CARNATIC CLASSICAL MUSIC

Subject : Arts & Culture

Context : For the first time in 93 years, Chennai’s iconic December music festival, which brings together the finest exponents of Carnatic classical music and dance and the cultural cognoscenti, will go completely digital.

Concept :

• Carnatic music owes its name to the Sanskrit term KarnâtakaSangîtam which denotes “traditional” or “codified” music.
• Composed of a system of Ragam (Raga) and Thalam (Tala), it has a rich history and tradition.
• Carnatic Sangeet has developed in the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. These states are known for their strong presentation of Dravidian culture.

Renaissance of Carnatic Music

• The course of the evolution of Indian music saw the emergence of two different subsystems as Hindustani and Carnatic music. Both the terms emerged for the first time in Haripala’s “SangeetaSudhakara”, written in the 14th century A.D.
• The two distinct styles, Hindustani and Carnatic came into vogue after the advent of the Muslims, particularly during the reign of the Mughal Emperors.
• Purandardas (1484-1564), a prolific poet-composer and mystic of Vijayanagar, is considered to be the father of Carnatic music (Carnatic SangeetaPitamaha).
• Venkatamakhi is regarded as the grand theorist of Carnatic music. In 17th century AD, he developed “Melakarta”, the system for classifying south Indian ragas. There are 72 Melakartas at present.
• Tyagaraja (1767-1847), his contemporaries SyamaSastri and MuttusvamiDikshitar are together known as the “Trinity” of Carnatic music.

Difference between Carnatic and Hindustani Music

• Carnatic music originated in South India whereas Hindustani music in North India.
• It is believed that the music of India was more or less uniform before the 13th century. Hindustani synthesises with Vedic, Islamic and Persian traditions. Carnatic is comparatively untouched and developed on the original lines.
• Carnatic music has homogenous and Hindustani music has a heterogeneous Indian tradition.
• Carnatic music has a restrained and intellectual character as compared with the more secular Hindustani traditions.
• The major vocal forms of Hindustani music are Dhrupad, Khayal, Tarana, Thumri, Dadra and Gazals. While Carnatic music has several varieties of improvisation such as Alapana, Niraval, Kalpnaswaram and Ragam Thana Pallavi.
• Hindustani music has various gharanas like Lucknow, Jaipur, Kirana, Agra etc., wherein Carnatic music no such gharanas found.