HISTORY OF CARNATIC MUSIC
The history of Carnatic music can be studied based on three major periods of development, namely, Ancient, Medieval and Modern. Let's now look into the finer details of each.
THE ANCIENT PERIOD (Vedic period - 4th Century AD)
This was the vital period in the history of Indian music. During this period there is no mention of the term, Carnatic music, in any of the sources, but there is sufficient reason to believe that this period was crucial to the original development of Carnatic music. Some important references are cited here:
Vedas:
Of the four Vedas, Rig Veda (hymns) was first recited in a monotone known as archika, which later developed into the two toned chant (gatika). This was subsequently replaced by a three-toned chant, samika, which had a main tone and two accents, one higher and one lower. Sama Veda is considered as the main source for the development of Indian music and the first full scale with seven notes in the descending order are seen in the rendering, even to this day. The melody is close to the scale of the raga, Kharaharapriya (22nd Melakarta) or Natakapriya (10th Melakarta).
Several references to music of musical instruments are seen in the Vedas.
One of the earliest references to musical theory is found in the Rik Pratisakya (around 400BC), which mentions the origin of seven notes from the three notes.
Upanishads (the concluding part of Vedas), containing the essence of Vedas (100 BC - 300 BC), mention the musical notes and gives other musical references. Musical instruments like the Vina and Dundubhi are mentioned in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.
The two great epics, Ramayana (circa 40 BC) and Mahabharata, also have several musical references.
There is also a mention of Gandharvas [(demi-gods) (600 - 500 BC)], who were exceptionally versatile in music. Bharata in his Natyasastra, also acknowledges saying that music belonged to the Gandharvas.
Bharata's Natyasastra (The 2nd - 4th century AD)
This is the earliest treatise to extensively elaborate on the science of music and dance. Music is dealt only partly in this treatise. Yet, various aspects like the ancient melodies (Jaatis) which are the archetypes of Ragas, their characteristic features, structure and the classification of the ancient instruments have been made in this work. The notes (swaras), their varieties, combination (varnas) and other such aspects are also elaborately described.
Bharata has given the fundamentals of music as comprising Swara, Tala and Pada. The music till Bharata’s period was known as Marga (literally meaning way).
In the ancient period, the native Dravidians of the south had their own style, which is generally called Tamil music, owing to the native regional language of the area. The Sangam literature till 3rd AD, in particular, has many references to this style. Works like Silappadikaram of Ilango Adigal, and its commentaries, describe the logical derivations of the important scales through the modal shift of tonic. The Tamil names of these notes have also been mentioned. Other works like Tolkappiam, Pattupattu, etc. also give musical references. Some of these descriptions and references correspond to contemporary Carnatic music concepts.
MEDIEVAL PERIOD (5th - 16th Century AD)
During this period, many important musical concepts evolved in clear terms and in this period, more care was taken to put into record, some of the important musical developments by several music scholars, to enable us to have proper historical links. Several musical composers and luminaries have also lived during this period.
The work of Matanga (6th - 7th Century A.D.), Brihaddesi, is the first to mention the word, Raga. This text also gives the names of the then popular Ragas, with their suitable structures, and a basic classification system. The other notable feature during that period was the gradual development of the art of music as an independent form, breaking away from being overly dependent on forms of dance and drama.
The Kudimiyanmalai inscriptions in a cave, near Pudukottai (Tamilnadu), has an array of musical diction (notation) of South Indian music in the 7th century AD. The Tevarams (6th - 9th century AD), songs in praise of Lord Siva, used more than 20 scales with Tamil names, which were equivalent to the present system of Carnatic music. Many of these Tevarams are still rendered as musical pieces in concerts. This corpus, along with the Divya Prabandham (compositions of the Vaishnavite Azhwars, 6th - 8th century AD), have been a significant contribution of the Tamil speaking region to Carnatic music.
The Tiruppugazh of Arunagirinathar, who lived around the 15th century, is another inspiring Tamil work which significantly affected Carnatic music. This has complex rhythmic meters, which remain unique and unsurpassed in their grandeur.
The Gita Govinda of Jayadeva (12th century) is a monumental work of the medieval period in Sanskrit, consisting of 24 songs, each set to a particular Raga. The rhythmic meter is determined by the meter of the verse. These were, probably, the earliest examples close to the regular musical compositions and are called Ashtapadis (ashta meaning eight and padi meaning foot). These are popular throughout India even today, though the original tunes are lost. Contemporary musicians from both the Carnatic and Hindustani traditions have set these songs to music independently.
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| Carnatic torchbearersThe Trinity as painted by musician-scholar S. Rajam. |
THE ANCIENT PERIOD (Vedic period - 4th Century AD)
This was the vital period in the history of Indian music. During this period there is no mention of the term, Carnatic music, in any of the sources, but there is sufficient reason to believe that this period was crucial to the original development of Carnatic music. Some important references are cited here:
Vedas:
Of the four Vedas, Rig Veda (hymns) was first recited in a monotone known as archika, which later developed into the two toned chant (gatika). This was subsequently replaced by a three-toned chant, samika, which had a main tone and two accents, one higher and one lower. Sama Veda is considered as the main source for the development of Indian music and the first full scale with seven notes in the descending order are seen in the rendering, even to this day. The melody is close to the scale of the raga, Kharaharapriya (22nd Melakarta) or Natakapriya (10th Melakarta).
Several references to music of musical instruments are seen in the Vedas.
One of the earliest references to musical theory is found in the Rik Pratisakya (around 400BC), which mentions the origin of seven notes from the three notes.
Upanishads (the concluding part of Vedas), containing the essence of Vedas (100 BC - 300 BC), mention the musical notes and gives other musical references. Musical instruments like the Vina and Dundubhi are mentioned in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.
The two great epics, Ramayana (circa 40 BC) and Mahabharata, also have several musical references.
There is also a mention of Gandharvas [(demi-gods) (600 - 500 BC)], who were exceptionally versatile in music. Bharata in his Natyasastra, also acknowledges saying that music belonged to the Gandharvas.
Bharata's Natyasastra (The 2nd - 4th century AD)
This is the earliest treatise to extensively elaborate on the science of music and dance. Music is dealt only partly in this treatise. Yet, various aspects like the ancient melodies (Jaatis) which are the archetypes of Ragas, their characteristic features, structure and the classification of the ancient instruments have been made in this work. The notes (swaras), their varieties, combination (varnas) and other such aspects are also elaborately described.
Bharata has given the fundamentals of music as comprising Swara, Tala and Pada. The music till Bharata’s period was known as Marga (literally meaning way).
In the ancient period, the native Dravidians of the south had their own style, which is generally called Tamil music, owing to the native regional language of the area. The Sangam literature till 3rd AD, in particular, has many references to this style. Works like Silappadikaram of Ilango Adigal, and its commentaries, describe the logical derivations of the important scales through the modal shift of tonic. The Tamil names of these notes have also been mentioned. Other works like Tolkappiam, Pattupattu, etc. also give musical references. Some of these descriptions and references correspond to contemporary Carnatic music concepts.
MEDIEVAL PERIOD (5th - 16th Century AD)
During this period, many important musical concepts evolved in clear terms and in this period, more care was taken to put into record, some of the important musical developments by several music scholars, to enable us to have proper historical links. Several musical composers and luminaries have also lived during this period.
The work of Matanga (6th - 7th Century A.D.), Brihaddesi, is the first to mention the word, Raga. This text also gives the names of the then popular Ragas, with their suitable structures, and a basic classification system. The other notable feature during that period was the gradual development of the art of music as an independent form, breaking away from being overly dependent on forms of dance and drama.
The Kudimiyanmalai inscriptions in a cave, near Pudukottai (Tamilnadu), has an array of musical diction (notation) of South Indian music in the 7th century AD. The Tevarams (6th - 9th century AD), songs in praise of Lord Siva, used more than 20 scales with Tamil names, which were equivalent to the present system of Carnatic music. Many of these Tevarams are still rendered as musical pieces in concerts. This corpus, along with the Divya Prabandham (compositions of the Vaishnavite Azhwars, 6th - 8th century AD), have been a significant contribution of the Tamil speaking region to Carnatic music.
The Tiruppugazh of Arunagirinathar, who lived around the 15th century, is another inspiring Tamil work which significantly affected Carnatic music. This has complex rhythmic meters, which remain unique and unsurpassed in their grandeur.
The Gita Govinda of Jayadeva (12th century) is a monumental work of the medieval period in Sanskrit, consisting of 24 songs, each set to a particular Raga. The rhythmic meter is determined by the meter of the verse. These were, probably, the earliest examples close to the regular musical compositions and are called Ashtapadis (ashta meaning eight and padi meaning foot). These are popular throughout India even today, though the original tunes are lost. Contemporary musicians from both the Carnatic and Hindustani traditions have set these songs to music independently.
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