Highlights
1) Carnatic music is a form of classical music that originated in the south Indian states of Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. It is more popular in these regions than in north India, which is characterized by Hindustani classical music.
2) Carnatic music pays more importance to the literary part of singing, giving more importance to the song as a whole during performance. Classical music, on the other hand, gives more importance to the raga part of music.
3) Carnatic music has its own way of delineating raga, which includes alapana in the beginning, followed by the rendering of Pallavi, Niraval accompanied by Kalpita Svaras, and manodharma (creativity) where the musician explores the raga. Some well-known composers in the Carnatic style include Tyagaraja, Syama Sastri, Muthuswamy Diskshitar, and others.
Introduction
Carnatic and Classical are two forms of music in India that have different styles and characteristics. Carnatic music is popular in the southern Indian states, while classical music, also known as Hindustani classical, is more prevalent in the north.
Differences in Style
Carnatic music focuses more on the literary aspect of singing, giving importance to the song as a whole during performance. Classical music, on the other hand, emphasizes the raga part of the music.
Composition Structure in Carnatic Music
A song composed in the carnatic style consists of a Pallavi, Anupallavi, and one or two or more Charanams. Each part of the song is given importance while singing in the Carnatic style. This is not the case in classical music, where more emphasis is placed on the raga.
Raga Delineation in Carnatic Music
Carnatic music has its own way of delineating raga, starting with alapana, which involves elaborating on the particular raga in which the Kriti is composed. This is followed by the rendering of Pallavi, Niraval accompanied by Kalpita Svaras. Manodharma sangitam, the creativity part of Carnatic music, forms the backbone of this style.
Composers in Carnatic Music
Prominent composers in the Carnatic style include Tyagaraja, Syama Sastri, Muthuswamy Diskshitar, Swati Tirunal, Gopalakrishna Bharati, Papanasam Sivan, and others. These composers excelled in both writing and singing their compositions.
