The term Carnatic music refers to the music of the southern states of India.
In fact most of the literature of south India was in the form of poetry that
was set to music and sung by one and all. The earliest findings of such poetry
dates back to 400 AD, which were sung by Karaikal ammaiyar. Andal, the world’s
first female poet wrote 173 Tamil songs in which she expresses her devotion
to god. The vocals of Carnatic music is accompanied with the veena; violin;
mridangam; and venu, which is a south Indian version of the flute. There are
a large number of variations in Carnatic music. Here is a list o a few of
them with a brief introduction:
• Varnam is a musical composition generally performed
at the commencement of a recital. And is divided into purvanga, which is the
first half; uttaranga, which is the second half.
• Kriti is a song composed with a particular raga
and fixed rhythmic or taal cycle. Ragam is a composition in free rhythm
• Tanam is a musical style created in rhythm meningitis
• Pallavi is a group of musical compositions with
lyrics to a single cycle of taal Swara-Kalpana is performed with a drummer
in speeds ranging from medium to fast
• Rangamalika is where the vocalist improvises throughout
and returns to the original theme in the end
