Carnatic music (
SanskritSanskrit is a historical Indo-Aryan language, one of the liturgical languages of Hinduism and Buddhism, and one of the 22 official languages of India. It is also declared as a classical language by the government of India....
: ) 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, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
:
Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh , abbreviated A.P., is a state situated on the south-eastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Hyderabad...
,
KarnatakaKarnataka is a state in the southern part of India. It was created on November 1, 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act...
,
KeralaKerala , is a state located in southwestern India. The state was created in 1956 on linguistc basis, bringing together those places where Malayalam formed the principal language...
, 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 Puducherry , 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 from the oldest of scriptures, part of the Hindu tradition, the Vedas. It is also significantly influenced by Persian music....
that evolved from ancient
HinduA Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, a set of religious, philosophical and cultural systems that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The vast body of Hindu scriptures, divided into Śruti and Smriti , lay the foundation of Hindu beliefs which primarily include dhárma, kárma, ahimsa and saṃsāra...
traditions; the other sub-genre being Hindustani music, which emerged as a distinct form due to 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 prominent composers, such as
Purandara DasaPurandara Dāsa was 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 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 violin), a rhythm accompaniment (usually a
mridangamThe mridangam is a percussion instrument from India, especially South India. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble...
), and a
tamburaThis article is about the Indian fretless drone lute. The New Grove Dictionary of Music also assigns the term to the Eastern European variety of saz: for this see Tamburitza. For the general type, see Tanbur....
which acts as a
drone-Nature:The male caste of social Hymenopterans, such as a* Drone * male wasp* male antTo be tired or mad-Vehicles:A teleoperated or autonomous vehicle:* Unmanned aerial vehicles* Target drones* Remotely operated underwater vehicles...
throughout the performance. Other typical instruments used in performances may include the
ghatamThe ghatam is a percussion instrument, used in the Carnatic music of South India. It's analogs in Rajasthan knows as madga and pani mataqa ....
,
kanjiraThe kanjira 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 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 is a plucked stringed instrument used mostly in Carnatic Indian classical music. There are several variations of the veena, which in its South Indian form is a member of the lute family...
&
fluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind group. 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...
. The most outstanding performances, and the greatest concentration of Carnatic musicians, are found in the city of
ChennaiChennai , formerly known as , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the fifth most populous city in India. Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai city had a population of 4.34 million in the 2001...
. In particular, the 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...
held in Chennai every December, has been described as the world's largest cultural event.
Origins and history
Like all art forms in Indian culture, Carnatic music is believed to have a divine origin. It originated from the
DevaDeva is the Sanskrit word for "god, deity". It can be variously interpreted as a God, angel, spirit, celestial being, deity or any supernatural being of high excellence, and is thus comparable to the Hebrew Elohim...
s and
DeviDevi is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents consciousness or discrimination,...
s (
HinduA Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, a set of religious, philosophical and cultural systems that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The vast body of Hindu scriptures, divided into Śruti and Smriti , lay the foundation of Hindu beliefs which primarily include dhárma, kárma, ahimsa and saṃsāra...
Gods and Goddesses), and is venerated as symbolic of . 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, usually 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. It is counted among the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism known as the Vedas...
, set to musical tunes which would be sung using three to seven musical notes during Vedic
yajnaIn Hinduism, Yajña 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 is a plucked stringed instrument used mostly in Carnatic Indian classical music. There are several variations of the veena, which in its South Indian form is a member of the lute family...
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. Originally composed in Sanskrit and translated thereafter into Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, it includes some of the oldest epic poetry ever created and some works form the basis of Hindu scripture.- Sanskrit Epics :The...
like the
RamayanaThe Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is attributed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon . The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India, the other being Mahabharata...
and
MahabharataThe Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the . The epic is part of the Hindu itihāsa , and forms an important part of Hindu mythology....
. The
Yajnavalkya Smriti mentions
vīṇāvādana tattvajñaḥ śrutijātiviśāradaḥ tālajñaścāprayāsena mokṣamārgaṃ niyacchati ("The one who is well versed in
veenaVeena is a plucked stringed instrument used mostly in Carnatic Indian classical music. There are several variations of the veena, which in its South Indian form is a member of the lute family...
, 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, usually 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...
,
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
, and
talaTala may refer to:* Samoan tala, the monetary unit of Samoa* Tala , a DC Comics supervillainess of the Phantom Stranger* Tala , the goddess of stars in Tagalog mythology* Tala , a rhythmic pattern in Indian classical music...
) 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.
Owing to Persian and Islamic influences in
North IndiaNorth India is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage. The dominant geographical features of North India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demarcate the region from Tibet and Central Asia...
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
ThanjavurThanjavur Thanjavur Thanjavur ( (tañcāvūr), also known by its anglicised name Tanjore, is a municipality and the headquarters of the Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It has a population of a 221,185 (2001 census)....
, while the Vijayanagar Empire reached its greatest extent.
Purandara DasaPurandara Dāsa was 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....
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 is a plucked stringed instrument used mostly in Carnatic Indian classical music. There are several variations of the veena, which in its South Indian form is a member of the lute family...
,
rudra 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 bowed string instrument with four strings usually tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola and cello....
,
ghatamThe ghatam is a percussion instrument, used in the Carnatic music of South India. It's analogs in Rajasthan knows as madga and pani mataqa ....
,
fluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind group. 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...
,
mridangamThe mridangam is a percussion instrument from India, especially South India. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble...
, nagaswara and swarabhat. Some famous court-musicians and royalty proficient in music were
Veena SheshannaVeene Sheshanna was a famous 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 Veena Subbanna (1861-1939), among others.
With the dissolution of the erstwhile princely states and the
Indian independence movementThe term Indian independence movement incorporates various national and regional campaigns, agitations and efforts of both nonviolent and militant philosophy. The term encompasses a wide spectrum of political organizations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending the British...
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 in the center of the country. The capital is Sabha with a population of 130,000.- Overview :...
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
modesMode is a term from Western music theory having three definitions :# the rhythmic relationship between long and short values in the late medieval period;...
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, usually 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
tonicThe tonic is the first note of a musical scale in the tonal method of musical composition. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord. More generally, the tonic is the pitch upon which all other pitches of a piece are hierarchically referenced...
and the
dominantIn music, the dominant is the fifth degree of a musical scale. The dominant has the role of creating instability that requires the tonic or goal-tone for release....
), 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 Puducherry , 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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
, 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
modeMode may mean:* Mode * Mode , the value that has the largest number of observations* Musical mode, a classification system of musical tonalities...
. It specifies rules for movements up (
aarohanam) and down (
avarohanam), the
scaleIn music, a scale is a group of musical notes collected in ascending and descending order, that provides material for or is used to conveniently represent part or all of a musical work including melody and/or harmony...
of which notes should figure more and which notes should be used more sparingly, which notes may be sung with
gamakaGamaka is the form of music in Indian classical genre, used in Karnataka, India as a unique form of storytelling. One person sings a stanza of a poem, applying suitable ragas to it so that is will be melodious to hear. Another person then explains the meaning of the stanza with examples and...
, 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....
, 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 fourthThe perfect fourth is a musical interval which spans four scale degrees. It consists of the note and the note five semitones above it on the musical scale. For example, the interval between a C and the next F above it is a perfect fourth; similarly the interval between a G and the next C above...
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 Sanskrit word that translates as "wheel" or "turning"....
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 . 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 iio in a natural minor scale, indicating that the chord...
and
mediantIn music, the mediant is the third degree of the diatonic scale, being the "middle" note of the tonic triad.In Roman numeral analysis, the mediant chord can take several forms. In major scales, the mediant chord is minor and is noted with the Roman numeral iii. In a natural minor scale, the mediant...
scale degrees. There is a system known as the
katapayadi sankhyaThe Katapayadi sankhya is a way of determining the number of a melakarta raga from the first two syllables of the name of the raga.-How to use it:Following is the Katapayadi sankhya in the Roman alphabet and in Devanagari.-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
janyaIn Carnatic music , Janya and Janya Ragas are the Ragas derived from the 72 melakarta ragas.- Classifications :...
ragas (descendant ragas of a particular janaka raga). Janya ragas are themselves subclassified into various categories.
Tala system
TalaTala may refer to:* Samoan tala, the monetary unit of Samoa* Tala , a DC Comics supervillainess of the Phantom Stranger* Tala , the goddess of stars in Tagalog mythology* Tala , a rhythmic pattern in Indian classical music...
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 from the oldest of scriptures, part of the Hindu tradition, the Vedas. It is also significantly influenced by Persian 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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
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, usually 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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
of the melody and at a specific place (
idam) in the
talaTala may refer to:* Samoan tala, the monetary unit of Samoa* Tala , a DC Comics supervillainess of the Phantom Stranger* Tala , the goddess of stars in Tagalog mythology* Tala , a rhythmic pattern in Indian classical music...
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 is a plucked stringed instrument used mostly in Carnatic Indian classical music. There are several variations of the veena, which in its South Indian form is a member of the lute family...
, 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 or thrice in order to give the percussionist the idea of the chosen taalam...
line. Set to a slow-paced
talaTala may refer to:* Samoan tala, the monetary unit of Samoa* Tala , a DC Comics supervillainess of the Phantom Stranger* Tala , the goddess of stars in Tagalog mythology* Tala , a rhythmic pattern in Indian classical music...
, 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.
Compositions
In contrast to
Hindustani musicHindustani Classical Music is the Hindustani or erstwhileNorth Indian style of Indian classical music...
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, one of the liturgical languages of Hinduism and Buddhism, and one of the 22 official languages of India. It is also declared as a classical language by the government of India....
slokaSloka may refer to:*Sloka, neighbourhood of Jūrmala, Latvia*Sloka meter is a Sanskrit meter*Alternative English spelling for the Hindu prayer Shloka...
,
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Tamil is also spoken by significant minorities in Malaysia, Mauritius and Réunion as well as emigrant communities around the world...
viruttamA viruttam or virutham is a Hindu devotional verse sung in Carnatic music concerts. Viruttams do not have talas and are mainly improvised using one or more ragams. It is one of the different 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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
phrases in free rhythm, like an
alapanaIn Indian classical music, an alapana is defined as the introduction and elaboration of a raga . The flavor of the raga is outlined in the alapana by rendering the raga's permitted notes in structures and phrases unique to the raga...
, 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.-Demographics: India census, Thevaram had a population of 14,501. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Thevaram has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male...
and
ugabhogaUgabhogas are melody based compositions that are reminiscent of vachanas...
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, generally performed at the end of a concert and widely used in dance performances. A thillana uses taal 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 music or dance...
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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
, 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 or thrice 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
chittaswaras. 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 or thrice 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. One or two 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....
. The second verse. Also two 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.
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 was 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 due to 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
RagaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
MayamalavagowlaMayamalavagowla , is a raga of Carnatic Music . It is classified as 15
thmelakarta 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...
as the first scale to be learnt by beginners. He also composed
Gitas (simple songs) for novice students. Although only a fraction of his compositions still exist, he is said to have composed around 475,000 compositions in total.
The contemporaries
TyagarajaTyāgarāja was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. His full name is Kakarla Tyaga Brahmam.He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...
(1759? - 1847),
Muthuswami DikshitarMuthuswami Dikshitar is the youngest of the Carnatic music composer trinity.He is said to have born to the couple after they prayed for a child in the temple of Vaitheeswaran Koil.- Early life and background:...
, (1776 - 1827) and
Syama SastriSyama Sastri is among the most renowned composers of Carnatic music; indeed, he was the oldest of the so-called Trinity of Carnatic music, along with Tyagaraja and Muttusvami Dikshitar. 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 music due to the quality of
Syama SastriSyama Sastri is among the most renowned composers of Carnatic music; indeed, he was the oldest of the so-called Trinity of Carnatic music, along with Tyagaraja and Muttusvami Dikshitar. 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 the youngest of the Carnatic music composer trinity.He is said to have born to the couple after they prayed for a child in the temple of Vaitheeswaran Koil.- Early life and background:...
and
TyagarajaTyāgarāja was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. His full name is Kakarla Tyaga Brahmam.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 music include
Arunachala KaviArunachala Kavi was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He was born in Tillaiyadi in Tanjavur 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 or Annamayya was a Telugu song-writer and Carnatic composer. He is the earliest known musician in South India to compose sankeertanas. He composed numerous songs in praise of Lord Venkateswara, the deity of the Seven Hills in Tirumala...
,
Narayana TheerthaNarayana Teertha was a composer of Carnatic music. Narayana was born in South India in the region covered by the present-day Andhra Pradesh and eventually moved to Thanjavur. He mastered music at a very early age and studied Puranas, Bhagavata Purana and other Sanskrit works...
,
Vijaya DasaVijaya Dasa or Sri Vijaya Dasa was a prominent saint from the Haridasa tradition of Karnataka, India in the 18th century. He is considered one of the most accomplished scholars belonging to the Dvaita philosophical tradition...
, Bhadrachala Ramadas,
Sadasiva BrahmendraSadasiva Brahmendra was a great saint and composer of Carnatic music and an Advaita philosopher who lived near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu during the 18th century. He composed mainly in Sanskrit...
and
Oottukkadu Venkata KaviOotthukkadu Venkata Kavi was a 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 descendants of the...
. Other prominent 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 VasudevacharMysore Vasudevachar was a renowned composer of Carnatic music compositions as also an accomplished singer.Vasudeva was born in the then erstwhile royal state of Mysore and started learning music at the age of five from Veena Padmanabhiah, the chief musician of the Mysore palace...
,
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 famous 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 prominent 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 is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka. Kannada, whose native speakers are called Kannadigas , number roughly 38 million, making it the 27th most spoken language in the world...
, Malayalam,
SanskritSanskrit is a historical Indo-Aryan language, one of the liturgical languages of Hinduism and Buddhism, and one of the 22 official languages of India. It is also declared as a classical language by the government of India....
,
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Tamil is also spoken by significant minorities in Malaysia, Mauritius and Réunion as well as emigrant communities around the world...
and
TeluguTelugu is a Dravidian language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is the official language of Andhra Pradesh, one of the largest states of India. It is also one of the twenty-two scheduled languages of the Republic of India and was conferred the status of a Classical language by the Government...
. They usually included a signature, called a
mudra, in their compositions. For example, all songs by
TyagarajaTyāgarāja was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. His full name is Kakarla Tyaga Brahmam.He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...
(who composed in
TeluguTelugu is a Dravidian language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is the official language of Andhra Pradesh, one of the largest states of India. It is also one of the twenty-two scheduled languages of the Republic of India and was conferred the status of a Classical language by the Government...
) have the word
Tyagaraja in them, all songs by
Muthuswami DikshitarMuthuswami Dikshitar is the youngest of the Carnatic music composer trinity.He is said to have born to the couple after they prayed for a child in the temple of Vaitheeswaran Koil.- Early life and background:...
(who composed in Sanskrit) have the words
Guruguha in them, songs by
Syama SastriSyama Sastri is among the most renowned composers of Carnatic music; indeed, he was the oldest of the so-called Trinity of Carnatic music, along with Tyagaraja and Muttusvami Dikshitar. 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 India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Tamil is also spoken by significant minorities in Malaysia, Mauritius and Réunion as well as emigrant communities around the world...
.
Papanasam SivanPapanasam Sivan was a prominent composer of Carnatic music and a famous 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, one of the liturgical languages of Hinduism and Buddhism, and one of the 22 official languages of India. It is also declared as a classical language by the government of India....
, and used the signature
Ramadasan.
Learning Carnatic music
Carnatic music is traditionally taught according to the system formulated by
Purandara DasaPurandara Dāsa was 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 music or dance...
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 . As a principle for the development of consciousness it leads the creation from unreality to reality, from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge...
(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 . As a principle for the development of consciousness it leads the creation from unreality to reality, from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge...
ParamparaParampara denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in traditional Indian culture. It is also known as guru-shishya paramparā, succession from guru to disciple. In the paramparā system, knowledge is passed down through successive generations. The Sanskrit word literally means an...
, 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 the youngest of the Carnatic music composer trinity.He is said to have born to the couple after they prayed for a child in the temple of Vaitheeswaran Koil.- Early life and background:...
,
Syama SastriSyama Sastri is among the most renowned composers of Carnatic music; indeed, he was the oldest of the so-called Trinity of Carnatic music, along with Tyagaraja and Muttusvami Dikshitar. 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 famous 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 was 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
Western musicWestern music is the genres of music originating in the Western world including Western classical music, American Jazz, Country and Western, pop music and rock and roll...
, 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 modesMode is a term from Western music theory having three definitions :# the rhythmic relationship between long and short values in the late medieval period;...
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 certain key, such as in the key of C 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 key of...
. 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
tonicThe tonic is the first note of a musical scale in the tonal method of musical composition. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord. More generally, the tonic is the pitch upon which all other pitches of a piece are hierarchically referenced...
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 an ancillary 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...
(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
tāḷaṃTala 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 of usul in the...
. 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, caesura is a term to denote an audible pause that breaks up a line of verse. In most cases, caesura is indicated by punctuation marks which cause a pause in speech: a comma, a semicolon, a full stop, a dash, etc...
.
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
tamburaThis article is about the Indian fretless drone lute. The New Grove Dictionary of Music also assigns the term to the Eastern European variety of saz: for this see Tamburitza. For the general type, see Tanbur....
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 boxA 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 the Indian string instrument, the tanpura .In Indian music, drone is an important element. Often, drone is provided by a tanpura player, especially for vocal performances, and those of the sitar, sarod, and sarangi...
. 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 in which the story teller explores a religious theme, usually the life of a saint or a story from an Indian epic...
. 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 is a plucked stringed instrument used mostly in Carnatic Indian classical music. There are several variations of the veena, which in its South Indian form is a member of the lute family...
and/or
fluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind group. 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
mridangamThe mridangam is a percussion instrument from India, especially South India. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble...
player (who sits on the other side, facing the violin player). However, other percussion instruments such as the
ghatamThe ghatam is a percussion instrument, used in the Carnatic music of South India. It's analogs in Rajasthan knows as madga and pani mataqa ....
,
kanjiraThe kanjira 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 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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
,
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 the classical, popular and religious music of the Indian subcontinent and in Hindustani classical music. 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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
, which means that they do not deviate from the notes in the
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
. 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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
.
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 music or dance...
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 music or dance...
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, usually 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 music or dance...
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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
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, usually 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, usually 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, usually 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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
, 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 alapanaIn Indian classical music, an alapana is defined as the introduction and elaboration of a raga . The flavor of the raga is outlined in the alapana by rendering the raga's permitted notes in structures and phrases unique to the raga...
exploring the
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
. 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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
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
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
. Experienced listeners can identify many ragas after they hear just a few notes. With the
ragaRāga refers to melodic modes used in Indian classical music. It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made. In the Indian musical tradition, rāgas are associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Indian classical music is always set in a rāga...
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
mridangamThe mridangam is a percussion instrument from India, especially South India. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble...
). 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 , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the fifth most populous city in India. Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai city had a population of 4.34 million in the 2001...
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 used to be a traditional month-long Carnatic music festival, but since then it has also diversified into
danceDance is a sport and 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" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a collective...
, 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.
The most popular and prominent Carnatic musicians are considered the most versatile and effective performers. They have often been a disciple to at least one legendary artist, or have learnt under one of their disciples.
External links