Carnatic Music of India

The recent way of Carnatic music is based on the historical developments that can be back dated from 15^th to 16^th centuries AD and thereafter. It is said to have coined from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The Carnatic music is melodic, with improvised variations. This comprises of a composition with improvised embellishments added to the piece in the forms of Raga Alapana, Neraval, Kalpanaswaram and, in the case of more advanced students, Ragam Tanama Pallavi. The primary emphasis is on the vocals as most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are menat to be performed in a singing pattern (which is known as gayaki). There are about 7.2 million ragas (or scales) in Carnatic music with around 300 still in use now.

source of picture: www.arcmusic.co.uk

Purandara Dasa is measured the father of Carnatic music, while Shastry, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Tyagaraja, and Shyam are considered the trinity of Carnatic music.

Noted musicians of Carnatic music include Ariyakudi Ramanuja Lyengar (the father of the current shows format), MS Subbulakshmi, Prapancham Sita Raman, Semmangudi Srinivasa Lyer, TN Seshagopalan and more recently Sanjay Subrahmanya, K J Yesudas, Balamuralikrishna, Lalgudi Jayaraman, N. Ramani, Mysore Manjunath, Mysore Nagaraj, TM Krishna, Aruna Sairam, Bombay Jayashri and Umayalpuram K etc.

In every December, the city of Chennai in India has its six-week-long music season, which has been seen as the world’s largest cultural activity. Hence Chennai has become the capital of Carnatic music since 19^th century. This has served as the foundation for most music in the south India, including the folk music, festival music and has also extended its influence to film music in the past 100 to 150 years ago.