Carnatic music (also spelled Karnatak music or Karnatik music, and originally called Karṇāṭaka sangīta^[1] or Karṇāṭaka sangītam in India) is known as one of the two styles of Indian classical music, the other being Hindustani music. The origins of Indian classical music can be found from the oldest of Scriptures part of the Hindu tradition the Vedas. Hindustani Classical Music ( Hindi: हिन्दुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत Urdu: ہندوستانی شاستریے سنگیت Its classical tradition is from the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, and its area roughly corresponds to the four modern states of South India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India.

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). ^[2] Like Hindustani music, Carnatic music rests on two main elements: rāga, the modes or melodic formulæ, and tāḷa, the rhythmic cycles. Hindustani Classical Music ( Hindi: हिन्दुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत Urdu: ہندوستانی شاستریے سنگیت Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used In Music, a scale is an ordered series of Musical intervals which along with the key or tonic, define the pitches However mode In Indian classical music, Tala ( Sanskrit tāla literally a "clap" is a rhythmical pattern that determines the rhythmical structure of a composition ^[3]

Etymology

Origins and history

Purandara Dasa - the 'Father of Carnatic music'

Main article: Origins and history of Carnatic music

See also: List of Carnatic music treatises

Like all art forms in Indian culture, Carnatic music is believed to have a divine origin - it is believed to have input from the Devas and Devis. Purandara Dāsa (1484 - 1564 (sometimes spelled as a single word ( Kannada: ಪುರಂದರ ದಾಸ was one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic Like all art forms in Indian culture, Carnatic Music is believed to have a divine origin - it is believed to have originated from the Devas and Devis However it is These are books on Carnatic music considered authoritative and necessary for a serious study of Carnatic music and its evolution The culture of India has been shaped by the long History of India, its unique geography and the absorption of customs traditions and ideas from some of its neighbors Deva (देव in Devanagari script pronounced as /'d̪evə/ is the Sanskrit word for "god Deity " Devi ( Devanagari: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism. ^[4] However, it is also generally accepted that the natural origins of music were an important factor in the development of Carnatic music. ^[4] Ancient treatises describe the connection of the origin of the swaras, or notes, to the sounds of animals and birds, and man's keen sense of observation and perception that tried simulating these sounds - after hearing and distinguishing between the different sounds that emanated from bamboo reed when air passes through its hollows, man designed the first flute. for the town in Nepal see Swara Nepal The notes or swaras, of Indian music are shadja rishabh gandhar madhyam pancham dhaivat and nishad In this way, music is venerated as an aspect of the supreme (nāda brāhmam)^[5]. Folk music is also said to have been a natural origin of Carnatic music, with many folk tunes corresponding to certain Carnatic ragas (discussed later). ^[4]

The Vedas are generally accepted as the main probable source of Indian music. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Sama Veda is said to have laid the foundation for Indian music, and consists mainly of hymns of Rigveda, set to musical tunes which would be sung using three to seven musical notes during Vedic sacrifices. The Samaveda ( Sanskrit: सामवेद sāmaveda, from sāman "melody" + veda "knowledge") is third (in the usual The Rigveda ( Sanskrit sa ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, a compound of ṛc "praise verse" and veda "knowledge" ^[4] The Yajur-Veda, which mainly consists of sacrificial formulae, mentions the veena as an accompaniment to vocal recitations during the sacrifices. The Yajurveda ( Sanskrit यजुर्वेदः, a Tatpurusha compound of yajus "sacrificial formula' + veda Veena (also spelled 'vina' Kannada: ವೀಣ Malayalam: വീണ Tamil: வீணா Telugu: వీణ is a Plucked stringed ^[6]

References to Indian classical music are made in many ancient religious texts, including epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Bhakti movement was a Hindu religious movement in which the main spiritual practice was loving devotion to God, or Bhakti. Indian epic poetry is the Epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent. The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki The Yajnavalkya Smriti mentions "vīṇāvādanatattvajñaḥ śrutijātiviśāradaḥ tālajñaścāprayāsena mokṣamārgaṃ niyacchati" ("The one who is well versed in veena, one who has the knowledge of srutis and one who is adept in tala, attains salvation without doubt. The Yajnavalkya Smriti is one of the three main Smritis It was written by Sage Yajnavalkya of Mithila. ")^[7] Carnatic music is based on music concepts mentioned in Bharata's Natya Shastra. Bharata was an ancient Indian Musicologist who authored the Natya Shastra, a Theoretical Treatise on ancient The Nātya Shastra ( Sanskrit: Nātyaśāstra नाट्य शास्त्र is an ancient Indian treatise on the Performing arts ^[8]. The Natya Shastra mentions many musical concepts (including swara and tala) that continue to be relevant to Carnatic music today. for the town in Nepal see Swara Nepal The notes or swaras, of Indian music are shadja rishabh gandhar madhyam pancham dhaivat and nishad ^[4]

Carnatic music saw revolutionary growth during the Vijayanagar Empire by the Kannada Haridasa movement of Vyasaraja, Purandara Dasa, Kanakadasa and others. The Vijayanagara Empire ( Kannada: ವಿಜಯನಗರ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ Telugu: విజయనగర సామ్రాజ్యము was a South The Haridasa ( Kannada: ಹರಿದಾಸ) devotional movement is considered as one of the turning points in the cultural history of India. Vyasatirtha ( Kannada:ವ್ಯಾಸತೀರ್ಥ (1460-1539 also called Vyasaraja or Vyasaraya, was acclaimed as one on the three spiritual lights Purandara Dāsa (1484 - 1564 (sometimes spelled as a single word ( Kannada: ಪುರಂದರ ದಾಸ was one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic Kanaka Dasa ದಾಸ ( 1509 – 1609) was great poet philosopher musician and composer from Karnataka. ^[9] Purandara Dasa who is known as the Sangeeta Pitamaha meaning the father (founder) of Carnatic music, laid out the complete fundamental principles and framework for Carnatic music. Purandara Dāsa (1484 - 1564 (sometimes spelled as a single word ( Kannada: ಪುರಂದರ ದಾಸ was one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic ^[10][4]. Venkatamakhin is credited with the classification of ragas in the Melakarta System and wrote his most important work; Chaturdandi Prakasika (c. 1635 CE) in Sanskrit. Govindacharya expanded the Melakarta Scheme into the Sampoorna raga system, which is the system in common use today. Melakarta is a collection of fundamental Ragas (musical scales in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music

Even though the earlier writers Matanga, Sarangadeva and others also were from Karnataka, the music tradition was formally named Karnataka Sangeetha for the first time only in the 13th Century when the Vijayanagara empire was founded. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India The Vijayanagara Empire ( Kannada: ವಿಜಯನಗರ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ Telugu: విజయనగర సామ్రాజ్యము was a South ^[11] Since the late 12th and early 13th centuries, as a result of the increasing Persian influence (and as a result of the Islamic conquest) in North India, Hindustani Music started evolving as a separate genre, while Carnatic music was relatively unaffected by these Arabic and Iranian influences. Geography Northern India lies mainly on continental India and a very small part of it lies on the Indian peninsula Hindustani Classical Music ( Hindi: हिन्दुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत Urdu: ہندوستانی شاستریے سنگیت ^[12] A clear demarcation between Hindustani music and Carnatic music can be seen in the latter half of the 14th century, as the word "Carnatic" came to represent South Indian classical music as a separate system of music. ^[4]

A unique development in the art of instrumental Carnatic music took shape under the patronage of the kings of the Kingdom of Mysore in the 18th through 20th centuries. The Kingdom of Mysore/State of Mysore (ಮೈಸೂರು ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ was both a Kingdom (1399-1799 CE and a Princely state (1799-1947 The composers used to play their compositions on instruments such as the veena, rudra veena, violin, tambura, ghata, flute, mridangam, nagaswara, swarabhat. Veena (also spelled 'vina' Kannada: ವೀಣ Malayalam: വീണ Tamil: வீணா Telugu: వీణ is a Plucked stringed The rudra veena (also spelled rudra vina, and also called been or bin) is a large plucked String instrument used in Hindustani The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member The tambura ( Hindi: तानपूरा is a type of Stringed instrument found in different versions in different places around the world most are plucked The flute is a Musical instrument of the Woodwind family Unlike other woodwind instruments a flute is a Reedless wind instrument that produces its The mridangam (மிருதங்கம் is a Percussion instrument from India, especially South India. Some instruments such as harmonium, sitar and jaltarang, though uncommon to the southern region came into use and the English influence popularised the saxophone and piano. A harmonium is a free-standing musical keyboard instrument similar to a Reed Organ or Pipe Organ The sitar ( Hindi: सितार Urdu: ستار Persian: سی تار) is a Plucked stringed instrument. The Jal Tarang ( Hindi: जल तरंग Urdu: جل ترںگ) Jaltarang, Jal-tarang, Jal-yantra, or Jalatarangam The saxophone (commonly referred to simply as sax) is a conical- bored transposing Musical instrument considered a member of the Woodwind The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers Even royalty of this dynasty were noted composers and proficient in playing musical instruments, solo or in concert with others. ^[13] Some famous instrumentalists were Veena Sheshanna(1852-1926)^[14], Veena Subbanna (1861-1939),^[15] T. Chowdiah^[16]and others. Veene Sheshanna ( Kannada: ವೀಣೆ ಶೇಷಣ್ಣ (1852-1926 was a famous exponent of the Veena, an Indian string instrument which he played Tirumakudalu Chowdiah ( Kannada: ಸಂಗೀತ ರತ್ನ ತಿರುಮಕೂಡಲು ಚೌಡಯ್ಯ) ( 1895 - 19 January, 1967

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). ^[17] Like Hindustani music, Carnatic music rests on two main elements: rāga, the modes or melodic formulæ, and tāḷa, the rhythmic cycles. Hindustani Classical Music ( Hindi: हिन्दुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत Urdu: ہندوستانی شاستریے سنگیت Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used In Music, a scale is an ordered series of Musical intervals which along with the key or tonic, define the pitches However mode In Indian classical music, Tala ( Sanskrit tāla literally a "clap" is a rhythmical pattern that determines the rhythmical structure of a composition ^[18]

Carnatic music is practised and presented today 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).

Important elements of Carnatic music

Śruti

Main article: Śruti (music)

Śruti commonly refers to musical pitch. The śruti ( Sanskrit "thing heard" "sound" written also sruti or shruti is the smallest interval of the tuning system in ^[19] 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 shruti is determined by auditory perception, it is also an expression in the listener's mind. ^[20]

Swara

Main article: 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. for the town in Nepal see Swara Nepal The notes or swaras, of Indian music are shadja rishabh gandhar madhyam pancham dhaivat and nishad ^[21] Swaras also refer to the solfege 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). In Music, solfège ('soʊlfɛʒ also called solfeggio, sol-fa, or solfa) is a Pedagogical Solmization technique for the 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 swara) has three variants. for the town in Nepal see Swara Nepal The notes or swaras, of Indian music are shadja rishabh gandhar madhyam pancham dhaivat and nishad The exceptions are the drone notes, shadja and panchama (also known as the tonic and the dominant), which have only one form; and madhyama (the subdominant), which has two forms. The tonic is the first note of a musical scale in the tonal method of Musical composition. In Music, the dominant is the Fifth degree of the scale. For example in the C Major scale (white keys on a piano starting with C the In Music, the subdominant is the technical name for the fourth tonal degree of the Diatonic scale. A 7th century stone inscription in Kudumiyan Malai^[22] in Tamil Nadu shows vowel changes to solfege symbols with ra, ri, ru etc. Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. to denote the higher quarter-tones. In one scale, or ragam, there is usually only one variant of each note present. Ragam may refer to Rāga, melodic structure in Indian classical music called rāgam in Carnatic music Ragam Cultural 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 avarohanam). Arohana Avarohana, Avarohanam or Avarohan in North Indian classical music and South Indian Classical Music ( Carnatic Music) is the descending

Raga system

Main article: Raga

A raga in Carnatic music prescribes a set of rules for building a melody - very similar to the Western concept of mode. Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used In Music, a melody (from Greek μελῳδία - melōidía, "singing chanting" also tune, voice, or ^[23] It specifies rules for movements up (aarohanam) and down (avarohanam), the scale of which notes should figure more and which notes should be used more sparingly, which notes may be sung with gamaka, which phrases should be used, phrases should be avoided, and so on. In 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 In Music, the term note has two primary meanings 1 a sign used in Musical notation to represent the relative duration and pitch of a Sound; Gamaka is a form of music in Indian classical genre used in Karnataka, India as a unique form of Storytelling.

In Carnatic music, the sampoorna ragas (those with all seven notes in their scales) are classified into a system called the melakarta, which groups them according to the kinds of notes that they have. Melakarta is a collection of fundamental Ragas (musical scales in Carnatic music (South Indian classical music There are seventy-two melakarta ragas, thirty six of whose madhyama (subdominant) is sadharana (perfect fourth from the tonic), the remaining thirty-six of whose madhyama (subdominant) is prati (an augmented fourth from the tonic). In Music, the subdominant is the technical name for the fourth tonal degree of the Diatonic scale. The perfect fourth () is a Musical interval which spans four scale degrees The tritone ( Tri - or three and tone) is a Musical interval that spans three whole tones. The ragas are grouped into sets of six, called chakras ("wheels", though actually segments in the conventional representation) grouped according to the supertonic and mediant scale degrees. Chakra ( Pali: chakka Tibetan: khorlo Malay: cakera is a Sanskrit term meaning Circle or Wheel In Music or Music theory, the supertonic is the second degree or note of a Diatonic scale (in other words immediately "above" In Music, the mediant is the third degree of the Diatonic scale, being the "middle" note of the tonic There is a system known as the 'Katapayadi sankhya to determine the names of Melakarta Ragas. The Katapayadi sankhya is a way of determining the number of a Melakarta Ragam from the first two syllables of the name of the Raga.

Ragas may be divided into two classes: janaka ragas (i. e melakarta or parent ragas) and janyaragas (descendant ragas of a particular janaka raga). In Carnatic music (South Indian classical music Janya ("derived from" and Janya Ragas are the Ragas ' (melodic Janya ragas are subclassified into various categories themselves. In Carnatic music (South Indian classical music Janya ("derived from" and Janya Ragas are the Ragas ' (melodic

Tala system

Main article: Tala (music)

Tala refers to the beat set for a particular composition (a measure of time). In Indian classical music, Tala ( Sanskrit tāla literally a "clap" is a rhythmical pattern that determines the rhythmical structure of a composition 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. ^[24]

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

There are four main types of improvisation in Carnatic music, but in every type, adhering to the scale and phrases of the raga is required.

Raga Alapana

Main article: Alapana

This is the exposition of the ragam of the song that is being planned to be performed. In Indian classical music, an alapana is defined as the introduction and elaboration of a Raga (musical scale Ragam may refer to Rāga, melodic structure in Indian classical music called rāgam in Carnatic music Ragam Cultural A performer will explore the ragam first by singing lower octaves then moving up to higher ones and touching various aspects of the ragam while giving a hint of the song to be performed. Ragam may refer to Rāga, melodic structure in Indian classical music called rāgam in Carnatic music Ragam Cultural Ragam may refer to Rāga, melodic structure in Indian classical music called rāgam in Carnatic music Ragam Cultural It is a slow improvisation with no rhythm. ^[25]

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

Main article: Niraval

This is usually performed by the more advanced concert artists and consists of singing one or two lines of a song repeatedly, but with improvised elaborations. Niraval also known as Neraval or Sahitya Vinyasa is considered to be one of the important features in the extempore improvisation aspect ( Manodharma Sangita Niraval comes out of manodharma sangeetha, where the selected line is repeated within the tala timing to bring out the beauty of both the raaga, and the line or composition being rendered.

Kalpanaswaram

Main article: Kalpanaswaram

The most elementary type of improvisation, usually taught before any other form of improvisation. In South Indian music Kalpanaswaram also called swara kalpana svara kalpana manodharmaswara or just swaras is Raga Improvisation within a specific It consists of singing a pattern of notes which finishes on the beat and the note just before the beat and the note on which the song starts. The swara pattern should adhere to the original raga's swara pattern, which is called as aarohanam-avarohanam.

Thanam

This form of improvisation was originally developed for the veena and consists of expanding the raga with syllables like tha, nam, thom, aa, nom, na, etc. Veena (also spelled 'vina' Kannada: ವೀಣ Malayalam: വീണ Tamil: வீணா Telugu: వీణ is a Plucked stringed

Ragam Thanam Pallavi

Main article: Ragam Thanam Pallavi

This is a composite form of improvisation. Ragam Thanam Pallavi is a form of singing in Carnatic music which allows the musicians to improvise to a great extent As the name suggests, it consists of Raga Alapana, Thanam, and a pallavi line. The pallavi line is sung twice, and Niraval follows. After Niraval, the pallavi line is sung again, twice in normal speed, then sung once at half the speed, then twice at regular speed, then four times at twice the speed. Kalpanaswarams follow.

Compositions

In contrast to Hindustani 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. Hindustani Classical Music ( Hindi: हिन्दुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत Urdu: ہندوستانی شاستریے سنگیت 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, and while there are many other types/forms of compositions (including padam, javali, and thillana), the most common forms are the Varnam, and most importantly, the kriti (or kirtanam), which are discussed below. Tarana (Hindi तराना is a type of composition in Hindustani classical vocal music in which certain words and syllables (e Varnam 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 nearly an hour or 40-50 min Kriti is also a spelling of Crete, Greece "Kriti" is also the Hindi word for "creation"

Varnam

Main article: Varnam

This is a special item which highlights everything important about a raga, known as the sanchaaraas of a raga ^[26] - 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. Varnam 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 nearly an hour or 40-50 min Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used Though there are a few different types of varnams, in essence, they all have a pallavi, an anupallavi, muktayi swaras, a charanam, and chittaswaras. In Indian classical music pallavi is the thematic line of a song In Indian classical music, the anupallavi comes after the Pallavi and is usually the second section of any composition Charanam, meaning foot is usually the end section of a composition which is sung after the Anupallavi. ^[27] They are sung in multiple speeds, and are very good for practice. ^[28] In concerts, varnams are often sung at the beginning as they are fast and grab the audience's attention. ^[29]

Kriti

Main article: Kriti

Carnatic songs (kritis) are varied in structure and style, but generally consist of three units:

1. Pallavi. Kriti is also a spelling of Crete, Greece "Kriti" is also the Hindi word for "creation" In Indian classical music pallavi is the thematic line of a song This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music. A refrain (from Vulgar Latin refringere, "to repeat" and later from Old French refraindre) is the Line or lines that are One or two lines.
2. Anupallavi. In Indian classical music, the anupallavi comes after the Pallavi and is usually the second section of any composition The second verse. Also two lines.
3. Charana. Charanam, meaning foot 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. Kriti is also a spelling of Crete, Greece "Kriti" is also the Hindi word for "creation" 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.

Ugabhoga

Ugabhoga is an integral part of Carnatic music concert where the artist elaborates the treatment of raga characteristics through lyric based freestyle verses. Ugabhogas ( ಉಗಾಭೋಗ in Kannada) are melody based compositions that are reminiscent of Vachanas ( Kannada poetry that originated ^[30] It is the starting item of kriti that Sri Purandara Daasa introduced in the 15th century^[31] when he laid out the format for Carnatic music. Purandara Dāsa (1484 - 1564 (sometimes spelled as a single word ( Kannada: ಪುರಂದರ ದಾಸ was one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic Later it led to freestyle rendering of ragas without lyrics known as alaapane (alapana). In Indian classical music, an alapana is defined as the introduction and elaboration of a Raga (musical scale

Prominent composers

A portrait of Muthuswamy Dikshitar - one of the celebrated Carnatic trinity

There are many composers in Carnatic music. Muthuswami Dikshitar ( Tamil: முத்துஸ்வாமி தீக்ஷிதர் March 24[[ 775]] &ndash October 21 1835)

See also: List of Carnatic composers

Purandara Dasa (1480 - 1564) is known as the father (Pitamaha) of Carnatic music due to his pioneering contributions to Carnatic music. The Carnatic classical music tradition gained impetus in the 15th century through the works of Purandara Dasa, one of the foremost Haridasa Saints of the Vijayanagara Purandara Dāsa (1484 - 1564 (sometimes spelled as a single word ( Kannada: ಪುರಂದರ ದಾಸ was one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic 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 Raga Mayamalavagowla as the first scale to be learnt by beginners. Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used Mayamalavagowla (known as māyāmāḻavagouḻa, मायामाळवगोळ in Sanskrit) is a raga of Carnatic Music that is classified as He also composed Gitas (simple songs) for novice students. Although only a fraction of his other compositions still exist, he is said to have composed around 475,000 compositions in total. ^[32]

The contemporaries Tyagaraja (1759? - 1847), Muthuswami Dikshitar, (1776 - 1827) and Syama Sastri, (1762 - 1827) are regarded as the Trinity of Carnatic music due to the quality of Syama Sastri's compositions, the varieties of compositions of Muthuswami Dikshitar and Tyagaraja's prolific output in composing kritis. Thyāgarāja (శ్రీ త్యాగరాజ స్వామి May 4, 1767 - January 6, 1847) was a composer of Carnatic music Muthuswami Dikshitar ( Tamil: முத்துஸ்வாமி தீக்ஷிதர் March 24[[ 775]] &ndash October 21 1835) Shyama Shastri ( శ్యామా శాస్త్రిஷ்யாமா ஷாஸ்திரி श्यामा शास्त्रि) ( 1762 - 1827 The outstanding group of composer - Musicians of Carnatic music (period- 1700-1800 which included Tyāgarāja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Shyama Shastri ( శ్యామా శాస్త్రిஷ்யாமா ஷாஸ்திரி श्यामा शास्त्रि) ( 1762 - 1827 Muthuswami Dikshitar ( Tamil: முத்துஸ்வாமி தீக்ஷிதர் March 24[[ 775]] &ndash October 21 1835) Thyāgarāja (శ్రీ త్యాగరాజ స్వామి May 4, 1767 - January 6, 1847) was a composer of Carnatic music Kriti is also a spelling of Crete, Greece "Kriti" is also the Hindi word for "creation" ^[33]

Prominent composers prior to the Trinity of Carnatic music include Annamacharya, Narayana Theertha, Vijaya Dasa, Bhadrachala Ramadas, Sadasiva Brahmendra and Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi. The outstanding group of composer - Musicians of Carnatic music (period- 1700-1800 which included Tyāgarāja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya (శ్రీ తాళ్ళపాక అన్నమాచార్య (1408-1503 the mystic saint composer Narayana Teertha (c 1580 - 1660 CE was a composer of Carnatic music. Vijaya Dasa (ವಿಜಯದಾಸ(1682-1755 or Sri Vijaya Dasa was a prominent saint from the Haridasa tradition of Karnataka, India in the Kancherla Gopanna (c 1620 - 1680 CE popularly known as Bhadradri Ramadasu or Bhadrachala Ramadasu (భద్రాచల రామదాసు was a 17th century Sadasiva Brahmendra was a great saint and composer of Carnatic music and an Advaita philosopher who lived near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu during Ootthukkadu Venkata Kavi (ఊట్టుక్కాడు వెంకట కవిவூத்துகாடு வேங்கட கவி वूत्तुकाडु वेंकट Other prominent composers are Swathi Thirunal, Gopalakrishna Bharathi, Neelakanta Sivan, Patnam Subramania Iyer, Mysore Vasudevachar, Koteeswara Iyer, Muthiah Bhagavathar, Subramania Bharathiyar and Papanasam Sivan. Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma (April 16 1813 - December 25 1846 was the Maharaja of the state of Travancore, in India. Gopalakrishna Bharati (கோபாலகிருஷ்ண பாரதி (1811 - 1896 was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. Neelakanta Sivan (1839-1900 was a composer of Carnatic music. Patnam Subramania Iyer ( 1845 - July 31 1902) was a composer and singer of Carnatic music. Mysore Vasudevachar ( May 28, 1865 - May 17, 1961) was a composer of Carnatic music and a famous singer Koteeswara Iyer (January 1870 - October 21 1936 was a composer of Carnatic music. Subramania Bharati (சுப்ரமணிய பாரதி ( December 11, 1882 - September 11, 1921) was a Tamil poet from Tamil Nadu Papanasam Sivan (பாபநாசம் சிவன் (September 26 1890 - October 10 1973 was a prominent composer of Carnatic music and a famous singer 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 following languages Kannada, Malayalam, Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu. Kannada (kn [[wiktಕನ್ನಡ ಕನ್ನಡ]] Kannaḍa) is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state Not to be confused with the Malay language. Malayalam (മലയാളം malayāḷaṁ) is a Dravidian language used Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. They usually included a signature, called a mudra, in their compositions. Mudra is the unique signature of a Carnatic music composer which is woven into some or all of their respective compositions For example, all songs by Tyagaraja (who composed in Telugu) have the word Thyagaraja in them, all songs by Muthuswami Dikshitar (who composed in Sanskrit) have the words Guruguha in them, songs by Syama Sastri (who composed in Telugu) have the words Syama Krishna in them while Purandaradasa, who composed in Kannada, used the signature Purandara Vittala. Thyāgarāja (శ్రీ త్యాగరాజ స్వామి May 4, 1767 - January 6, 1847) was a composer of Carnatic music Muthuswami Dikshitar ( Tamil: முத்துஸ்வாமி தீக்ஷிதர் March 24[[ 775]] &ndash October 21 1835) Shyama Shastri ( శ్యామా శాస్త్రిஷ்யாமா ஷாஸ்திரி श्यामा शास्त्रि) ( 1762 - 1827 Purandara Dāsa (1484 - 1564 (sometimes spelled as a single word ( Kannada: ಪುರಂದರ ದಾಸ was one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic Gopalakrishna Bharathi used the signature Gopalakrishnan and composed in Tamil. Gopalakrishna Bharati (கோபாலகிருஷ்ண பாரதி (1811 - 1896 was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. Papanasam Sivan, who has been hailed as the Tamil Thyagaraja of Carnatic music^[34], also composed in this language, as well as Sanskrit^[35], and used the signature Ramadasan. Thyāgarāja (శ్రీ త్యాగరాజ స్వామి May 4, 1767 - January 6, 1847) was a composer of Carnatic music Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical

Learning Carnatic music

Carnatic music is traditionally taught according to the system formulated by Purandara Dasa. Purandara Dāsa (1484 - 1564 (sometimes spelled as a single word ( Kannada: ಪುರಂದರ ದಾಸ was one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic This involves swaravalis (graded exercises), alankaras (exercises based on the seven talas), Geethams or simple songs, and Swarajatis. After the student has reached a certain standard, Varnams are taught, and later, the student learns Kritis. Varnam 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 nearly an hour or 40-50 min Kriti is also a spelling of Crete, Greece "Kriti" is also the Hindi word for "creation" 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 the increasing order of the complexity. The lessons start with the learning of the sarali varisai (solfege set to a particular raga). In Music, solfège ('soʊlfɛʒ also called solfeggio, sol-fa, or solfa) is a Pedagogical Solmization technique for the

Carnatic music was traditionally taught in the gurukula system, where the student lived with and learnt the art from his guru (perceptor). A Gurukul ( Guru refers to "teacher" or "master" Kul refers to his domain from the Sanskrit word kula, meaning extended family A guru (गुरु গুরু is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge wisdom and authority in a certain area and uses it to guide others From the late 20th century onwards, with changes in lifestyles and need for young music aspirants to simultaneously manoeuvre a parallel academic career, this system has found few takers.

Musicians often take great pride in letting people know about their Guru Parampara, or the hierarchy of disciples from some prominent ancient musician or composer, to which they belong. A guru (गुरु গুরু is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge wisdom and authority in a certain area and uses it to guide others Parampara ( Sanskrit: परम्परा paramparā) denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in traditional Indian culture People whose disciple-hierarchies are often referred to are Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Syama Sastri, Swathi Thirunal, Papanasam Sivan among others. Thyāgarāja (శ్రీ త్యాగరాజ స్వామి May 4, 1767 - January 6, 1847) was a composer of Carnatic music Muthuswami Dikshitar ( Tamil: முத்துஸ்வாமி தீக்ஷிதர் March 24[[ 775]] &ndash October 21 1835) Shyama Shastri ( శ్యామా శాస్త్రిஷ்யாமா ஷாஸ்திரி श्यामा शास्त्रि) ( 1762 - 1827 Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma (April 16 1813 - December 25 1846 was the Maharaja of the state of Travancore, in India. Papanasam Sivan (பாபநாசம் சிவன் (September 26 1890 - October 10 1973 was a prominent composer of Carnatic music and a famous singer

In modern times, it is often 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 composed, for example, by Purandara Dasa, it involved the difficult task of finding a person from Purandara Dasa's lineage of students. Kriti is also a spelling of Crete, Greece "Kriti" is also the Hindi word for "creation" Purandara Dāsa (1484 - 1564 (sometimes spelled as a single word ( Kannada: ಪುರಂದರ ದಾಸ was one of the most prominent composers of Carnatic

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. Thanjavur ( Tamil: தஞ்சாவூர் also known by its Anglicised name Tanjore, and it is the Eleventh largest city in Tamil Nadu (after Copies of Shahaji's musical manuscripts are still available at the Saraswathi Mahal Library in Tanjore and they give us an idea of the music and its form. Saraswathi Mahal Library, situated near the darbar of king contains rare manuscripts of books in variety of subjects that include literature history poems etc Thanjavur ( Tamil: தஞ்சாவூர் also known by its Anglicised name Tanjore, and it is the Eleventh largest city in Tamil Nadu (after They contain snippets of solfege to be used when performing the mentioned ragas. In Music, solfège ('soʊlfɛʒ also called solfeggio, sol-fa, or solfa) is a Pedagogical Solmization technique for the

Melody

Unlike Western music, Carnatic music is notated almost exclusively in tonic solfa notation using either a Roman or Indic script to represent the solfa names. Western music is the genres of Music originating in the Western world (Europe and its former colonies including Western classical music, American In Music, solfège ('soʊlfɛʒ also called solfeggio, sol-fa, or solfa) is a Pedagogical Solmization technique for the Past attempts to use the staff notation have mostly failed. In standard Western Musical notation, the staff ( AmE) or stave Indian music makes use of hundreds of ragas, many more than the church modes in Western music. In Music, a scale is an ordered series of Musical intervals which along with the key or tonic, define the pitches However mode It becomes difficult to write Carnatic music using the staff notation without the use of too many accidentals. In Music, an accidental is a Note whose pitch (or Pitch class) is not a member of a scale or mode indicated by the Furthermore, the staff notation requires that the song be played in a certain key. In Music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways 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. In Music theory, a scale degree is the name of a particular note of a scale in relation to the tonic (the note of the scale that is considered The singer is free to choose actual pitch of the tonic note. The tonic is the first note of a musical scale in the tonal method of Musical composition. 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 diacritic (in Indian languages). A diacritic ( also called a diacritic or diacritical mark, point, or sign, is a small sign added to a letter to alter pronunciation 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 tāḷaṃ. In Indian classical music, Tala ( Sanskrit tāla literally a "clap" is a rhythmical pattern that determines the rhythmical structure of a composition 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 caesura. In meter, caesura (alternative spellings are cæsura or cesura) is a term to denote an audible pause that breaks up a line of verse

Concerts

Carnatic music concerts are usually performed by a small ensemble of musicians who sit on a slightly elevated stage. Carnatic music concerts can be vocal recitals, accompanied by supporting instruments, or purely instrumental concerts, but irrespective of whether it is a vocal or purely instrumental concert, what is featured in a typical concert are compositions which form the core of this music. The lead-musician must also choose a signature octave based on his/her (vocal) range of comfort. However, it is expected that a musician maintains that same pitch once it is selected, and so to help all the performers maintain the selected pitch, the tambura is the traditional drone instrument used in concerts. The tambura ( Hindi: तानपूरा is a type of Stringed instrument found in different versions in different places around the world most are plucked In music a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or Accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout much However, tamburas are increasingly being replaced by śruti boxes, and now more commonly, the "Electronic tambura"

In a vocal recital, a concert team may have one or more vocalists, accompanied by instrumentalists. A sruti box or shruti box is a small wooden instrument that traditionally works on a system of Bellows. An electronic tanpura is an electronic instrument that replicates the sound of the Indian String instrument, the Tanpura (tambura Other instruments such as the veena and/or flute can be found to occasionally accompany a lead vocalist, but usually a vocalist is supported by a violin player (who sits on his/her left), and a few percussion players including at least a mridangam (who usually sits on the other side of the vocalist, facing the instrumentalist). Veena (also spelled 'vina' Kannada: ವೀಣ Malayalam: വീണ Tamil: வீணா Telugu: వీణ is a Plucked stringed The flute is a Musical instrument of the Woodwind family Unlike other woodwind instruments a flute is a Reedless wind instrument that produces its The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member The mridangam (மிருதங்கம் is a Percussion instrument from India, especially South India. Other percussion instruments that are also used include the ghatam, kanjira and morsing, which also accompany the main percussion instrument and play almost in a contrapuntal fashion along with the beats. The ghatam is a Percussion instrument, used in the Carnatic music of South India. The kanjira or ganjira, a South Indian Frame drum, is an instrument of the Tambourine family A morsing (also mourching or morching) is a Percussion instrument, mainly used in the Carnatic music of South India. In Music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and Rhythm, and interdependent in Harmony 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 outlines by the lead singer. The vocalist and the violinist take turns while elaborating or while exhibiting creativity in sections like raga, niraval and kalpanaswaram. Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used Niraval also known as Neraval or Sahitya Vinyasa is considered to be one of the important features in the extempore improvisation aspect ( Manodharma Sangita In South Indian music Kalpanaswaram also called swara kalpana svara kalpana manodharmaswara or just swaras is Raga Improvisation within a specific Unlike Hindustani music concerts, where an accompanying tabla player can keep beats without following the musical phrases at times, in Carnatic music, the accompaniments have to know follow intricacies of the composition since there are percussion elements such as eduppu, in several compositions. Hindustani Classical Music ( Hindi: हिन्दुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत Urdu: ہندوستانی شاستریے سنگیت This article is about the Indian drum For the drum with the same name in Arabic, see Goblet drum. Some of the best concerts feature a good bit of interaction with the lead musicians and the accompaniments exchanging notes, and accompanying musicians predicting the lead singer musical phrases.

See also: Indian musical instruments

Content

A contemporary Carnatic concert (called a kutcheri) usually lasts about three hours, and usually comprises a number of varied compositions. Hindustani music. They are discussed in detail by Dr Lalmani Misra in his book Bharatiya Sangeet Vadkieraya. Carnatic songs are composed in a particular raga, which means that they do not deviate from the notes in the raga. Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used 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 raga. Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used

Concerts usually begin with a varnam or an invocatory item which will act as the opening piece. Varnam 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 nearly an hour or 40-50 min The varnam is composed with an emphasis on swaras of the raga, but will also have lyrics, the saahityam. Varnam 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 nearly an hour or 40-50 min for the town in Nepal see Swara Nepal The notes or swaras, of Indian music are shadja rishabh gandhar madhyam pancham dhaivat and nishad It is lively and fast to get the audience's attention. An invocatory item, may alternatively, follow the varnam.

After the varnam and/or invocatory item, the artist sings longer compositions called kirtanas (commonly referred to as kritis). Varnam 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 nearly an hour or 40-50 min Kriti is also a spelling of Crete, Greece "Kriti" is also the Hindi word for "creation" Each kriti sticks to one specific raga, although some are composed with more than one raga; these are known as ragamalika (a garland of ragas). Kriti is also a spelling of Crete, Greece "Kriti" is also the Hindi word for "creation"

After singing the opening kriti, usually, the performer sings the kalpanaswaram of the raga to the beat. Kriti is also a spelling of Crete, Greece "Kriti" is also the Hindi word for "creation" In South Indian music Kalpanaswaram also called swara kalpana svara kalpana manodharmaswara or just swaras is Raga Improvisation within a specific Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used The performer must improvise a string of swaras in any octave according to the rules of the raga and return to beginning of the cycle of beats smoothly, joining the swaras with a phrase selected from the kriti. for the town in Nepal see Swara Nepal The notes or swaras, of Indian music are shadja rishabh gandhar madhyam pancham dhaivat and nishad for the town in Nepal see Swara Nepal The notes or swaras, of Indian music are shadja rishabh gandhar madhyam pancham dhaivat and nishad Kriti is also a spelling of Crete, Greece "Kriti" is also the Hindi word for "creation" The violin performs these alternately with the main performer. In very long strings of swara, the performers must calculate their notes accurately to ensure that they stick to the raga, have no awkward pauses and lapses in the beat of the song, and create a complex pattern of notes that an experienced audience can follow. for the town in Nepal see Swara Nepal The notes or swaras, of Indian music are shadja rishabh gandhar madhyam pancham dhaivat and nishad Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used

Performers then begin the main compositions with a section called raga alapana exploring the raga. In Indian classical music, an alapana is defined as the introduction and elaboration of a Raga (musical scale Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used In this, they use the sounds aa, ri, na, ta, etc. instead of swaras to slowly elaborate the notes and flow of the raga. for the town in Nepal see Swara Nepal The notes or swaras, of Indian music are shadja rishabh gandhar madhyam pancham dhaivat and nishad This begins slowly and builds to a crescendo, and finally establishes a complicated exposition of the raga that shows the performer's skill. Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used All of this is done without any rhythmic accompaniment, or beat. Then the melodic accompaniment (violin or veena), expounds the raga. Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used Experienced listeners can identify many ragas after they hear just a few notes. With the raga thus established, the song begins, usually with lyrics. Rāga ( Sanskrit, lit "colour" or "mood" or rāgam in Carnatic music) refers to melodic modes used In this, the accompaniment (usually violin, sometimes veena) performs along with the main performer and the percussion (such as a mridangam). The mridangam (மிருதங்கம் is a Percussion instrument from India, especially South India. In the next stage of the song, they may sing niraval or kalpanaswaram again. Niraval also known as Neraval or Sahitya Vinyasa is considered to be one of the important features in the extempore improvisation aspect ( Manodharma Sangita

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 performers 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 pallavi mid-concert, if they do not use it as the main item. Ragam Thanam Pallavi is a form of singing in Carnatic music which allows the musicians to improvise to a great extent

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. Tarana (Hindi तराना is a type of composition in Hindustani classical vocal music in which certain words and syllables (e 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 plays the request and it helps in exhibiting the artist's broad knowledge of the several thousand kritis that are in existence. Kriti is also a spelling of Crete, Greece "Kriti" is also the Hindi word for "creation"

Modern concerts

Main article: Madras Music Season

Every December, the city of Chennai in India has its six week-long Music Season, which has been described as the world's largest cultural event. Every December the city of Chennai in India has its five week-long Music Season which has been described as the world's largest cultural event. Every December the city of Chennai in India has its five week-long Music Season which has been described as the world's largest cultural event. ^[36] The Music Season was started in 1927, to mark the opening of the Madras Music Academy. Madras 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 used to be a traditional month-long Carnatic music festival, but since then it has also diversified into dance and drama, as well as non-Carnatic art forms. Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) is an Art form that generally refers to movement of the body usually rhythmic Drama is the specific mode of Fiction represented in Performance.

Artists

Carnatic artists often have to have had several years of intense training, and practice, before being qualified as a musician that may 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 such a disciple.

See also: List of prominent Carnatic artists

See also

• List of Carnatic composers
• List of Carnatic musicians

Notes

References

• Pranesh, Meera Rajaram (2003), Musical Composers during Wodeyar Dynasty (1638-1947 A. D. ), Vee Emm Publications, Bangalore

External links

• Simple Introduction to South Indian Classical Music - Part 1Published by World Music Central
• Simple Introduction to South Indian Classical Music - Part 2Published by World Music Central
• DMOZ directory links on Carnatic music

Bibliography

• "Carnatic music". Encyclopædia Britannica (15). (2005).  
• Panchapakesa Iyer, A. S. (2003). Gānāmrutha Varna Mālikā. Gānāmrutha Prachuram.