Carnatic Classical Music : A Brief Introduction To The Style, History And More

In this article, I will describe a brief introduction about Carnatic Classical Music or South Indian Classical Music. Please read the full article without skipping.

 

Brief introduction to Carnatic Music

Classical music is the music played by a large number of musicians. Classical music is also termed as "music of devotion" because it contains the melody of the bhava and also describes the spiritual aspiration of the musician. The variety of music that is played by Carnatic classical musicians, or people who are trained in the Carnatic style of music, is vast. From vocal music to instrumental music, from melodic recitations to high level composition and performances, a musician can enjoy all of these, and also participate in other forms of expression like dance and drama. Carnatic music is the musical tradition of South India. It is a music genre, which is mainly originated in the schools and colleges of Chennai.

 

Origin

Carnatic Classical Music is an ancient style of music. It was originated from the late 16th century in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In other Indian languages it is called Devotional Music. It is still continued by the eminent composers of India. In Tamil, it is referred to as Bharatanatyam. The term Carnatic originally refers to an area where the ancient river, the Cauvery (Kovai) joined the Papanasam or Karumaiyar (in Tamil Nadu). The whole area encompassing the rivers Cauvery, Kumari and Papanasam has been named “Carnatic”. Carnatic Classical Music: Music And Drama Carnatic Classical Music is composed in the concert hall. Classical compositions are structured in a form called the “Gayaki”, which is not the same as the Kathakali of Kerala. A “Gayaki” is a verse that is sung.

Style and History

The word "Carnatic" is derived from the Sanskrit words, "Carnatica", meaning "temple music" and "Sa" which means "the" or "whole". The term is a synthesis of the Sanskrit words, "carnatica", meaning "temple music" and "varnā", which means "in the world". About about 30 to 35% of Carnatic Music is rendered in the Sanskrit form. However, the Carnatic Music remains in the Sanskrit language only. Sanskrit language has remained the lingua franca of the Hindu culture of South India for millennia. The compositions composed in Sanskrit are often named in the Sanskrit language for clarity. Hence, if you have ever been to a Carnatic music concert and asked, "Who was the composer?", the answer would be the person singing, based on his/her Sanskrit composition.

 

Instruments used in Carnatic Music

Carnatic Music is performed on various classical Indian musical instruments. Please visit the list of classical Indian musical instruments for complete details about the instruments. Vibhaegara The vighnaegara is a drum used in Carnatic music. It is not an outstandingly strong or loud instrument but can be heard very easily. Vidyaar The vidyaar is an air membrane placed on the top of the vighnaegara drum. The membrane vibrates when any instrument is played on it. Rai vidyaar The Rai vidyaar is an air membrane placed on the bottom of the vighnaegara drum. It vibrates when a ragam is played on it. Syamalini Syamalini is a flat box, made up of seven thin pillars, inlayed with ornaments, which can be seen before the vaidyaar in any Carnatic music concert.

Conclusion

In this article, we have covered a brief introduction about Carnatic Classical Music. This is an important knowledge that you will be able to benefit from at all times. Some of the links will redirect you to the full detailed article.