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{{Short description|Music genre originating in southern India}}
{{IndicText}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
'''Carnatic music''' (known as {{IAST|''karṇāṭaka sangīta''}} {{IPA|}} कर्णाटक सङ्गीत in ], ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಸಂಗೀತ in ], കര്‍‌ണാടക സംഗീതം in ], கருநாடக இசை in ], కర్నాటక సంగీతం in ]) is the form of ] that had its origins in ].
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2019}}
{{Carnatic}}
{{Indian classical music}}
{{Hinduism}}


'''Carnatic music''' or '''Karnataka Sangita''' (known as {{IAST|Karnāṭaka saṃgīta}} or {{IAST|Karnāṭaka saṅgītam}} in the ]) is a system of music commonly associated with ], including the modern Indian states of ], ], ], ] and portions of east and south ] and southern ].
Carnatic music is of a ] form and is typically a monophonic song with improvised variations.This is one of the world's oldest and richest musical traditions.<ref></ref> It is primarily a vocal form of music; most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in a singing style. Almost all songs are devotional in nature, being addressed to one of the many ].
{{Indian Music}}
As with all ], the two main components of Carnatic music are {{IAST|'']''}}, the ], and {{IAST|'']''}}, the rhythmic pattern. There are 72 basic modes within the octave, known as {{IAST|''] rāga''}}s, and 108 possible rhythmic patterns known as the {{IAST|''aṣṭottara śata tāḷa''}}s.


It is one of three main subgenres of ] that evolved from ancient Hindu texts and traditions, particularly the ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/~sriram/karpri.pdf|title=A Karnatic Music Primer|last=Sriram|first=Parthasarathy|language=en-US}}</ref> (The other two are ] and ].) 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 {{IAST|'']''}} (the relative musical pitch), {{IAST|'']''}} (the musical sound of a single note), {{IAST|'']''}} (the mode or melodic formulae), and {{IAST|'']''}} (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 ] (or kirtanam) – a form developed between the 14th and 20th centuries by composers such as ], and the ]. Carnatic music is also usually taught and learned through compositions.<ref name=":03">{{Cite book |last=Ramaswamy |first=Vijaya |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ALUvDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA88 |title=Historical Dictionary of the Tamils |date=2017-08-25 |publisher=] |isbn=978-1-5381-0686-0 |pages=88 |language=en |quote=In precolonial or early-modern South India, Telugu became the cultural language of the south, including the Tamil country, somewhat similar to the overwhelming dominance of French as the cultural language of modern Europe during roughly the same era. Therefore, Telugu predominates in the evolution of Carnatic music, and it is the practice to teach Telugu language in music colleges to those aspiring to become singers.}}</ref><ref name=":522">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZOlNv8MAXIEC&dq=telugu+court+language&pg=PA269 |title=The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music |date=1998 |publisher=] |isbn=978-0-8240-4946-1 |editor-last=Arnold |editor-first=Alison |volume=5: South Asia: The Indian Subcontinent |pages=231, 232, 269 |language=en}}</ref> Telugu language predominates in the evolution of Carnatic music.<ref name=":03"/><ref name=":522"/> Most Carnatic compositions are in Telugu and Sanskrit.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Fuller |first1=C. J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r7KjBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA201 |title=Tamil Brahmans: The Making of a Middle-Class Caste |last2=Narasimhan |first2=Haripriya |date=2014-11-11 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-15288-2 |pages=201 |language=en |quote=Most songs were in Telugu or Sanskrit, though some were in Tamil, but even Telugu and Tamil were strongly inflected by Sanskrit.}}</ref>
==History==
ṭ
{{main | History 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 ]), a rhythm accompaniment (usually a ]), and a ], which acts as a ] throughout the performance. Other typical instruments used in performances may include the ], ], ], ] flute, ], and ]. The greatest concentration of Carnatic musicians is to be found in the city of ].<ref name="Britannica">Carnatic music. (2007). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 12 April 2007, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online</ref> Various Carnatic music festivals are held throughout India and abroad, including the ], which has been considered to be one of the world's largest cultural events.<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426090237/https://indianfolklore.org/journals/index.php/Music/article/view/22/26 |date=26 April 2012 }} Written by Malathi Rangaswamy, Secretary of Music Academy</ref><ref>], p38</ref>


==Etymology==
Carnatic music developed gradually from the ancient musical traditions of South India, upon which ] learning had an important influence.<ref>{{cite web|title=Carnatic Music|url=http://www.raagalaya.org/Music.html}}</ref> The ], which mainly consists of sacrificial formul&aelig;, mentions the {{IAST|''vīna''}} as an accompaniment to vocal recitations during the sacrifices. The chants evolved into two main notes with two accents forming the first concept of the ] (four notes). Three more notes were added to the original tetrachord resulting in the first full scale of seven notes. There is also a long tradition of music in ancient ] which had the system of {{IAST|'']''}}s, a precursor to the {{IAST|'']''}} system. From the thirteenth century Carnatic music began to evolve into its current form. Unlike ], Carnatic music was not influenced by the Islamic invasions of ], rather it assimilated the centuries old traditions of ].
Carnatic music originated in ] and was named after it,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kesavan |first1=Veluthat |title=The Buffalo Century: Vāñcheśvara Dīkṣita’s Mahiṣaśatakam: A Political Satire for All Centuries |date=2019 |quote=Because this music came from Karnataka, it eventually came to be known as "Carnatic music" throughout the country |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9781000708561 |page=5 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/The_Buffalo_Century/0V61DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Art and Architecture in Karnataka |date=1996 |page=313 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Art_and_Architecture_in_Karnataka/S1PwmMWrj1MC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=art%20and%20architecture%20in%20karnataka%20sangeeta}}</ref> known as ''Karnāṭaka Saṁgīta'' which spread through ] and ] countries where it was sumptuously nourished<ref>{{cite book |last1=Desai |first1=P. B. |title=A History of Karnataka: (From-Pre-History to Unification) |date=1970 |page=xxi-21 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.430132/page/n21/mode/1up?view=theater}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|title=History of Carnatic music
|url=http://carnatica.net/origin.htm}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite book
| last = Gosvāmi
| first = O
| title = The Story of Indian Music: Its Growth and Synthesis
| publisher = Asia Publishing House
| pages = 195
| quote = The influence of these twelve divisions in the scale and music of Nayanmars and Alvars have gone a long way to determine the character of the present Carnatic music.
}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite book
| last = Sāmbhamūrti
| first = P
| title = South Indian Music, Book VI
| publisher = The Indian Music Publishing House
| location = Chennai 600 014
| pages = 85–112
| chapter = Music of the Ancient Tamils
}}</ref>


==Origin and history==
The name 'Carnatic Music' is the anglicized form of ''Karnataka Sangeeth'', the traditional name of the music of South India. The great Kannada composer ] is known as the ''Sangitapitamaha'' or 'Father of Carnatic music'.<ref>http://www.carnatica.net/composer/purandaradasa.htm </ref> Carnatic music saw renewed growth during ] by the Kannada ] movement of ], Purandara Dasa, ] and others.<ref>http://www.hinduonnet.com/2000/12/02/stories/0902070b.htm</ref> Purandara Dasa, laid out the fundamental tenets and framework for teaching carnatic music.<ref> Theory of Music , Vasanthamadhavi P.183</ref>. The learning structure is arranged in the increasing order of the complexity. The lessons start with the learning of the ] (''sarale varasai'').


], the ] of all knowledge, music, arts and science, with her instrument, the ''veena''.]]
{{See also|Ancient Tamil music}}


Like all art forms in ], Indian classical music is believed to be a divine art form which originated from the ]s and ]s (] gods and goddesses),<ref>], p17</ref><ref name="origin"/> and is venerated as symbolic of {{IAST|''] brāhman''}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/seta/2005/01/13/stories/2005011300111500.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050331184754/http://www.hindu.com/seta/2005/01/13/stories/2005011300111500.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2005-03-31|work=]|title=Sci Tech / Speaking Of Science: The music of we primates: Nada Brahmam}}</ref> Ancient treatises also describe the connection of the origin of the ]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 ], which is believed to have laid the foundation for Indian classical music, consists of hymns from the '']'', set to musical tunes which would be sung using three to seven musical notes during Vedic ]s.<ref name="origin"/> The ], which mainly consists of sacrificial formulae, mentions the ''veena'' as an accompaniment to vocal recitations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Veena in Yajurveda |url=http://trumpet.sdsu.edu/m151/Music_of_India1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061031152317/http://trumpet.sdsu.edu/M151/Music_of_India1.html |archive-date=2006-10-31 }}</ref> References to Indian classical music are made in many ancient texts, including ] like the '']'' and the '']''. The '']'' states, "''vīṇāvādana tattvajñaḥ śrutijātiviśāradaḥ tālajñaścāprayāsena mokṣamārgaṃ niyacchati"'' (The one who is well versed in '']'', one who has the knowledge of srutis and one who is adept in tala, attains liberation (]) without doubt").<ref>YjS 3.115. {{cite web|title=Yajnavalkya on Music|url=http://www.sanathanadharma.com/articles/sangeet.htm}}</ref> Contemporray Carnatic music is based on musical concepts (including '']'', '']'', and '']'') that were described in detail in several ancient works, particularly the ]'s '']'' and '']'' by ].<ref name="Singer1958">{{cite journal | last = Singer |first = M.|title = The Great Tradition in a Metropolitan Center: Madras| journal = The Journal of American Folklore| volume = 71 | issue = 281 | pages = 347–388 |year = 1958 | doi = 10.2307/538567 | jstor = 538567 | publisher = American Folklore Society}}</ref>
==Great composers==
{{See also | List of Carnatic composers}}
]]]
One of the earliest and prominent composers in South India was ] (1480 - 1564), who was a wandering singer. Purandara Dasa composed around 475,000 compositions.<ref>Madhusudhana Rao, Sri Vijaya Dasaru, ''Suguna Digest'', July-Sept 2005, </ref><ref> </ref> Most of these songs, written in Kannada, have been lost. Purandara Dasa's compositions were a source of inspiration to the later composers such as ]. Purandara Dasa defined the basic lessons of Carnatic music by structuring ''Swaravalis'' (graded exercises), ''Alankaras'' (exercises based on the seven ]s) and coposed several ''Gitas'' or simple songs for novice students. He introduced the '']'' ] as the first scale to be learnt by a beginner. However, the original tunes of his compositions are currently unavailable. Owing to his contribution to Carnatic Music he is referred to as the father of Carnatic Music or ''Karnataka Sangeethada Pitamaha''.


Owing to Persian and Islamic influences in ] from the 12th century onwards, Indian classical music began to diverge into two distinct styles — Hindustani music and Carnatic music.<ref name="Britannica"/> Commentaries and other works, such as ]'s '']'', further elaborated on the musical concepts found in Indian classical music.<ref>], p18</ref> By the 16th and 17th centuries, there was a clear demarcation between Carnatic and Hindustani music;<ref name="Subramaniam1999">{{cite journal | last = Subramaniam |first = L.
] (1525-1625), ] (1712-1779) and ] (1717-1787) are referred to as ''Adi Trinity'' or ].
|title = The reinvention of a tradition: Nationalism, Carnatic music and the Madras Music Academy, 1900–1947 | journal = Indian Economic & Social History Review | volume = 36 | issue = 2 | pages = 131–163 |year = 1999 | doi = 10.1177/001946469903600201|s2cid = 144368744
<ref></ref>
}}</ref> Carnatic music remained relatively unaffected by Persian and Arabic influences. It was at this time that Carnatic music flourished in ], while the ] reached its greatest extent.<ref name="Ries1969">{{cite journal | last = Ries |first = R. E.|title = The Cultural Setting of South Indian Music | journal = Asian Music | volume = 1 | issue = 2 | pages = 22–31 |year = 1969 | doi = 10.2307/833909 | jstor = 833909 | publisher = University of Texas Press}}</ref> ], who is known as the "father (''pitamaha'') of Carnatic music", formulated the system that is commonly used for the teaching of Carnatic music.<ref name="origin">{{cite web|url=http://www.carnatica.net/origin.htm|title= History of Music, Origins|work=The Carnatica Group|publisher=Carnatica.net|access-date=2007-07-03}}</ref><ref>Theory of Music, Vasanthamadhavi P.183</ref> ] invented and authored the formula for the ] system of raga classification in his Sanskrit work, the ''Chaturdandi Prakasika'' (1660 AD).<ref name="Subramaniam1999"/> Govindacharya is known for expanding the melakarta system into the ] scheme – the system that is in common use today.
<ref>{{cite book | last = Tami<u>l</u>vānan | first = Lēnā (Ed.) | year = 1987 | title = Tami<u>l</u> Mummaṇikaḷin Kīrttanaikaḷ (Songs of the Tamil Trinity) | publisher = Maṇimēkalai Publishers | location = Chennai 600 017 | language = Tamil}}</ref> and authored some of the earliest composition in Carnatic music. Muthu Thandavar was an early architect of the Carnatic ''Kriti'' format, which is in vogue today. ] (1759? - 1847), ] (1776 - 1827) and ] (1762 - 1827) are regarded as the Trinity of Carnatic music. Prominent composers prior to the trinity include ], ], ], Gopaladasa. Other prominent composers are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].


By the 16th century, Indian classical music split into two styles: Hindustani in the North and Karnataka (later called Carnatic) in the South. The term "Karnataka" music originated from the Vijayanagara Empire, historically known as the Karnataka Empire. The British later influenced the change in name to "Carnatic" music, and the term is only about 150–200 years old.
Composers of Carnatic music were often inspired by religious devotion and were usually scholars proficient in one or more of the following languages ],] ,] and ]. They usually included a signature, called a '']'', in their compositions. For example, all songs by ] have the word ''Tyāgarāja'' in them, all songs by ] (who composed in Sanskrit) have the words ''guru guha'' in them, songs by ] have the words "Syama Krishna" in them and ], who composed in Kannada, used the signature 'purandara vitala'.


In the 18th and 19th centuries, Carnatic music was mainly patronised by the local kings of the ], ], and the ].<ref>{{cite news|title=Royal tribute to Thanjavur rulers|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2017/dec/27/royal-tribute-to-thanjavur-rulers-1738354.html|newspaper=The New Indian Express}}</ref> Some of the royalty of the kingdoms of Mysore and Travancore were themselves noted composers and proficient in playing musical instruments, such as the ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref>], p54-55, p92, p162-163, p225-226</ref> Some ] proficient in music were ] (1852–1926)<ref>], p108</ref> and Veene Subbanna (1861–1939),<ref>], p128</ref> among others.
==Nature of Carnatic music==


During the late 19th century, the city of ] (now known as Chennai) emerged as the locus for Carnatic music.<ref name="Hughes2002">{{cite journal | last = Hughes |first = S. P.|title = The 'Music Boom' in Tamil South India: gramophone, radio and the making of mass culture | journal = Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television | volume = 22 | issue = 4 | pages = 445–473 |year = 2002 | doi = 10.1080/0143968022000012129|s2cid = 191466174}}</ref> With the dissolution of the erstwhile ] and the ] reaching its conclusion in 1947, Carnatic music went through a radical shift in patronage into an art of the masses with ticketed performances organised by private institutions called ]s.
=== ''Śruti'' ===
{{main |Śruti (music)}}


=== Carnatic music outside of South India ===
''Śruti'' in ] is the approximate equivalent of a ] (or less precisely ]) in ]; it is the note from which all the others are derived. Traditionally, there were twenty-two ''śrutis'' in Carnatic music, but over the years several of them have converged, so that now they are but the ].
From the 18th century, South Indian immigrant communities abroad increased, especially in ] and ]. Communities such as the ]s participate in the extension of the Carnatic cultural scene abroad, thanks to their rich patronage activity.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Aravinthon |first=Dr (Mrs) Suhanya |date=2021-06-01 |title=Roots of Carnatic Music in Sri Lanka - Artistic interrelations between Sri Lanka and South India A |url=https://zenodo.org/record/6550640 |journal=Smrti - Department of Indian Music: Annual Journal |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=90–95 |doi=10.5281/zenodo.6550640}}</ref> Carnatic music artists therefore perform abroad among South Indian communities who request their coming, in order to enliven local community life. For a long time in Sri Lanka, Carnatic music was associated with Indian immigrants, and was often derogatorily referred to as "''thosai kade'' music" ("music from the ] shop"), in reference to the South Indians-owned restaurants and eateries that typically played this kind of music.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Daniel |first=E. Valentine |title=Charred lullabies: chapters in an anthropography of violence |date=1996 |publisher=] |isbn=978-0-691-02774-6 |series=Princeton studies in culture / power / history |location=Princeton, NJ |pages=157, 145 |oclc=34669394}}</ref>


From the 20th century, Carnatic music gained significant popularity among certain social strata of the ], who were then heavily influenced by a prominent cultural movement known as the Hindu revival.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book |last1=O’Shea |first1=Janet |title=Choreographies of 21st century wars |last2=Morris |first2=Gay |last3=Giersdorf |first3=Jens Richard |publisher=] |year=2016 |isbn=978-0-19-020166-1 |pages=119 |language=en |chapter=From Temple to Battlefield: Bharata Natyam in the Sri Lankan Civil War |oclc=915135656}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Reed |first=Susan A. |title=Dance and the nation: performance, ritual, and politics in Sri Lanka |publisher=] |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-299-23164-4 |pages=131–132 |language=en |chapter=Dance, Ethnicity and the State |oclc=317288154}}</ref> Carnatic music was thus appropriated and highly promoted during the 1920s and 1930s as a cultural and identity marker of the ] and ] bourgeoisies,<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Jeyaratnam Wilson |first=Alfred |title=Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism: its origins and development in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries |publisher=] |year=2000 |isbn=0-7748-0759-8 |pages=36 |language=en |chapter=Language, Poetry; Culture and Tamil Nationalism |oclc=41467484}}</ref> and by extension of the ]. The place given to Carnatic music in the construction of a modern Sri Lankan Tamil identity has reached significant proportions, such as its rise in the curricula of most Jaffna colleges, where it gradually replaced from the mid-1930s the teaching of ],<ref name=":1" /> or its high esteem among the upper social classes of Colombo and Jaffna, where the learning of Carnatic music among young women is expected as a sign of good education.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tamil of Sri Lanka Facts, information, pictures {{!}} Encyclopedia.com articles about Tamil of Sri Lanka |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Tamil_of_Sri_Lanka.aspx |access-date=2016-06-10 |website=encyclopedia.com}}</ref> Many people have travelled to India for improving their skills, and the flow of students to India from Sri Lanka or of Sri Lankan Tamil origin is constantly increasing.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Srinivasan |first=Anil |title=Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora: The new force spreading Carnatic music and dance worldwide |url=http://scroll.in/article/769894/sri-lankan-tamil-diaspora-the-new-force-spreading-carnatic-music-and-dance-worldwide |access-date=2016-06-10 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Solfege===
{{Main | Swara}}


==Nature==
The ] of Carnatic music is "sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-da-ni" (compare with the Hindustani '']:'' sa-''re''-ga-ma-pa-''dha''-ni). 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 ''']''') may have many variants, now upto three values. The exceptions are ''shadja'' and ''panchama'' (the ] and the ] in ]), which have only one form, and ''madhyama'', which has only two forms (the ]). In one scale, or ''']''', there is usually only one variant of each note present, except in "light" ragas, such as ''Behag'', in which, for artistic effect, there may be two, one ascending (in the '''arohanam''') and another descending (in the '''avarohanam'''). A raga may have five, six or seven notes on the ascent, and five, six or seven notes on the descent.
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'').<ref name="Breyer2004">{{cite journal | last = Breyer |first = Barbara|title = Composers and Tradition in Karnatik Music | journal = Asian Music |volume = 3 |pages = 42–51 |year = 1972 | doi = 10.2307/833958 | jstor = 833958 | issue = 2 | publisher = University of Texas Press}}</ref> Like ], Carnatic music rests on two main elements: {{IAST|'']''}}, the ] or melodic formulae, and {{IAST|'']''}}, the rhythmic cycles.<ref name="Breyer2004"/>


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).
In Indian languages, most of whose alphabets are ]s (syllabic), the solfege is written with the characters for Sa, Ri, Ga, Pa, Da and Ni. Because Carnatic music is very rarely performed by people from North India, the alphabets given here are primarily those of ] (]), languages.
{{Indianmusic}}
{| class="wikitable" width="300px"|
!|Sound
!|Full Name
!|Devanagari
!|Kannada
!|Malayalam
!|Tamil
!|Telugu
!|Roman
!|Values and Comments
|-
|sa
|Shadja
|स
|ಸ
|സ
|ச
|స
|s
|Only one possible value. Sometimes referred to as the 'mother' note - all Ragas have this note.
|-
|ri
|Rishabha
|रि
|ರಿ
|രി
|ரி
|రి
|r
|Three possible values.
|-
|ga
|Gandhara
|ग
|ಗ
|ഗ
|க
|గ
|g
|Three possible values (one of which coincides with the third ri).
|-
|ma
|Madhyama
|म
|ಮ
|മ
|ம
|మ
|m
|Two possible values.
|-
|pa
|Panchama
|प
|ಪ
|പ
|ப
|ప
|p
|Only one possible value. Sometimes referred to as the 'father', though not all ragas have this note.
|-
|da
|Dhavatha
|ध
|ದ
|ധ
|த
|ద
|d
|Three possible values.
|-
|ni
|Nishada
|नि
|ನಿ
|നി
|நி
|ని
|n
|Three possible values (one of which coincides with the third dha).
|}


===''Raga'' system=== ==Important elements==
{{main | Raga}}


===Śruti===
A ''raga'' in Carnatic music prescribes a set of rules for building a ]. It specifies rules for movements up (''aahroham'') and down (''avarohanam''), the ], which ] should figure more and which notes should be used more sparingly, which notes may be sung with '']'', phrases to be used, phrases to be avoided, and so on.
{{Main|Śruti (music)}}


''Śruti'' commonly refers to musical pitch.<ref name="autogenerated3">{{cite web|url=http://www.karnatik.com/glosss.shtml|title=Royal Carpet: Glossary of Carnatic Terms S|work=karnatik.com}}</ref> 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 ]. 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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.soundofindia.com/showarticle.asp?in_article_id=952096767 |title=Sound of India |access-date=18 December 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211064155/http://www.soundofindia.com/showarticle.asp?in_article_id=952096767 |archive-date=11 December 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In Carnatic music, the ''sampurna ragas'' (those with all seven notes in their scales) are classified into a system called the '']'', which groups them according to the kinds of notes that they have. There are seventy two ''melakarta ragas'', thirty six of whose ] is a ] from the tonic, thirty six of whose subdominant is an ] from the tonic. The ''ragas'' are grouped into sets of six, called '']s'' ("wheels", though actually segments in the conventional representation) grouped according to the ] and ] scale degrees. There is a system known as the ']'' to determine the ''Melakarta Raga''.


===Svara===
''Raga''s may be divided into two classes: ''janaka raga''s ("parent ''ragas''") and '']raga''s ("child ''raga''s"). ''Janaka raga'' is synonymous with ''melakarta'' (because the ''melakarta raga''s each have seven notes in their scale, and use each note only once). ''] raga''s are subclassified into various categories themselves.
{{Main|Svara}}


''Svara'' 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.<ref name="autogenerated3" /> ''Svara''s also refer to the ] of Carnatic music, which consist of seven notes, "sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-da-ni" (compare with the Hindustani '']:'' 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 ]) has three variants. The exceptions are the drone notes, ''shadja'' and ''panchama'' (also known as the ] and the ]), which have only one form; and ''madhyama'' (the ]), which has two forms. A 7th century stone inscription in Kudumiyan Malai<ref>S. Santhanlingam, ''Kudumiyan Malai'', Tamil Nadu Government Archeology Department publication, 1981</ref> in ] shows vowel changes to solfege symbols with ra, ri, ru etc. to denote the higher quarter-tones. In one scale, or ], 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 '']m'').
===''Tala'' system===
{{main | tala (music)}}


===Raga system===
] is an aesthetic partitioning of time, usually in rhythmical patterns which have an artistic relation to the rhythmical structure of a composition. It is considered to be an integral part of a musical composition. Each composition of Carnatic music is set to a specific ''tala''. ] in his '']'' defines Tala as ''svarataala-padaatmakam''. <ref>While defining ''gandharava'' as "that which is a mixture of strings and other instruments, and which has three basic elements of svara, tala and pada" - Natyasastra - Chapter 28, ''Ancient Scales of Indian Music'' Trans. by Bharat Gupt. Delhi: Brahaspati Publication</ref> The ancient Tamil musical treatise '']'' defines ''Tala'' as subtle as southern breeze and Siva's dance and the intricacies and meaning of Tala are considered to be mystical in nature and fundamental to music.<ref>தென்றல் வடிவும் சிவனார் திருவடிவும் <br> மன்றல் வடிவும் மதன் வடிவும் - குன்றாத<br> வேயினிசை வடிவும் வேதவடி வுங்காணில்<br> ஆயதா ளங்காண லாம்- ]</ref>
{{Main|Raga}}


{{See also|List of composers who created ragas}}
Carnatic music singers usually keep the beat by moving their hands in specified patterns to keep time. Tala is formed with three basic parts called ''laghu'', ''dhrtam'', and ''anudhrtam'', where ''laghu'' is a pattern with the first ''aksharam'' (a basic unit of time) marked with the palm face down, followed by a variable number of ''aksharams'' marked with successive fingers starting with the little finger. A ''dhrutam'' is a pattern of two ''aksharams'', with the first ''aksharam'' marked with the palm face down, and the second with the face up. This is notated 'O'.(ie., Tapping once with your palm facing down and once with it facing up.). An ''anudhrutam'' is a single ''aksharam'', marked with the palm face down and notated 'U'.(ie., Tapping once with your palm facing down). Only these units are commonly used.


A ''raga'' in Carnatic music prescribes a set of rules for building a ] – very similar to the Western concept of ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.karnatik.com/glossm.shtml|title=Royal Carpet: Glossary of Carnatic Terms M|work=karnatik.com}}</ref> It specifies rules for movements up (''aarohanam'') and down (''avarohanam''), the ] of which ] should figure more and which notes should be used more sparingly, which notes may be sung with '']'' (ornamentation), which phrases should be used or avoided, and so on. In effect, it is a series of obligatory musical events which must be observed, either absolutely or with a particular frequency.<ref name="Nettl1974">{{cite journal | last = Nettl |first = Bruno |author-link=Bruno Nettl|title = Thoughts On Improvisation: A Comparative Approach| journal = ]|volume = LX |pages = 9–12 |year = 1974 | doi = 10.1093/mq/LX.1.1}}</ref>
There are seven kinds of ''talas'' which can be formed from the ''laghu'', ''dhrtam'', and ''anudhrtam'':


In Carnatic music, the ''sampoorna ragas'' (those with all seven notes in their scales) are classified into a system called the '']'', which groups them according to the kinds of notes that they have. There are seventy-two ''melakarta ragas'', thirty six of whose madhyama (]) is shuddha (] from the tonic), the remaining thirty-six of whose madhyama (subdominant) is prati (an ] from the tonic). The ''ragas'' are grouped into sets of six, called '']s'' ("wheels", though actually segments in the conventional representation) grouped according to the ] and ] scale degrees. There is a system known as the '']'' to determine the names of ''melakarta raga''s.
*'''Dhruva tala''' 1 0 1 1
*'''Matya tala''' 1 0 1
*'''Rupaka tala''' 0 1
*'''Jhampa tala''' 1 U 0
*'''Triputa tala''' 1 0 0
*'''Ata tala''' 1 1 0 0
*'''Eka tala''' 1


''Raga''s may be divided into two classes: ''janaka raga''s (i.e. melakarta or parent ragas) and ''] raga''s (descendant ragas of a particular janaka raga). Janya ragas are themselves subclassified into various categories.
How many fingers must be lowered in a ''laghu'' is determined by the ''jathi'', a number showing how many fingers to lower. It can only be 3, 4, 5, 7, or 9. (For numbers greater than five, the "sixth finger" is the same as the little finger.) Five ''jathis'' times seven patterns gives thirty-five basic ''talas''.


===''Kriti''=== ===Tala system===
{{main|Kriti}} {{Main|Tala (music)}}
'']'' refers to a fixed time cycle or metre, set for a particular composition, which is built from groupings of beats.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}} ''Tala''s 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.karnatik.com/glosst.shtml|title=Royal Carpet: Glossary of Carnatic Terms T|work=karnatik.com}}</ref>
Carnatic songs are varied in structure and style, but generally consist of three verses:
#'''Pallavi'''. This is the equivalent of a ] in Western music. Two lines.
#'''Anupallavi'''. The second verse. Also two lines.
#'''Charana'''. The final (and longest) verse that wraps up the song. The Charanam usually borrows patterns from the Anupallavi. Usually three lines.
This kind of song is called a ''keerthana'' or a '']''. There are other possible structure for a ''Kriti''. Some such as ''Sārasamuki sakala bhāgyadē'', have a verse between the ''anupallavi'' and the ''charaṇa'', called the ''chiṭṭaswara''. This verse consists only of notes, and has no words. Still others, such as ''Rāmacandram bhāvayāmi'' have a verse at the end of the ''charaṇa'', called the ''madhyamakāla''. It is sung immediately after the ''charaṇa'', but at double speed.


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 ''anga''s) 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'':
===''Varnam''===
{{main | Varnam}}
A ''Varnam''is a special kind of song which tells you everything about a '']''; not just the scale, but also which notes to stress, how to approach a certain note, classical and characteristic phrases, etc. A varna has a ''pallavi'', an ''anupallavi'', a ''muktayi swara'', whose function is identical to that of the ''chitteswara'' in a ''kriti'', a ''charana'', and ''chitteswaras'', after each of which the ''charana'' is repeated:


* Ata tala
#'''Pallavi'''
* Dhruva tala
#'''Anupallavi'''
* Eka tala
#'''Muktayi swara'''
* Jhampa tala
#'''Charana'''
* Matya tala{{citation needed|date=September 2012}}
#'''Chitteswara'''
* Rupaka tala
##First
* Triputa tala
##Second
##Third


A ''laghu'' has five variants (called ''jaathi''s) based on the counting pattern. Five ''jaathis'' times seven tala groups gives thirty-five basic ''tala''s, although use of other ''anga''s results in a total of 108 ''tala''s.
and so on.


==Improvisation==
There are many more kinds of songs such as ''geethams'' and ''swarajatis''.
Improvisation in ''raga'' is an essential aspect of ].<ref name="Mann1912">{{cite journal | last = MacCarthy |first = M.| title = Some Indian Conceptions of Music| journal = Proceedings of the Musical Association|volume = 38th Sess | pages = 41–65 |year = 1912 | doi=10.1093/jrma/38.1.41|url = https://zenodo.org/record/1431793}}</ref><ref name="Kassebaum1987">{{cite journal | last = Kassebaum |first = G. R.| title = Improvisation in Alapana Performance: A Comparative View of Raga Shankarabharana
| journal = ] |volume = 19 |pages = 45–64 |year = 1987 | doi = 10.2307/767877 | jstor = 767877 | publisher = International Council for Traditional Music| s2cid=192945498 }}</ref> "''Manodharma Sangeetam''" or "''kalpana Sangeetam''" ("music of imagination") as it is known in Carnatic music, comprises several varieties of improvisation.<ref name="Kassebaum1987"/><ref>], p17</ref>


The main traditional forms of improvisation in Carnatic music are:<ref name="Higgins1973">{{cite journal | last = Higgins |first = J. B.| title = untitled | journal = Asian Music |volume = 4 | issue = 2 |pages = 27–35 |year = 1973|doi = 10.2307/833829|jstor = 833829}}</ref><ref>], pp. 219–220.</ref>
===Improvisation===
There are four main types of improvisation in Carnatic music:


* Alapana
*'''Raga Alapana''': This is usually performed before a song. It is, as you may expect, always sung in the ] of the song. It is a slow improvisation with no rhythm, and is supposed to tune the listener's mind to the appropriate ragam by reminding him/her of the specific nuances, before the singer plunges into the song. 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 ragam.
* Niraval
*'''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.
* Pallavi
*'''Kalpanaswaram''' The most elementary type of improvisation, usually taught before any other form of improvisation. 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 "arohana-avarohana"
* Ragam
*'''Taanam''': This form of improvisation was originally developed for the ] and consists of repeating the word ''anantham'' ("endless") in an improvised tune. The name ''thaanam'' comes from a false splitting of ''anantham'' repeated. When the word ''anantham'' is repeated, i.e., "anantham-anantham", the laws of ] dictate that the consonant at the end of the first word be dropped, hence "ananthaanantham" When the rule is applied to a long string of ''anantham''s, you get "ananthaananthaananthaananthaa..." which got falsely split as "thaananthaananthaanan...", or "thaanamthaanamthaanam...".
* Swarakalpana
*'''Ragam Thanam Pallavi''': This is a composite form of improvisation. It consists of Raga, Thana, then a line sung twice, and Niraval. After Niraval, the line is sung again, twice, then sung once at half the speed, then twice at regular speed, then four times at twice the speed.
* Tanam
* Tani Avartanam


==Concerts== ===Raga Alapana===
{{Main|Alapana}}
]
An alapana, sometimes also called ragam,<ref name="Wolf1999">{{cite journal | last = Wolf |first = R.| title = untitled | journal = Asian Music |volume = 30 | issue = 1 |pages = 199–203 |year = 1999|doi = 10.2307/834271|jstor = 834271}}</ref> is the exposition of a ] or tone – a slow improvisation with no rhythm,<ref name="RoyalCarpetGlossary-R">{{cite web|url=http://www.karnatik.com/glossr.shtml|title=Royal Carpet: Glossary of Carnatic Terms R|work=karnatik.com}}</ref> where the raga acts as the basis of embellishment.<ref name="Nettl1974"/> In performing alapana, performers consider each raga as an object that has beginnings and endings and consists somehow of sequences of thought.<ref name="Nettl1974"/>
Carnatic music concerts are usually performed by a small ensemble of musicians. The group usually has a vocalist, a primary instrumentalist, and a percussionist. Primary instruments are usually string instruments, such as the '']'' and the ], although wind instruments such the ] may also be used. Although Carnatic music concerts have been traditionally vocal recitals, in recent years, purely instrumental concerts have become popular.


The performer will explore the ] and touch on its various nuances,<ref name="Wolf1999"/> singing in the lower octaves first, then gradually moving up to higher octaves, while giving a hint of the song to be performed.<ref name="RoyalCarpetGlossary-R"/>
The vocalist is supported by many instruments. The '']'', the most common kind of ] instrument, is traditionally used at concerts to remind the singer of the tonic, so that the singer may stay in tune throughout the performance. Tambura is increasingly being replaced by the more compact ] (also known as the "]").


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.
]
The usual interacting and active accompaniments are Violin (first adopted into Carnatic music in the early 19th century by Baluswami Dikshitar, a brother of ] and Vadivelu of the ]).<ref></ref> ], a two-sided percussion instrument, and ], a hollow ceramic pot or a '']'', an instrument resembling a ]. One other possible accompaniment is the '']'' (]). Besides playing along with the main vocalist, the violinist also gets the opportunity to take part in the improvisation. The violinist is expected to play both the melody and the mathematical aspects of the vocalist. The vocalist and the violinist take turns while elaborating or while exhibiting creativity in sections like ] or ].


===Niraval===
Percussion instruments, such as the ], ], ] are used to help the singer in keeping the beat, but they may also improvise. The ] is also seen in some concerts and it accompanies the main percussion instrument and plays almost in a ] fashion along with the beats.
{{Main|Niraval}}
Niraval, usually performed by the more advanced performers, consists of singing one or two lines of text of a song repeatedly, but with a series of melodic improvised elaborations.<ref name="Higgins1987">{{cite journal | last = Higgins |first = J. B.
|title = Performing Arts in India: Essays on Music, Dance, and Drama| journal = Asian Music |volume = 18 | issue = 2 |pages = 103–118 |year = 1987 | doi=10.2307/833942|jstor = 833942
}}</ref> Although niraval consists of extempore melodic variations, generally, the original patterns of duration are maintained;<ref>], p562</ref> each word in the lines of text stay set within their original place (''idam'') in the ] cycle.<ref name="Viswanathan 1998 p232">], p232</ref> The lines are then also played at different levels of speed which can include double speed, triple speed, quadruple speed and even ] speed.<ref name="Henry2002">{{cite journal | last = Henry |first = E. O.
|title = The Rationalization of Intensity in Indian Music| journal = Ethnomusicology |volume = 46 | issue = 1 |pages = 33–35 |year = 2002 | doi = 10.2307/852807 | jstor = 852807 | publisher = Society for Ethnomusicology}}</ref> The improvised elaborations are made with a view of outlining the raga, the tempo, and the theme of the composition.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}}


===Kalpanaswaram===
{{See also | Indian musical instruments}}
{{Main|Kalpanaswaram}}
Kalpanaswaram, also known as swarakalpana, consists of improvising melodic and rhythmic passages using '']s'' (solfa syllables).<ref>], p219</ref> Like niraval,<ref>], p232</ref> kalpanaswaras are sung to end on a particular swara in the ] of the melody and at a specific place (''idam'') in the ] cycle.<ref>], p221</ref>


Kalpanaswaras have a somewhat predictable rhythmical structure;<ref>], p188</ref> the swaras are sung to end on the ''samam'' (the first beat of the rhythmical cycle).<ref name="Henry2002"/> The swaras can also 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.<ref name="Henry2002"/>
===Concert content===
Contemporary Carnatic concerts (called a ''kutceri'') last approximately three hours. In the concert hall, the performers sit on a slightly elevated stage. Accompanists like violin and ] sit to the main performer's left, and percussion instruments sit on the other side of the main performer facing the instrumentalist.


Kalpanaswaram is the most elementary type of improvisation, usually taught before any other form of improvisation.
Carnatic concerts comprise of a number of varied compositions. Carnatic songs are composed in a particular '']'', which means that they do not deviate from the notes in the '']''. 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 '']''. Concerts usually begin with a '']''. This piece is composed with an emphasis on '']s'' of the raga. It is lively and fast to get the audience's attention. ''Varnams'' also have lyrics, the ''saahityam''. Immediately following the ''Varnam'', there is usually a song in praise of the god ]. Popular among these are ''vināyakā ninnuvinā brōcuḍaku'' and ''vatapi ganapathim''.


===Tanam===
After the ''varnam'' and the Ganesha ''Kriti'', the artist sings longer compositions called '']s''. Without exception, these compositions are devotional in nature. Each ''Kriti'' stick to one specific ''raga'', although some ''kritis'' are composed with more than one ragas; these are known as ''ragamaalika'' (a garland of ''ragas'').
Tanam is one of the most important forms of improvisation, and is integral to Ragam Tanam Pallavi.<ref name="Palackal1998">{{cite journal | last = Palackal |first = J. J.
|title = untitled| journal = Yearbook for Traditional Music|volume = 30 | pages = 207 |year = 1998 | doi=10.2307/768616|jstor = 768616
|s2cid = 191394968
}}</ref> Originally developed for the veena, it consists of expanding the raga with syllables like ''tha, nam, thom, aa, nom, na,'' etc.


===Ragam Tanam Pallavi===
Performers begin the main compositions with a section called ''raga aalapana'' exploring the ''raga''. In this, they use ''aakaaram'' (essentially, using the words ''aa, ri, na, ta'', etc. instead of ''swaras'' or the solfege) 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 ''raga'' that shows the performer's skill. All of this is done without any rhythmic accompaniment. Then the melodic accompaniment (violin or veena), expounds the ''raga''. Experienced listeners can identify many ragas after they hear just a few notes. With the raga thus established, the song begins, sung usually with lyrics. In this, the accompaniment (usually violin, sometimes veena) performs along with the main performer and the percussion (such as a ]). In the next stage of the song, the performer sings the ''swaras'' of the ''raga'' separately (as ''sa'' ''ri'' ''ga'', etc.) to the beat. 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''. 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. The main composition of any concert has a section at this time for the percussion to perform solo (called the ''tani aavartanam''). The percussion performers perform complex patterns of rhythm and display their skill. If multiple percussion instruments are employed, they engage in a beautiful rhythmic dialogue until the main performer picks up the melody once again.
{{Main|Ragam Tanam Pallavi}}
Ragam, Tanam, and Pallavi are the principal long form in concerts,<ref name="Palackal1998"/> and is a composite form of improvisation. As the name suggests, it consists of raga alapana, tanam, and a ] line. Set to a slow-paced ], the pallavi line is often composed by the performer. Through niraval, the performer manipulates the pallavi line in complex melodic and rhythmic ways.<ref name="Wolf1999"/> The niraval is followed by kalpanaswarams.


=== Tani Avartanam ===
Some experienced artists may do a ] instead of a ''Kriti'' as the main song of the concert. A Ragam Thanam Pallavi sometimes comprises of what is called a ''koraipu'' where the vocalist changes a few ''swarasthanas'' in the scale of the ''raga'' and elucidates other ''ragas'' in the vicinity of this ''raga'' scale.
Tani Avartanam refers to the extended solo that is played by the percussionists in a concert,<ref name="Kassebaum 2000">], 158</ref> and is usually played after the main composition in a concert.<ref name="Viswanathan 1998 p232"/> The percussionist displays the full range of his skills and rhythmic imagination during the solo, which may take from two to twenty minutes.<ref name="Kassebaum 2000"/>


==Compositions==
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 '']s'', '']''. Every concert that is the last of the day ends with a mangalam, a thankful prayer and conclusion to the musical event.
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2014}}
In contrast to ] 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.
===Audience===
The audience of a typical concert have a very decent 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 ]s that are in existence.


There are many types/forms of compositions.
Contemporary performers and audiences are very much linked and musicians are able to get immediate review of their performances on the internet enabled technologies such as blogs and online discussion forums. Wider dissemination of this age-old art form has been possible through MP3 downloads, CDs and DVDs, leading to an increase in the popularity of Carnatic music amongst youngsters.


'']s'' and '']s'' (which have their own peculiar composition structures) are principally meant to serve as basic learning exercises.
{{See also |Madras Music Season}}


Compositions more commonly associated with ] and ] have also been increasingly used in the Carnatic music repertoire. The performance of the ] '']'', Tamil ''], Kannada ] and'' Telugu ''padyamu'' or ''sisapadya'' forms are particularly unique. Though these forms consist of lyric-based ], musicians improvise '']'' phrases in free rhythm, like an ],<ref name="Higgins1987" /> so both the sound value, and the meaning of the text, guide the musician through elaborate melodic improvisations.<ref name="Higgins1985">{{cite journal | last = Higgins |first = J. B.
==Learning Carnatic music==
|title = India| journal = Ethnomusicology|volume = 29 | issue = 1 |pages = 162–166 |year = 1985 | doi = 10.2307/852348 | jstor = 852348 | publisher = Society for Ethnomusicology}}</ref> Forms such as the '']'', '']'' and '']'' are often performed similarly, however, these forms can also have a set melody and rhythm like the ''devaranama'', ''javali'', ''padam'', '']'' and '']'' forms.


The most common and significant forms in Carnatic music are the '']'' and the '']'' (or ''kirtanam'').
Carnatic music is traditionally taught according to the system formulated by ]. This involves ''Swaravalis'' (graded exercises), ''Alankaras'' (exercises based on the seven talas) and ''Gitas'' or simple songs. The student then continues to learn ''Kritis''. It typically takes several years of learning before a student is adept enough to perform at a concert.


===Varnam===
Since the late 20th century, there has been some attempts to create Carnatic music grades by music conservatories, which provide standardized tests between different Carnatic teachers. Although such attempts have not met with great popularity in India, standardized exams are often used in countries, like Canada, Great Britain, and France, where there is a high concentration of South Asian expatriates. One of the most widely recognized conservatories of music, is the Toronto-based ] which was formed in 1992. In 2005, it held exams for over 2000 applicants ranging from grades 1 to 7.
{{Main|Varnam}}


Varnams are short metric pieces which encapsulate the main features and requirements of a '']''.<ref>], p189</ref> The features and rules of the raga (also known as the ''sanchaaraas'' of a raga) include how each note of the raga should be stressed, the scale of the raga, and so on.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|url=http://www.karnatik.com/glossv.shtml|title=Royal Carpet: Glossary of Carnatic Terms V|work=karnatik.com}}</ref> All varnams consist of lyrics,<ref name="Bradnock 1992 p631">], p631</ref> as well as swara passages, including a '']'', an '']'', ''muktayi swaras'', a '']'', and '']''.<ref name="autogenerated2" />
==Notations==


Known for their complex structure, varnams are a fundamental form in Carnatic music.<ref name="Bradnock 1992 p631"/> Varnams are practised as vocal exercises in multiple speeds by performers of Carnatic music, to help develop voice culture, and maintain proper pitch and control of rhythm. In Carnatic music concerts, varnams are often performed by musicians as the opening item – acting as a warm up for the musicians,<ref>], p68</ref> and as a means of grabbing the attention of the audience.<ref name="autogenerated2" />
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 ''kīrtanam'' composed, for example, by ], it involved the difficult task of finding a person from Purandara Dasa's lineage of students.


===Kriti===
Written notation of Carnatic music was revived in the late 17th century and early 18th century, which coincided with rule of ] in ]. Copies of Shahaji's musical manuscripts are still available at the ] in ] and they give us an idea of the music and its form. They contain snippets of ] to be used when performing the mentioned ragas.
{{Main|Kriti (music)}}
Carnatic songs (kritis) are varied in structure and style, but generally consist of three units:
# ]. This is the equivalent of a ] in Western music, with 1 or 2&nbsp;lines.
# ]. This is the second verse, also as 2 lines.
# ]. 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 '']''. There are other possible structures for a ''kriti'', which may in addition include swara passages named ''chittaswara''. A ''chittaswara'' consists only of notes, and has no words. Still others have a verse at the end of the ''charana'', called the ''madhyamakāla''. It is sung immediately after the ''charana'', but at double speed.
===Melody===

Unlike ], Carnatic music is notated almost exclusively in ] notation using either a Roman or Indic script to represent the solfa names. Past attempts to use the ] have mostly failed. Indian music makes use of hundreds of ragas, many more than the ] in western music. It becomes difficult to write Carnatic music using the staff notation without the use of too many ]. Furthermore, the staff notation requires that the song be played in a certain ]. 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 ]s (relative pitch) to denote notes. The singer is free to choose actual pitch of the ] 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.
==Prominent composers==

{{See also|List of Carnatic composers|List of composers who created ragas|Musicians of the Kingdom of Mysore}}

There are many composers in Carnatic music. ] (1484–1564) is referred to as the ''Pitamaha'' (the father or grandfather) of Carnatic music as he formulated the basic lessons in teaching Carnatic music, and in honour of his significant contribution to Carnatic music. He structured graded exercises known as ''Swaravalis'' and ''Alankaras'', and at the same time, introduced the '']'' ] as the first scale to be learnt by beginners. He also composed ''Gitas'' (simple songs) for novice students.

The contemporaries ] (1767– 1847), ], (1776–1835) and ], (1762–1827) are regarded as the ] because of the quality of Syama Sastri's compositions, the varieties of compositions of Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Tyagaraja's prolific output in composing '']s''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/03/31/stories/2006033100510300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060919223436/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2006/03/31/stories/2006033100510300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2006-09-19|work=]|title=The golden era}}</ref>

Prominent composers prior to the ] include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Other composers are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. The compositions of these composers are rendered frequently by artists of today.

Composers of Carnatic music were often inspired by religious devotion and were usually scholars proficient in one or more of the languages ], ], ], ], or ]. They usually included a signature, called a '']'', in their compositions. For example, all songs by Tyāgarāja (who composed in Sanskrit and Telugu) have the word ''Tyagaraja'' in them, all songs by Muttuswāmi Dīkṣitar (who composed in Sanskrit and Maṇipravāl̥am) have the words ''Guruguha'' in them; songs by Śyāma Śāstri (who composed in Sanskrit and Telugu) have the words Ś''yāma Kr̥ṣṇa'' in them; all songs by Purandaradasa (who composed in Kannada and Sanskrit) have the words ''Purandara Vitthala''; while Gopalakrishna Bharathi (who composed in Tamil) used the signature ''Gopalakrishnan'' in his compositions. Papanasam Sivan, who has been hailed as the ''Tamil Tyagaraja'' of Carnatic music,<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/01/04/stories/2002010401120600.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030627174438/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/01/04/stories/2002010401120600.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2003-06-27|work=]|title=Focus on veena's exalted status}}</ref> composed in Tamil and Sanskrit,<ref name="autogenerated1" /> and used the signature ''Ramadasan'' in his compositions.

==Learning==
Carnatic music is traditionally taught according to the system formulated by ]. This involves ''sarali swaras'' (graded exercises), ''alankaras'' (exercises based on the seven talas), '']'' or simple songs, and ]. After the student has reached a certain standard, '']s'' are taught and later, the student learns ]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'' (] set to a particular raga).

Carnatic music was traditionally taught in the ] system, where the student lived with and learnt the art from his ] (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 ] ], 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 ], ], ], ] and ], 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 ] composed, for example, by ], 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 ] in ]. Copies of Shahaji's musical manuscripts are still available at the ] in Tanjore and they give us an idea of the music and its form. They contain snippets of ] to be used when performing the mentioned ragas.

====Melody====
Unlike classical ], Carnatic music is notated almost exclusively in ] notation using either a Roman or Indic script to represent the solfa names. Past attempts to use the ] have mostly failed. Indian music makes use of hundreds of ragas, many more than the ] in Western music. It becomes difficult to write Carnatic music using the staff notation without the use of too many ]. Furthermore, the staff notation requires that the song be played in a certain ]. 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 ]s (relative pitch) to denote notes. The singer is free to choose the actual pitch of the ] 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 ] (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. 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 ] (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.
Line 256: Line 199:
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,,,". 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=== ====Rhythm====
The notation is divided into columns, depending on the structure of the ]. The division between a ''laghu'' and a ''dhṛtaṃ'' is indicated by a ।, called a '''ḍaṇḍā''', and so is the division between two ''dhṛtaṃs'' or a ''dhṛtaṃ'' and an ''anudhṛtaṃ''. The end of a cycle is marked by a ॥, called a '''double ḍaṇḍā''', and looks like a ]. The notation is divided into columns, depending on the structure of 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 ].


==Modern artists== ==Performance==
{{See also |List of Carnatic singers}} {{Main|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.<ref name="LArmand1983">{{cite journal | last = L'Armand |first = A. K.
===Vocalists===
|title = One Hundred Years of Music in Madras: A Case Study in Secondary Urbanization| journal = Ethnomusicology |volume = 27 |pages = 411–438 |year = 1983 | doi = 10.2307/850653 | author2 = L'armand, Adrian | issue = 3 | publisher = Society for Ethnomusicology|jstor = 850653
]]]
}}</ref>
] and ] are some of the art's greatest living (albeit aging) performers. ], who enthralled audiences across language barriers, is usually credited with popularizing the Carnatic tradition outside South India. Legendary singer belonging to the Dhanammal school of music ] was known for her gamaka laden interpretations of core carnatic ragams and also her vast repertoire. Doyens like ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ],], ], ] created a golden era for Carnatic Music. Another great singer who made his own mark with soulful rendering was ]. ] is a living legendary singer in the Carnatic Music.

Performances can be musical or musical-dramatic. Musical recitals are either vocal, or purely instrumental in nature, while musical-dramatic recitals refer to ].<ref name="LArmand1983"/> Regardless of what type of recital it is, what is featured are compositions which form the core of this genre of music.

===Instrumentation===
{{See also|Indian musical instruments}}
The '']'' is the traditional ] instrument used in concerts. However, tanpuras are increasingly being replaced by ]es, and now more commonly, the ]. The drone itself is an integral part of performances and furnishes stability – the equivalent of ] in Western music.<ref name="Rosenthal1931">{{cite journal | last = Rosenthal|first = E.|title = Tyagaraja: A Great South Indian Composer| journal = Musical Quarterly |volume = XVII |pages = 14–24 |year = 1931 | doi = 10.1093/mq/XVII.1.14}}</ref>

In a vocal recital, a concert team may have one or more vocalists as the principal performer(s). Instruments, such as the ] and/or ] flute, can be occasionally found as an accompaniment, but usually, a vocalist is supported by a violin player (who sits on his/her left). The rhythm accompanist is usually a ] player (who sits on the other side, facing the violin player). However, other percussion instruments such as the ], ] and ] frequently also accompany the main percussion instrument and play in an almost ] 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 ], ] and ].

Unlike ] concerts, where an accompanying ] 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 concerts feature a good bit of interaction with the lead musicians and accompanists exchanging notes, and accompanying musicians predicting the lead musician's musical phrases.

===Contemporary 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 '']'', which means that they do not deviate from the notes in the ''raga''. 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''.

Concerts usually begin with a '']'' or an invocatory item which will act as the opening piece. The ''varnam'' is composed with an emphasis on '']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 ''varnam'' and/or invocatory item, the artist sings longer compositions called ''kirtanas'' (commonly referred to as '']''s). 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'').

After singing the opening ''kriti'', usually, the performer sings the '']'' of the ''raga'' to the beat. 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''. 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 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 '']'' exploring the ''raga''. 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 ''raga'' 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 ''raga''. Experienced listeners can identify many ragas after they hear just a few notes. With the ''raga'' 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 ]). In the next stage of the song, they may sing '']'' 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 '']'' 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 '']s'' and ''thukkadas'' – bits of popular ''kriti''s 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 will have some 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 ]s that are in existence.

===Festivals===
{{Main|List of Indian classical music festivals|Madras Music Season}}

Various ] featuring Carnatic music performances are held in India, and throughout the world.

With the city of ] (then known as ]) emerging as the locus for Carnatic music during the 19th century,<ref name="Hughes2002"/> its musicians founded the ] festival in 1846. The Aradhana festival is an annual death-anniversary celebration of the prolific Carnatic music composer, ]. Held in the city of ], thousands of musicians attend the festival to perform his compositions. Since its inception, other festivals were started in a similar manner throughout India and abroad, such as the ] in the Indian city of ], and the Aradhana in the US city of ].


The city of Chennai also holds a six-week-long grand "]", which has been described as the world's largest cultural event.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/02/03/stories/2005020301281000.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207150555/http://www.hindu.com/2005/02/03/stories/2005020301281000.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2005-02-07|title=Musical Musings|access-date=2007-01-13|location=Chennai, India|newspaper=]|date=2005-02-03}}</ref> The Music Season was started in 1927, to mark the opening of the ]. It used to be a traditional month-long Carnatic music festival, but since then it has also diversified into ] and ], as well as non-Carnatic art forms. Some concert organisers also feature their own Carnatic music festivals during the season. Thousands of performances are held by hundreds of musicians across various venues in the city.
Prof. Mysore ] is a well known musician in Carnatic Music. Contemporary vocalists include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], T.M. Krishna, ], ], ], ], ] and ]. ] ("Higgins bhagavatar") was one of the few Westerners to have learnt and excelled in Carnatic music. And Patrick Ngcobo is Carnatic Classical singer belong to South Africa.


The ] is an annual conference of Carnatic music, held in February every year, which has lectures and demonstrations in the morning, and performances in the afternoons and evenings.
===Instrumentalists===
] ]]
] is a multifaceted musician and instrumentalist equipped with great talent in playing instruments like violin, viola, mridangam, ghatam, ganjira, harmonium, flute, etc.


==See also==
],<ref>http://www.worldmusiccentral.org/artists/artist_page.php?id=538</ref> ], ], ], ], ] and ] excel in the art of ] playing .


{{Portal|India|Music}}
], ] and ] are famous ghatam players. Among violinists, ], ], ] and ] belong to the classical tradition. Virtuosos like ], ],<ref>http://www.worldmusiccentral.org/artists/artist_page.php?id=513</ref> ], and ] have internationalised the Carnatic violin music while relying on the native south indian classical idiom.
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]


==Notes==
Maestros like ], Thyagarajan and ] are some of the famous ] players.
{{notelist}}


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}}
<references />
* Kassebaum, Gayatri Rajapur. 'Karnatak raga' (2000). In {{cite book|title=The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music|last=Arnold|first=Alison|publisher=Taylor & Francis|location=] & ]|ref=Arnold2000}}
* {{cite book|title=Romance of the Raga|last=Moorthy|first=Vijaya|year=2001|publisher=Abhinav Publications|location=]|ref=Moorthy2001}}
* Nettl, B. (2009). In {{cite book|title=Musical Improvisation: Art, Education, and Society|last=Solis|first=Gabriel|author2=Nettl, Bruno|year=2009|publisher=]|ref=SolisNettl2009}}
* {{cite book|title=Musical Composers during Wodeyar Dynasty (1638–1947 A.D.)|last=Pranesh|first=Meera Rajaram|year=2003|publisher=Vee Emm Publications|location=]|ref=Pranesh2003}}
* {{cite book|title=The Harvard Dictionary of Music|last=Randel|first=Don Michael|year=2003|publisher=Harvard University Press|location=United States|ref=Randel2003}}
* Viswanathan, T. & Cormack, Jody (1998). In {{cite book|title=In the Course of Performance: Studies in the World of Musical Improvisation|last=Nettl|first=Bruno|author-link=Bruno Nettl|author2=Russell, Melinda|publisher=]|location=] & ]|ref=NettlRussell1998|isbn=0-226-57411-3|date=15 December 1998|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/incourseofperfor0000unse}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |title=The Music and Musical Instruments of southern India and the Deccan |author=Charles Russel Day |others=William Gibb (lllus.) |publisher=Novello, Ewer & Co., London - |year=1891 |url=https://archive.org/stream/musicmusicalinst00dayc#page/n7/mode/2up }}
* {{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica | edition=15 | year=2005 | article=}}
* {{cite book | author= Panchapakesa Iyer, A. S.| title= Gānāmruta Varna Mālikā| publisher=Gānāmruta Prachuram | year=2003 }}


==External links== ==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category}}


{{Indian Music}}
* Carnatic Music Forums
{{Melakarta ragas}}
* . RAAGALAYA is dedicated to the literary development and promotion of classical music, dance and other art forms from India in the US and Europe.
{{Janya}}
* . Site containing streamable carnatic intrumental and vocal songs.
{{Violin family}}
* . Offers an insight into Carnatic music and renowned Carnatic composers.
* . A website on the legendary ] Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
* . This was the first comprehensive portal on Carnatic music. It has links to almost all the Carnatic sites in existence as well as a reference library and page of lists for ragas, compositions and lyrics.
* . An innovative portal on Carnatic music. It has a great deal of information, and also offers products such as albums, ]s, ]s, etc. Its other services include online music courses, camps and so forth.
* Information on Indian classical music , artists , teachers and institutes of carnatic music.
* (Carnatic music CD-ROMs)
* . Started by young ] M. N. Hariharan (the author of the book "''Korvai''s Made Easy"), contains information about ''korvai''s, notation for percussion lessons, etc.
* .
* A site dedicated to Emeritus Professor (retd.) of Vocal Music Prof. Mysore V. Ramarathnam, Author, Teacher and Composer First Principal (Retd), University College of Music & Dance, University of Mysore, India
*Published by World Music Central
*Published by World Music Central


{{Karnataka topics}}
==Bibliography==
{{Authority control}}
*{{cite encyclopedia | ency=Encyclopædia Britannica | edition=15 | year=2005 | article=}}
*{{cite book | author= Panchapakesa Iyer, A. S.| title= Gānāmrutha Varna Mālikā| publisher=Gānāmrutha Prachuram | year=2003 | id= }}


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Latest revision as of 14:57, 26 December 2024

Music genre originating in southern India

Carnatic music
Tanjavur-style tambura
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Carnatic music or Karnataka Sangita (known as Karnāṭaka saṃgīta or Karnāṭaka saṅgītam in the Dravidian languages) is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and portions of east and south Telangana and southern Odisha.

It is one of three main subgenres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Hindu texts and traditions, particularly the Samaveda. (The other two are Hindustani music and Odissi 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 śruti (the relative musical pitch), svara (the musical sound of a single note), rāga (the mode or melodic formulae), and tala (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 (or kirtanam) – a form developed between the 14th and 20th centuries by composers such as Purandara Dasa, and the Trinity of Carnatic music. Carnatic music is also usually taught and learned through compositions. Telugu language predominates in the evolution of Carnatic music. Most Carnatic compositions are in Telugu and Sanskrit. ṭ 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 mridangam), and a tambura, which acts as a drone throughout the performance. Other typical instruments used in performances may include the ghatam, kanjira, morsing, venu flute, veena, and chitraveena. The greatest concentration of Carnatic musicians is to be found in the city of Chennai. Various Carnatic music festivals are held throughout India and abroad, including the Madras Music Season, which has been considered to be one of the world's largest cultural events.

Etymology

Carnatic music originated in Karnataka and was named after it, known as Karnāṭaka Saṁgīta which spread through Andhra and Tamil countries where it was sumptuously nourished

Origin and history

Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of all knowledge, music, arts and science, with her instrument, the veena.

Like all art forms in Indian culture, Indian classical music is believed to be a divine art form which originated from the devas and devis (Hindu gods and goddesses), and is venerated as symbolic of nāda brāhman. Ancient treatises also describe the connection of the origin of the svaras, 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 Samaveda, which is believed to have laid the foundation for Indian classical music, consists of hymns from the Rigveda, set to musical tunes which would be sung using three to seven musical notes during Vedic yajnas. The Yajurveda, which mainly consists of sacrificial formulae, mentions the veena as an accompaniment to vocal recitations. References to Indian classical music are made in many ancient texts, including epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The Yajnavalkya Smriti states, "vīṇāvādana tattvajñaḥ 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 liberation (moksha) without doubt"). Contemporray Carnatic music is based on musical concepts (including svara, raga, and tala) that were described in detail in several ancient works, particularly the Bharata's Natya Shastra and Cilappatikaram by Ilango Adigal.

Owing to Persian and Islamic influences in North India from the 12th century onwards, Indian classical music began to diverge into two distinct styles — Hindustani music and Carnatic music. Commentaries and other works, such as Sharngadeva's Sangita Ratnakara, further elaborated on the musical concepts found in Indian classical music. By the 16th and 17th centuries, there was a clear demarcation between Carnatic and Hindustani music; Carnatic music remained relatively unaffected by Persian and Arabic influences. It was at this time that Carnatic music flourished in Vijayanagara, while the Vijayanagara Empire reached its greatest extent. Purandara Dasa, who is known as the "father (pitamaha) of Carnatic music", formulated the system that is commonly used for the teaching of Carnatic music. Venkatamakhin invented and authored the formula for the melakarta system of raga classification in his Sanskrit work, the Chaturdandi Prakasika (1660 AD). Govindacharya is known for expanding the melakarta system into the sampurna raga scheme – the system that is in common use today.

By the 16th century, Indian classical music split into two styles: Hindustani in the North and Karnataka (later called Carnatic) in the South. The term "Karnataka" music originated from the Vijayanagara Empire, historically known as the Karnataka Empire. The British later influenced the change in name to "Carnatic" music, and the term is only about 150–200 years old.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Carnatic music was mainly patronised by the local kings of the Kingdom of Mysore, Kingdom of Travancore, and the Maratha rulers of Tanjore. Some of the royalty of the kingdoms of Mysore and Travancore were themselves noted composers and proficient in playing musical instruments, such as the veena, rudra veena, violin, ghatam, venu, mridangam, nadaswaram, and swarabat. Some famous court-musicians proficient in music were Veene Sheshanna (1852–1926) and Veene Subbanna (1861–1939), among others.

During the late 19th century, the city of Madras (now known as Chennai) emerged as the locus for Carnatic music. With the dissolution of the erstwhile princely states and the Indian independence movement reaching its conclusion in 1947, Carnatic music went through a radical shift in patronage into an art of the masses with ticketed performances organised by private institutions called sabhās.

Carnatic music outside of South India

From the 18th century, South Indian immigrant communities abroad increased, especially in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. Communities such as the Nattukottai Chettiars participate in the extension of the Carnatic cultural scene abroad, thanks to their rich patronage activity. Carnatic music artists therefore perform abroad among South Indian communities who request their coming, in order to enliven local community life. For a long time in Sri Lanka, Carnatic music was associated with Indian immigrants, and was often derogatorily referred to as "thosai kade music" ("music from the dosa shop"), in reference to the South Indians-owned restaurants and eateries that typically played this kind of music.

From the 20th century, Carnatic music gained significant popularity among certain social strata of the Sri Lankan population, who were then heavily influenced by a prominent cultural movement known as the Hindu revival. Carnatic music was thus appropriated and highly promoted during the 1920s and 1930s as a cultural and identity marker of the Colombo and Jaffna bourgeoisies, and by extension of the Sri Lankan Tamils. The place given to Carnatic music in the construction of a modern Sri Lankan Tamil identity has reached significant proportions, such as its rise in the curricula of most Jaffna colleges, where it gradually replaced from the mid-1930s the teaching of Western classical music, or its high esteem among the upper social classes of Colombo and Jaffna, where the learning of Carnatic music among young women is expected as a sign of good education. Many people have travelled to India for improving their skills, and the flow of students to India from Sri Lanka or of Sri Lankan Tamil origin is constantly increasing.

Nature

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: rāga, the modes or melodic formulae, and tāḷa, 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).

Important elements

Śruti

Main article: Śruti (music)

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.

Svara

Main article: Svara

Svara 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. Svaras 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). 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. 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. A 7th century stone inscription in Kudumiyan Malai in Tamil Nadu shows vowel changes to solfege symbols with ra, ri, ru etc. to denote the higher quarter-tones. In one scale, or raga, 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 avarohanam).

Raga system

Main article: Raga See also: List of composers who created ragas

A raga in Carnatic music prescribes a set of rules for building a melody – very similar to the Western concept of mode. 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 (ornamentation), which phrases should be used or avoided, and so on. In effect, it is a series of obligatory musical events which must be observed, either absolutely or with a particular frequency.

In Carnatic music, the sampoorna ragas (those with all seven notes in their scales) are classified into a system called the melakarta, which groups them according to the kinds of notes that they have. There are seventy-two melakarta ragas, thirty six of whose madhyama (subdominant) is shuddha (perfect fourth 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 chakras ("wheels", though actually segments in the conventional representation) grouped according to the supertonic and mediant scale degrees. There is a system known as the katapayadi sankhya to determine the names of melakarta ragas.

Ragas may be divided into two classes: janaka ragas (i.e. melakarta or parent ragas) and janya ragas (descendant ragas of a particular janaka raga). Janya ragas are themselves subclassified into various categories.

Tala system

Main article: Tala (music)

Tala refers to a fixed time cycle or metre, set for a particular composition, which is built from groupings of beats. 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:

  • Ata tala
  • Dhruva tala
  • Eka tala
  • Jhampa tala
  • Matya tala
  • Rupaka tala
  • Triputa 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 an essential aspect of Indian classical music. "Manodharma Sangeetam" or "kalpana Sangeetam" ("music of imagination") as it is known in Carnatic music, comprises several varieties of improvisation.

The main traditional forms of improvisation in Carnatic music are:

  • Alapana
  • Niraval
  • Pallavi
  • Ragam
  • Swarakalpana
  • Tanam
  • Tani Avartanam

Raga Alapana

Main article: Alapana

An alapana, sometimes also called ragam, is the exposition of a raga 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

Main article: Niraval

Niraval, usually performed by the more advanced performers, consists of singing one or two lines of text of a song repeatedly, but with a series of melodic improvised elaborations. Although niraval consists of extempore melodic variations, generally, the original patterns of duration are maintained; each word in the lines of text stay set within their original place (idam) in the tala cycle. The lines are then also played at different levels of speed which can include double speed, triple speed, quadruple speed and even sextuple speed. The improvised elaborations are made with a view of outlining the raga, the tempo, and the theme of the composition.

Kalpanaswaram

Main article: Kalpanaswaram

Kalpanaswaram, also known as swarakalpana, consists of improvising melodic and rhythmic passages using swaras (solfa syllables). Like niraval, kalpanaswaras are sung to end on a particular swara in the raga of the melody and at a specific place (idam) in the tala cycle.

Kalpanaswaras have a somewhat predictable rhythmical structure; the swaras are sung to end on the samam (the first beat of the rhythmical cycle). The swaras can also 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 veena, it consists of expanding the raga with syllables like tha, nam, thom, aa, nom, na, etc.

Ragam Tanam Pallavi

Main article: Ragam Tanam Pallavi

Ragam, Tanam, and Pallavi are 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 pallavi line. Set to a slow-paced tala, 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.

Tani Avartanam

Tani Avartanam refers to the extended solo that is played by the percussionists in a concert, and is usually played after the main composition in a concert. The percussionist displays the full range of his skills and rhythmic imagination during the solo, which may take from two to twenty minutes.

Compositions

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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. 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 Sanskrit sloka, Tamil viruttam, Kannada Ugabhoga and Telugu padyamu or sisapadya forms are particularly unique. Though these forms consist of lyric-based verses, musicians improvise raga phrases in free rhythm, like an alapana, so both the sound value, and the meaning of the text, guide the musician through elaborate melodic improvisations. Forms such as the divya prabandham, thevaram and ugabhoga are often performed similarly, however, these forms can also have a set melody and rhythm like the devaranama, javali, padam, thillana and thiruppugazh forms.

The most common and significant forms in Carnatic music are the varnam and the kriti (or kirtanam).

Varnam

Main article: Varnam

Varnams are short metric pieces which encapsulate the main features and requirements of a raga. The features and rules of the raga (also known as the sanchaaraas of a raga) include how each note of the raga should be stressed, the scale of the raga, and so on. All varnams consist of lyrics, as well as swara passages, including a pallavi, an anupallavi, muktayi swaras, a charanam, and chittaswaras.

Known for their complex structure, varnams are a fundamental form in Carnatic music. Varnams are practised as vocal exercises in multiple speeds by performers of Carnatic music, to help develop voice culture, and maintain proper pitch and control of rhythm. In Carnatic music concerts, varnams are often performed by musicians as the opening item – acting as a warm up for the musicians, and as a means of grabbing the attention of the audience.

Kriti

Main article: Kriti (music)

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

  1. Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music, with 1 or 2 lines.
  2. Anupallavi. This is the second verse, also as 2 lines.
  3. Charana. 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. There are other possible structures for a kriti, which may in addition include swara passages named chittaswara. A chittaswara consists only of notes, and has no words. Still others have a verse at the end of the charana, called the madhyamakāla. It is sung immediately after the charana, but at double speed.

Prominent composers

See also: List of Carnatic composers, List of composers who created ragas, and Musicians of the Kingdom of Mysore

There are many composers in Carnatic music. Purandara Dasa (1484–1564) is referred to as the Pitamaha (the father or grandfather) of Carnatic music as he formulated the basic lessons in teaching Carnatic music, and in honour of his significant contribution to 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. He also composed Gitas (simple songs) for novice students.

The contemporaries Tyagaraja (1767– 1847), Muthuswami Dikshitar, (1776–1835) and Syama Sastri, (1762–1827) are regarded as the Trinity of Carnatic music because of the quality of Syama Sastri's compositions, the varieties of compositions of Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Tyagaraja's prolific output in composing kritis.

Prominent composers prior to the Trinity of Carnatic music include Sripadaraja, Vyasatirtha, Kanakadasa, Vadiraja Tirtha, Arunachala Kavi, Annamacharya, Narayana Theertha, Vijaya Dasa, Jagannatha Dasa, Gopala Dasa, Bhadrachala Ramadas, Sadasiva Brahmendra and Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi. Other composers are Swathi Thirunal, Gopalakrishna Bharathi, Neelakanta Sivan, Patnam Subramania Iyer, Mysore Vasudevachar, Koteeswara Iyer, Muthiah Bhagavathar, Subramania Bharathiyar, Kalyani Varadarajan, M. Balamuralikrishna and Papanasam Sivan. The compositions of these composers are rendered frequently by artists of today.

Composers of Carnatic music were often inspired by religious devotion and were usually scholars proficient in one or more of the languages Kannada, Malayalam, Sanskrit, Tamil, or Telugu. They usually included a signature, called a mudra, in their compositions. For example, all songs by Tyāgarāja (who composed in Sanskrit and Telugu) have the word Tyagaraja in them, all songs by Muttuswāmi Dīkṣitar (who composed in Sanskrit and Maṇipravāl̥am) have the words Guruguha in them; songs by Śyāma Śāstri (who composed in Sanskrit and Telugu) have the words Śyāma Kr̥ṣṇa in them; all songs by Purandaradasa (who composed in Kannada and Sanskrit) have the words Purandara Vitthala; while Gopalakrishna Bharathi (who composed in Tamil) used the signature Gopalakrishnan in his compositions. Papanasam Sivan, who has been hailed as the Tamil Tyagaraja of Carnatic music, composed in Tamil and Sanskrit, and used the signature Ramadasan in his compositions.

Learning

Carnatic music is traditionally taught according to the system formulated by Purandara Dasa. This involves sarali swaras (graded exercises), alankaras (exercises based on the seven talas), geetams or simple songs, and Swarajatis. After the student has reached a certain standard, varnams are taught and later, the student learns kritis. 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 (solfege 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 guru (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 Guru Parampara, 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 Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Syama Sastri, Swathi Thirunal and Papanasam Sivan, 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 composed, for example, by Purandara 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 solfege to be used when performing the mentioned ragas.

Melody

Unlike classical Western music, Carnatic music is notated almost exclusively in tonic sol-fa 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 modes in Western music. It becomes difficult to write Carnatic music using the staff notation without the use of too many accidentals. Furthermore, the staff notation requires that the song be played in a certain key. 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 tonic 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 diacritic (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 tāḷaṃ. 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.

Performance

Main article: 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.

Performances can be musical or musical-dramatic. Musical recitals are either vocal, or purely instrumental in nature, while musical-dramatic recitals refer to Harikatha. Regardless of what type of recital it is, what is featured are compositions which form the core of this genre of music.

Instrumentation

See also: Indian musical instruments

The tanpura is the traditional drone instrument used in concerts. However, tanpuras are increasingly being replaced by śruti boxes, and now more commonly, the electronic tanpura. The drone itself is an integral part of performances and furnishes stability – the equivalent of harmony in Western music.

In a vocal recital, a concert team may have one or more vocalists as the principal performer(s). Instruments, such as the Saraswati veena and/or venu flute, can be occasionally found as an accompaniment, but usually, a vocalist is supported by a violin player (who sits on his/her left). The rhythm accompanist is usually a mridangam player (who sits on the other side, facing the violin player). However, other percussion instruments such as the ghatam, kanjira and morsing 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 raga, niraval and kalpanaswaram.

Unlike Hindustani music concerts, where an accompanying tabla 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 concerts feature a good bit of interaction with the lead musicians and accompanists exchanging notes, and accompanying musicians predicting the lead musician's musical phrases.

Contemporary 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 raga, which means that they do not deviate from the notes in the raga. 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.

Concerts usually begin with a varnam or an invocatory item which will act as the opening piece. The varnam is composed with an emphasis on swaras 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 varnam and/or invocatory item, the artist sings longer compositions called kirtanas (commonly referred to as kritis). 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).

After singing the opening kriti, usually, the performer sings the kalpanaswaram of the raga to the beat. 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. 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 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 alapana exploring the raga. 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 raga 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 raga. Experienced listeners can identify many ragas after they hear just a few notes. With the raga thus established, the song begins, usually with lyrics. In this, the accompaniment (usually violin, sometimes veena) performs along with the main performer and the percussion (such as a mridangam). In the next stage of the song, they may sing niraval 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 pallavi 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 will have some 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 kritis that are in existence.

Festivals

Main articles: List of Indian classical music festivals and Madras Music Season

Various music festivals featuring Carnatic music performances are held in India, and throughout the world.

With the city of Chennai (then known as Madras) emerging as the locus for Carnatic music during the 19th century, its musicians founded the Tyagaraja Aradhana festival in 1846. The Aradhana festival is an annual death-anniversary celebration of the prolific Carnatic music composer, Tyagaraja. Held in the city of Thiruvayaru, thousands of musicians attend the festival to perform his compositions. Since its inception, other festivals were started in a similar manner throughout India and abroad, such as the Chembai Sangeetholsavam in the Indian city of Guruvayur, and the Aradhana in the US city of Cleveland.

The city of Chennai also holds a six-week-long grand "Music Season", 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 Academy. 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. Some concert organisers also feature their own Carnatic music festivals during the season. Thousands of performances are held by hundreds of musicians across various venues in the city.

The Karnataka Ganakala Parishat is an annual conference of Carnatic music, held in February every year, which has lectures and demonstrations in the morning, and performances in the afternoons and evenings.

See also

Notes

References

  1. Sriram, Parthasarathy. "A Karnatic Music Primer" (PDF).
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