Carnatic music evolved from ancient Hindu traditions and represents the classical music style from southern India. In contrast to northern styles, Karnatak music is more thoroughly oriented to the voice. Even when instruments are used alone or as solo instruments, they are played somewhat in imitation of singing, generally within a vocal range, and with embellishments that are characteristic of vocal music. There are no exclusively no instrumental compositions. Raga assumes or inherits the basic frame and personality from the more popular ‘kritis’ that they represent. A carnatic-insider will understand if it is said, that raga Saramati inherits its attributes and melodic flavour from the Kriti [composed song] Mokshamu galada.
The basic principles of raga (melody type, or framework for improvisation) and tala (cyclical rhythmic pattern) merits a separate introduction , and is mastered through a comprehensive repertoire of ragas and talas. Karnatak music, with its more homogeneous Indian tradition, has evolved far more orderly with uniformly understood and practised systems for the classification of ragas and talas. Although improvisation plays a major role in Karnatak music, the repertory also consists of a vast number of composed pieces, particularly the kriti or kirtana, complex devotional songs by composers from the 16th through the 20th centuries, particularly the “trinity” of great composers of the early 19th century: Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Syama Sastri. Modern and contemporary composers are continuing to influence the ‘shape of things’ too.
To many listeners, the music of the south has a restrained and intellectual character as compared with the music of the more secular Hindustani traditions. The chief centres for present-day Karnatak music include Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala states. One may call Chennai as the capital of this form of music.
Since the late 12th and early 13th centuries, as a result of the Islamic conquest that was more impactful in the north of the sub-continent, another sub-genre of ICM, the Hindustani music was born
Indian Music had its origin in the "Vedas" (4000 B.C - 1000 B.C ). Four in number, the Vedas are considered the most sacred texts which contain about a thousand hymns. All the four Vedas were passed down by oral tradition and it is remarkable that both the text and the rituals remain unchanged to this day. The 4th and the newest, Sama veda laid the foundation for Indian Music. The origin of Indian classical music can be traced back to this Veda.
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