambamoorthy's book, Great Composers, 69-94...
's compositions, the varieties of compositions of
Muthuswami DikshitarMuthuswami Dikshitar is a South Indian poet and composer and is one of the Musical Trinity of Carnatic music...
and
TyagarajaKakarla Tyagabrahmam , colloquially known as Tyāgarājar and Tyagayya was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...
's prolific output in composing
kriti-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
s.
Prominent composers prior to the
Trinity of Carnatic musicThe outstanding group of composer-musicians of Carnatic music which included Tyāgarāja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri, are commonly referred to as the Trinity of Carnatic music....
include
Arunachala KaviArunachala Kavi was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He was born in Tillaiyadi in Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu. The three Tamil composers Arunachala Kavi, Muthu Thandavar and Marimutthu Pillai are considered the Tamil Trinity, who contributed to the evolution of Carnatic...
,
AnnamacharyaSri Tallapaka Annamacharya was the official songmaster of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, and a Telugu composer who composed around 36000 keertana songs, many of which were in praise of Venkateswara, the presiding deity of the temple...
,
Narayana TheerthaSri Narayana Teertha was a composer of Carnatic music.-Brief lifesketch:Narayana was born in South India in the region covered by the present-day Andhra Pradesh. He lived in Kaja near Mangalagiri in Guntur district. They belonged to Tallavajhula family. His birth name was Govinda Sastrulu...
,
Vijaya DasaVijaya Dasa or Sri Vijaya Dasa was a prominent saint from the Haridasa tradition of Karnataka, India in the 18th century. Sri VijayaDasaru is an amsha of Sri Brighu Muni; the very same muni, who was the nimmita for the eternal kshetra Tirumala ! Sri Krishna himself in BG 10.25 says "maharsinam...
, Bhadrachala Ramadas,
Sadasiva BrahmendraSadasiva Brahmendra was a saint, a composer of Carnatic music and an Advaita philosopher who lived near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu during the 18th century. He composed mainly in Sanskrit. Only a few of his compositions have survived but they are recognised as great compositions of Carnatic Music.-...
and
Oottukkadu Venkata KaviOotthukkadu Venkata Kavi was a prominent composer of Carnatic music. He lived in South India in the present-day state of Tamil Nadu. Also known by the name Oothukkadu Venkatasubba Iyer, he is attributed to over 400 compositions. These were handed down from generation to generation by the...
. Other composers are Swathi Thirunal,
Gopalakrishna BharathiGopalakrishna Bharati was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He wrote a katAkALatcEpam , NantanAr Carittiram , two other works in this genre, and many independent kritis....
,
Neelakanta SivanNeelakanta Sivan was a composer of Carnatic music. Although he did not receive any formal musical training, his compositions exhibit deep technical brilliance. Neelakanta Sivan was born in 1839 at Vadiveeswaram, a part of Nagercoil, he stayed at Padmanabhapuram, the capital of the old Travancore...
,
Patnam Subramania IyerPatnam Subramania Iyer was a composer and singer of Carnatic music. Subramaniya Iyer followed the traditions of the great composer Tyagaraja. He has left behind almost one hundred compositions....
,
Mysore Vasudevachar,
Koteeswara IyerKoteeswara Iyer , was a composer of Carnatic music. He was a grandson of Kavi Kunjara Bharati. Koteeswara Iyer studied music under Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar and Patnam Subramania Iyer...
, Muthiah Bhagavathar, Subramania Bharathiyar and
Papanasam SivanPapanasam Sivan was a prominent composer of Carnatic music and a singer.A famous composer, Sivan was also known as Tamil Thyagayya. Using Classical South Indian as a base, Sivan created numerous hits popularised by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and M. S...
. The compositions of these composers are rendered frequently by artists of today.
Composers of Carnatic music were often inspired by religious devotion and were usually scholars proficient in one or more of the languages
KannadaKannada or , is a language spoken in India predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas and number roughly 50 million, is one of the 30 most spoken languages in the world...
, Malayalam,
SanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
,
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
and
TeluguTelugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
. They usually included a signature, called a
mudra, in their compositions. For example, all songs by
TyagarajaKakarla Tyagabrahmam , colloquially known as Tyāgarājar and Tyagayya was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...
(who composed in
TeluguTelugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
) have the word
Tyagaraja in them, all songs by
Muthuswami DikshitarMuthuswami Dikshitar is a South Indian poet and composer and is one of the Musical Trinity of Carnatic music...
(who composed in Sanskrit) have the words
Guruguha in them, songs by
Syama SastriSyama Sastri is one of the most renowned composers of Carnatic music. He was the eldest of the so-called Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar being the other two. A major source for his biography is a chapter in P. Sambamoorthy's book, Great Composers, 69-94...
(who composed in Telugu) have the words
Syama Krishna in them, while Purandaradasa, who composed in Kannada, used the signature
Purandara Vittala.
Gopalakrishna BharathiGopalakrishna Bharati was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He wrote a katAkALatcEpam , NantanAr Carittiram , two other works in this genre, and many independent kritis....
used the signature
Gopalakrishnan and composed in
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
.
Papanasam SivanPapanasam Sivan was a prominent composer of Carnatic music and a singer.A famous composer, Sivan was also known as Tamil Thyagayya. Using Classical South Indian as a base, Sivan created numerous hits popularised by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and M. S...
, who has been hailed as the
Tamil Thyagaraja of Carnatic music, also composed in this language, as well as
SanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, and used the signature
Ramadasan.
Learning Carnatic music
Carnatic music is traditionally taught according to the system formulated by
Purandara DasaPurandara Dāsa is one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic music and is widely regarded as the "father of Carnatic Music". Purandara Dasa addressed social issues in addition to worship in his compositions, a practice emulated by his younger contemporary, Kanaka Dasa...
. This involves
varisais (graded exercises),
alankaras (exercises based on the seven talas),
geethamsGeetham, the simplest music form in Carnatic music, was created by Purandara Dasa in order to introduce talas with sahithya .- Structure :...
or simple songs, and
swarajathisSwarajati is a form in Carnatic music, which is helpful before learning a varnam. It has pallavi, sometimes an anupallavi, and at least one charana. The themes of swarajathis are usually either bhakthi, love or courage. It is a composition which usually has a pleasing melody and are suitable for...
. After the student has reached a certain standard,
varnamVarnam is a form of song in the Carnatic music repertoire. A varnam is a relatively long piece and can range from 30 minutes to up to an hour. It is usually set to Aadi or Ata tala. It is the center piece in a recital of a Bharathanatyam dance. It is a tradition to start a recital in Carnatic...
s are taught and later, the student learns
kriti-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
s. It typically takes several years of learning before a student is adept enough to perform at a concert.
The learning texts and exercises are more or less uniform across all the South Indian states. The learning structure is arranged in increasing order of complexity. The lessons start with the learning of the
sarali varisai (
solfegeIn music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
set to a particular raga).
Carnatic music was traditionally taught in the gurukula system, where the student lived with and learnt the art from his
guruA guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
(perceptor). From the late 20th century onwards, with changes in lifestyles and need for young music aspirants to simultaneously pursue a parallel academic career, this system has found few takers.
Musicians often take great pride in letting people know about their
GuruA guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
ParamparaParampara denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in traditional Indian culture and Indian religions such as Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism...
, or the hierarchy of disciples from some prominent ancient musician or composer, to which they belong. People whose disciple-hierarchies are often referred to are Thyagaraja,
Muthuswami DikshitarMuthuswami Dikshitar is a South Indian poet and composer and is one of the Musical Trinity of Carnatic music...
,
Syama SastriSyama Sastri is one of the most renowned composers of Carnatic music. He was the eldest of the so-called Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar being the other two. A major source for his biography is a chapter in P. Sambamoorthy's book, Great Composers, 69-94...
, Swathi Thirunal and
Papanasam SivanPapanasam Sivan was a prominent composer of Carnatic music and a singer.A famous composer, Sivan was also known as Tamil Thyagayya. Using Classical South Indian as a base, Sivan created numerous hits popularised by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and M. S...
, among others.
In modern times, it is common for students to visit their gurus daily or weekly to learn music. Though new technology has made learning easier with the availability of quick-learn media such as learning exercises recorded on audio cassettes and CDs, these are discouraged by most gurus who emphasize that face-to-face learning is best for students.
Notations
Notation is not a new concept in Indian music. However, Carnatic music continued to be transmitted orally for centuries without being written down. The disadvantage with this system was that if one wanted to learn about a
kriti-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
composed, for example, by
Purandara DasaPurandara Dāsa is one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic music and is widely regarded as the "father of Carnatic Music". Purandara Dasa addressed social issues in addition to worship in his compositions, a practice emulated by his younger contemporary, Kanaka Dasa...
, it involved the difficult task of finding a person from Purandara Dasa's lineage of students.
Written notation of Carnatic music was revived in the late 17th century and early 18th century, which coincided with rule of Shahaji II in Tanjore. Copies of Shahaji's musical manuscripts are still available at the Saraswati Mahal Library in Tanjore and they give us an idea of the music and its form. They contain snippets of
solfegeIn music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
to be used when performing the mentioned ragas.
Melody
Unlike classical
Western musicClassical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, Carnatic music is notated almost exclusively in
tonic solfaIn music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
notation using either a Roman or Indic script to represent the solfa names. Past attempts to use the staff notation have mostly failed. Indian music makes use of hundreds of ragas, many more than the
church modesIn the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
in Western music. It becomes difficult to write Carnatic music using the staff notation without the use of too many
accidentalsIn music, an accidental is a note whose pitch is not a member of a scale or mode indicated by the most recently applied key signature. In musical notation, the symbols used to mark such notes, sharps , flats , and naturals , may also be called accidentals...
. Furthermore, the staff notation requires that the song be played in a certain
keyIn music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
. The notions of key and absolute pitch are deeply rooted in Western music, whereas the Carnatic notation does not specify the key and prefers to use scale degrees (relative pitch) to denote notes. The singer is free to choose the actual pitch of the
tonicIn music, the tonic is the first scale degree of the diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord...
note. In the more precise forms of Carnatic notation, there are symbols placed above the notes indicating how the notes should be played or sung; however, informally this practice is not followed.
To show the length of a note, several devices are used. If the duration of note is to be doubled, the letter is either capitalized (if using Roman script) or lengthened by a
diacriticA diacritic is a glyph added to a letter, or basic glyph. The term derives from the Greek διακριτικός . Diacritic is both an adjective and a noun, whereas diacritical is only an adjective. Some diacritical marks, such as the acute and grave are often called accents...
(in Indian languages). For a duration of three, the letter is capitalized (or diacriticized) and followed by a comma. For a length of four, the letter is capitalized (or diacriticized) and then followed by a semicolon. In this way any duration can be indicated using a series of semicolons and commas.
However, a simpler notation has evolved which does not use semicolons and capitalization, but rather indicates all extensions of notes using a corresponding number of commas. Thus,
Sā quadrupled in length would be denoted as "S,,,".
Rhythm
The notation is divided into columns, depending on the structure of the
tāḷaṃTāla, Taal or Tal is the term used in Indian classical music for the rhythmic pattern of any composition and for the entire subject of rhythm, roughly corresponding to metre in Western music, though closer conceptual equivalents are to be found in other Asian classical systems such as the notion...
. The division between a
laghu and a
dhrutam is indicated by a ।, called a
ḍaṇḍā, and so is the division between two
dhrutams or a
dhrutam and an
anudhrutam. The end of a cycle is marked by a ॥, called a
double ḍaṇḍā, and looks like a
caesurathumb|100px|An example of a caesura in modern western music notation.In meter, a caesura is a complete pause in a line of poetry or in a musical composition. The plural form of caesura is caesuras or caesurae...
.
Performances of Carnatic music
Carnatic music is usually performed by a small ensemble of musicians, who sit on an elevated stage. This usually consists of, at least, a principal performer, a melodic accompaniment, a rhythm accompaniment, and a drone.
The
tamburaThe tambura, tanpura, or tambora is a long-necked plucked lute . The body shape of the tambura somewhat resembles that of the sitar, but it has no frets – only the open strings are played to accompany other musicians...
is the traditional
droneIn music, a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout most or all of a piece. The word drone is also used to refer to any part of a musical instrument that is just used to produce such an effect.-A musical effect:A drone...
instrument used in concerts. However, tamburas are increasingly being replaced by
śruti boxøßƏA shruti box is a small wooden instrument that traditionally works on a system of bellows. It is similar to a harmonium and is used to provide a drone in a practice session or concert of Indian classical music. It is used as an accompaniment to other instruments and notably the flute...
es, and now more commonly, the
electronic tamburaAn electronic tanpura is an electronic instrument that replicates the sound of an Indian string instrument known as the tanpura .In Indian music, drone is a basic function of the music. The development of a raga, any composition or song within raga presupposes and requires the continuous sounding...
. The drone itself is an integral part of performances and furnishes stability - the equivalent of
harmonyIn music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
in Western music.
Performances can be musical or musical-dramatic. Musical recitals are either vocal, or purely instrumental in nature, while musical-dramatic recitals refer to
HarikathaHarikatha , otherwise called Katha Kalakshepa is a form of Hindu religious discourse, also known as Katha storytelling format, in which the story teller explores a religious theme, usually the life of a saint or a story from an Indian epic.Harikatha is a composite art form composed of story...
. But irrespective of what type of recital it is, what is featured are compositions which form the core of this genre of music.
In a vocal recital, a concert team may have one or more vocalists as the principal performer(s). Instruments, such as the
veenaVeena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
and/or
fluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, can be occasionally found as a rhythmic accompaniment, but usually, a vocalist is supported by a violin player (who sits on his/her left). The rhythm accompanist is usually a
mridangam player (who sits on the other side, facing the violin player). However, other percussion instruments such as the
ghatamThe ghaṭam is a percussion instrument used in the Carnatic music of South India. Its analogue in Rajasthan is known as the madga and pani mataqa "water jug"....
,
kanjiraThe kanjira, khanjira or ganjira, a South Indian frame drum, is an instrument of the tambourine family. It is used primarily in concerts of Carnatic music as a supporting instrument for the mridangam...
and
morsingA morsing is a wind percussion instrument, mainly used in the Carnatic music of South India and Sindh . It can be categorized under lamellophones, which is in the category of plucked idiophones...
frequently also accompany the main percussion instrument and play in an almost contrapuntal fashion along with the beats. The objective of the accompanying instruments is far more than following the melody and keeping the beats. The accompaniments form an integral part of every composition presented, and they closely follow and augment the melodic phrases outlined by the lead singer. The vocalist and the violinist take turns while elaborating or while exhibiting creativity in sections like
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
,
niravalNiraval also known as Neraval or Sahitya Vinyasa is considered to be one of the important features in the extempore improvisation aspect of Carnatic music....
and
kalpanaswaramIn classical music of south India Kalpanaswaram , is raga improvisation within a specific tala in which the musician improvises in the Indian music solfege after completing a composition.The kalpanaswaram start may start at any place in the tala, but the artist must end their...
. Unlike Hindustani music concerts, where an accompanying
tablaThe tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
player can keep beats without following the musical phrases at times, in Carnatic music, the accompanists have to follow the intricacies of the composition since there are percussion elements such as eduppu in several compositions. Some of the best concerts
feature a good bit of interaction with the lead musicians and accompanists exchanging notes, and accompanying musicians predicting the lead singer's musical phrases.
Concert content
A contemporary Carnatic music concert (called a
kutcheri) usually lasts about three hours, and comprises a number of varied compositions. Carnatic songs are composed in a particular
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
, which means that they do not deviate from the notes in the
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
. Each composition is set with specific notes and beats, but performers improvise extensively. Improvisation occurs in the melody of the composition as well as in using the notes to expound the beauty of the
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
.
Concerts usually begin with a
varnamVarnam is a form of song in the Carnatic music repertoire. A varnam is a relatively long piece and can range from 30 minutes to up to an hour. It is usually set to Aadi or Ata tala. It is the center piece in a recital of a Bharathanatyam dance. It is a tradition to start a recital in Carnatic...
or an invocatory item which will act as the opening piece. The
varnamVarnam is a form of song in the Carnatic music repertoire. A varnam is a relatively long piece and can range from 30 minutes to up to an hour. It is usually set to Aadi or Ata tala. It is the center piece in a recital of a Bharathanatyam dance. It is a tradition to start a recital in Carnatic...
is composed with an emphasis on
swaraThe seven notes of the scale , in Indian music are named shadja, rishabh, gandhar, madhyam, pancham, dhaivat and nishad, and are shortened to Sa, Ri or Re , Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni and written S, R, G, M, P, D, N. Collectively these notes are known as the sargam...
s of the raga, but will also have lyrics, the
saahityam. It is lively and fast to get the audience's attention. An invocatory item may usually follow the
varnam.
After the
varnamVarnam is a form of song in the Carnatic music repertoire. A varnam is a relatively long piece and can range from 30 minutes to up to an hour. It is usually set to Aadi or Ata tala. It is the center piece in a recital of a Bharathanatyam dance. It is a tradition to start a recital in Carnatic...
and/or invocatory item, the artist sings longer compositions called
kirtanas (commonly referred to as
kriti-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
s). Each
kriti-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
sticks to one specific
raga, although some are composed with more than one raga; these are known as
ragamalika (a garland of
ragas).
After singing the opening
kriti-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
, usually, the performer sings the
kalpanaswaramIn classical music of south India Kalpanaswaram , is raga improvisation within a specific tala in which the musician improvises in the Indian music solfege after completing a composition.The kalpanaswaram start may start at any place in the tala, but the artist must end their...
of the
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
to the beat. The performer must improvise a string of
swaraThe seven notes of the scale , in Indian music are named shadja, rishabh, gandhar, madhyam, pancham, dhaivat and nishad, and are shortened to Sa, Ri or Re , Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni and written S, R, G, M, P, D, N. Collectively these notes are known as the sargam...
s in any octave according to the rules of the raga and return to beginning of the cycle of beats smoothly, joining the
swaraThe seven notes of the scale , in Indian music are named shadja, rishabh, gandhar, madhyam, pancham, dhaivat and nishad, and are shortened to Sa, Ri or Re , Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni and written S, R, G, M, P, D, N. Collectively these notes are known as the sargam...
s with a phrase selected from the
kriti-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
. The violin performs these alternately with the main performer. In very long strings of
swaraThe seven notes of the scale , in Indian music are named shadja, rishabh, gandhar, madhyam, pancham, dhaivat and nishad, and are shortened to Sa, Ri or Re , Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni and written S, R, G, M, P, D, N. Collectively these notes are known as the sargam...
, the performers must calculate their notes accurately to ensure that they stick to the
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
, have no awkward pauses or lapses in the beat of the song, and create a complex pattern of notes that a knowledgeable audience can follow.
Performers then begin the main compositions with a section called
raga alapanaAlapana is a form of melodic improvisation that introduces and develops a raga in Indian classical music. As a term that is Sanskrit in language, alapana means "to speak, address, discourse, communicate". The flavor of the raga is outlined in the alapana by rendering the raga's permitted notes in...
exploring the
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
. In this, they use the sounds
aa, ri, na, ta, etc. instead of
swaras to slowly elaborate the notes and flow of the raga. This begins slowly and builds to a crescendo, and finally establishes a complicated exposition of the
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
that shows the performer's skill. All of this is done without any rhythmic accompaniment, or beat. Then the melodic accompaniment (violin or veena), expounds the
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
. Experienced listeners can identify many ragas after they hear just a few notes. With the
ragaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
thus established, the song begins, usually with lyrics. In this, the accompaniment (usually violin, sometimes veena) performs along with the main performer and the percussion (such as a
mridangam). In the next stage of the song, they may sing
niravalNiraval also known as Neraval or Sahitya Vinyasa is considered to be one of the important features in the extempore improvisation aspect of Carnatic music....
or
kalpanaswaram again.
In most concerts, the main item will at least have a section at the end of the item, for the percussion to perform solo (called the
tani avartanam). The percussion artists perform complex patterns of rhythm and display their skill. If multiple percussion instruments are employed, they engage in a rhythmic dialogue until the main performer picks up the melody once again. Some experienced artists may follow the main piece with a
ragam thanam pallaviRagam Thanam Pallavi is a form of singing in Carnatic music which allows the musicians to improvise to a great extent. It is one of the most complete aspects of classical music, demonstrating the entire gamut of talents and the depth of knowledge of the musician. It incorporates raga alapana,...
mid-concert, if they do not use it as the main item.
Following the main composition, the concert continues with shorter and lighter songs. Some of the types of songs performed towards the end of the concerts are
tillanas and
thukkadas - bits of popular
kritis or compositions requested by the audience. Every concert that is the last of the day ends with a
mangalam, a thankful prayer and conclusion to the musical event.
Audience
The audience of a typical concert has a reasonable understanding of Carnatic music. It is also typical to see the audience tapping out the
tala in sync with the artist's performance. As and when the artist exhibits creativity, the audience acknowledge it by clapping their hands. With experienced artists, towards the middle of the concert, requests start flowing in. The artist usually sings the requests, and it helps in exhibiting the artist's broad knowledge of the several thousand
kriti-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
s that are in existence.
Modern performances
Every December, the city of
ChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
in India has its six week-long
Music SeasonMadras Music Season is an event hosted every December–January in the present-day south Indian metropol of Chennai. Spanning some six weeks, a number of large and small kutcheris are performed by highly competent musicians...
, which has been described as the world's largest cultural event. The Music Season was started in 1927, to mark the opening of the
Madras Music AcademyMadras Music Academy, or simply Music Academy, is one of the premier and early Music Academies in the South Indian city of Madras, now Chennai. It plays an important role in encouraging and promoting primarily the Carnatic Music south Indian art form. It also played an important role in revival of...
. It used to be a traditional month-long Carnatic music festival, but since then it has also diversified into
danceDance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and
dramaDrama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
, as well as non-Carnatic art forms.
Artists
Carnatic music artists often have to have had several years of intense training and practice before being qualified as musicians who can perform on stage.
See also