References to Indian classical music are made in many ancient texts, including epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Yajur-Veda, which mainly consists of sacrificial formulae, mentions the veena as an accompaniment to vocal recitations. The Sama Veda, which is believed to have laid the foundation for Indian classical music, consists of hymns from the Rigveda, set to musical tunes which would be sung using three to seven musical notes during Vedic yajnas. Ancient treatises also describe the connection of the origin of the swaras, or notes, to the sounds of animals and birds and man's effort to simulate these sounds through a keen sense of observation and perception. Like all art forms in Indian culture, Indian classical music is believed to be a divine art form which originated from the Devas and Devis ( Hindu Gods and Goddesses), and is venerated as symbolic of nāda brāhman. Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of all knowledge, music, arts and science, with her instrument, the veena. Various Carnatic music festivals are held throughout India and abroad, including the Madras Music Season, which has been considered to be one of the world's largest cultural events. The greatest concentration of Carnatic musicians is to be found in the city of Chennai.

Other typical instruments used in performances may include the ghatam, kanjira, morsing, venu flute, veena, and chitraveena. Ĭarnatic music is usually performed by a small ensemble of musicians, consisting of a principal performer (usually a vocalist), a melodic accompaniment (usually a violin), a rhythm accompaniment (usually a mridangam), and a tambura, which acts as a drone throughout the performance. Telugu language predominates in the evolution of Carnatic Music as most compositions are in Telugu or Sanskrit, with a few in Tamil. Carnatic music is also usually taught and learned through compositions. Although improvisation plays an important role, Carnatic music is mainly sung through compositions, especially the kriti (or kirtanam) – a form developed between the 14th and 20th centuries by composers such as Purandara Dasa and the Trinity of Carnatic music. The main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in gāyaki (singing) style.Īlthough there are stylistic differences, the basic elements of śruti (the relative musical pitch), swara (the musical sound of a single note), rāga (the mode or melodic formulæ), and tala (the rhythmic cycles) form the foundation of improvisation and composition in both Carnatic and Hindustani music. The other subgenre being Hindustani music, which emerged as a distinct form because of Persian or Islamic influences from Northern India. It is one of two main subgenres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Sanatana dharma sciences and traditions, particularly the Samaveda. Carnatic music, known as Karnāṭaka saṃgīta or Karnāṭaka saṅgītam in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka.

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