Carnatic Music Compositions (An Index)

Preface It has been a long felt need of the music lovers a source index of Carnatic music Compositions, from where they could find out the name of the rage, composer and tala of often heard and popular compositions. I have tried to compile an index of about 6000 compositions which are more popular and are often heard in concerts and elsewhere. The present volume is a venture in this direction.

The work though it seemed easy and within my ambit at the being ning, the task became very serious and arduous considering the non availability of sources from which I could gather the details of the song the songs of different composer. I have tried to include maximum number of the compositions of the composers.

In the Introduction I have a brief resume of prevalent musical forms in Carnatic Music. I fervently hope that this brief introduction will enable the learner to understand more about those musical forms.

I have been able to use extensively the help of my brother Dr. M. Hariharan, Principal, Sadguru Sangeetha College. Madurai in the initial stages of the preparation of the Manuscript. I also received help from Sri. M.N. Moorthy in the preparation of the Manuscript.

I thank Sri.M.Easwaran, Editor, for the computerized help he had provided in alphabetizing the entries and giving the present shape to this book. This has helped me to complete the work in the shortest time possible.

During the course of the collection of details I have been able to make use of the comprehensive anthologies, souvenirs, and various other materials in the preparation of the manuscripts. I thank all the editors, but for whose help, this book wouldn’t have been possible.

My Publisher, Smt M Girija, Proprietor of CBH Publications, gladly agreed to publish this book and brought the book in record time. I thank her for the same.

I sincerely hope that this book will be a useful one to all music lovers and student of South Indian music. I sincerely crave for their acceptance of this book as they have done in the case of all my previous publications.

At the end I sincerely look for their guidance and suggestions in making this book more useful.

Introduction Musical forms occupy a prominent place in all systems of Music, which developed into various branches ad led to the emergence of various musical forms. With its own individuality. When in the western musical system, forms developed on rhythmic and harmoni ous aspects. Indian musical forms developed purely on melodic aspect. Indian music which was highly devotional and sacred led to the emergence of many devotional musical forms. During its long history and tradition, Indian Music gradually developed into two major systems namely Hindusthani and Karnatic Music. Musical forms admit of varieties having concrete tonal structure pro jecting much musical culture of other country. In this work, while enclosing the songs in a alphabetic order, only songs or compositions prevalent on Karnatic systems is included. Hence description of only Karnatic Musical forms are dealt with.

Karnatic Music as the name suggests is the Musical system that developed in the southern regions of India which was once known as Karnataka Desa. It is the musical developed and practiced in Andhra, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Kerala. Another version of opinion that exists regarding the name is that the music which is easily audible and assessable to ear can be fiend as Karnataka Music. Karnatic Music is general adopted the good elements from the highly developed traditional puritan system of Indian Music. At the same time it developed its own style and individuality.

Musical forms prevailing in Karnatic Music admits variety and beauty. Each form had its own splendor and charm and formed the links of a measured musical chain.

Evolution of musical form can be traced back to the ancient Dhruvas and Githis, prahandhas etc. Adopting many aspects from the ancient forms the modern forms as it is today was codified Puran daradasa known as Sangita Pitamaha or Father of Karnatic Music. It was Purandaradasa who evolved a systematic and scientific method of teaching music which is followed even today. He also insisted an using Mayamalavagaula for teaching the fundamental lesson in Karnatic Music.

Bilawal (Sankarabharana) takes that place in Hindusthani music. For this he composed simple gitas intended to be practiced in single talas like rupaka, Triputa and Adi. In additional be also insist ed that before teaching Gitas, students should be made to practice vocal exercises vocal exercises in three degrees of speed-vilambita (first) Madhya (second) and Druta (third) laya.

Musical forms in general can be defined as musical compositions that come under kalpita and Mandhodharma sangeeta category. This can also grouped as Nibaddha. Any compositions that is set to music on a specific raga and tala can be termed as Musical composition. Musical compositions as whole can be com pared to the bricks which together constitute as building or any structure raging from small huts to sky scrappers. Musical forms that are already set and composed can be ground under kalpita sangita or set music. While forms or composed which are set on the pot and improvised by the singer or performer can be grouped under Manodharma sangita. Forms figuring under Manodharma sangita reveals the high talent originality and musical genius of the performer. This includes Ragalapana, tana, pallavi, Neraval kalpana svara etc. Kalpita sangita or set music is highly essential for initiating the singer into the right path of music. It includes all forms that are composed by a vaggeyakara and learned and presented by musicians on the stage. Of the two, Kalpita sangita forms are alder than Manodharma sangita. It has a tradition of more than 15 countries.

Back of The Book About of Author Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy. M.A., Ph.D. took her Doctorate on Music from University of Kerala, after having taken M.A. in Music with a first rank from same University. She has authored several books in English, Malayalam and Tamil. Karnatic Music Reader in 4 parts, Notated Editions of compositions of Tyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshitar, Pancharatnakritis of Tyagaraja, Maharaja Swathi Tirunal, Lakshana Grandhas in Music, Approach to Bharathanatyam; In Malayalam, Editions of Karnataka Sangeet Patamala in 6 parts, notated edition of compositions of Tyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshitar, Maharaja Swathi Tirunal, Purandaradasa, Syama sastri, Pancharakrities of Tyagaraja, Raga lakshanadeepika, translations of complete works of swami Tyagaraja, complete works of Maharaja Swathi Tirunal, Muthuswamy Dikshitar, in Tamil Keetana akaradi –a complete index of Carnatic Music compositions. Her audio cassettes in English Karnatic Music Learning Series in 7 parts, Pancharatnakrities of Tygaraja in 4 parts, Ragadhara – Audio Encylopaedia on Carnatic Mela and Janya Rages in 26 parts etc. She has also given video lecture on various aspects of carnatic music which are to be released shortly. All her book and cassettes have been well received. She has given several concerts all over India and is an auditioned performing artist of all India Radio, Soorya, Asianet, Doordarsan etc. She is presently Sub-Editor, State Institute for Childrens, Literature, Trivandrum.

This book contains a comprehensive alphabetical index of about 7000 popular compositions in Carnatic Music. Compositions like Kritis, Varnam, tillanas, Padas, Utsava sampradaya kritis etc. the entries have been listen and alphabetically arranged with the name of the song raga, tala and composer. The introductory of the book gives a complete details of different forms of compositions in Carnatic music concerts to immediately find out the raga, the composer etc. without difficulty. The book can be used as a ready index for identifying the composer, raga etc. the book is an important reference book for every one interested in Carnatic in Music.

Contents

1.	Introductions	1
2.	Musical Forms	3
3.	Gitam	4
4.	Jatiswaram	6
5.	Swarajathi	6
6.	Varnam	7
7.	Keertanam	12
8.	Utsavasampadaya Krits	13
9.	Divyanamakeertanas	13
10.	Tevaram	14
11.	Pada	15
12.	Ragamalika	18
13.	Javali	21
14.	Tiruppugazh	22
15.	Daru	24
16.	Kritis	26
17.	Utsavaprabandha	36
18.	Tranaga	38
19.	Ashtapadi	38
20.	Thillana	39
21.	Compositions – An Alphabetical Index	1-162