Improvisation In Carnatic Music

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Improvisation in Carnatic Music

Raga Alapana
Raga Alapana is a form of creative music or manodharma sangeeta in Carnatic music. Its origin may be traced back to the term ‘Niravalatti’ described in the ‘Panchamarabu’, a tamil work of the 12th century. It has a very fluid flow of music as it is unmetered and is not bounded by taala. As such, it is usually rendered before a composition or before Tanam and has a very determining role in creating both a musical atmosphere as well as the mood for a particular raga. In an alapana, the artist’s knowledge and creative skills are put to test due to the fact that he has less restrictions. In a Carnatic …show more content…

This section too is initiated from the madhya sthayi shadja and also goes down to the lower octave. In some sancharas, the notes of the middle octave are also included by the performer. He sings most phrases in the vilamba kala (slow tempo), frequently combining them with those of the middle and fast tempos. He carries on by singing madhyama kala sancharas, reaches up to the tara sthayi shadja and then, makes a dashing descent to the tonic. Starting again from there, the movement of his phrases are now concentrated chiefly in the middle octave. Some artists, after having touched the higher octave Pa, make a quick return to the tonic. In the next step, sancharas in the higher octave will be explored which will be followed by Brigas i.e. phrases in fast tempo.
In the final section of the alapana i.e. the Sthayi, sancharas are sung in madhyama kala. These begin as well as end on the same musical note which is technically known as sthayi swara. Different sthayi swaras are used in order of both increasing and decreasing pitches, one after the other, starting with the middle octave shadja. In addition, fast paced characteristic phrases covering the 3 octaves are also included in this section. Eventually, the middle shadja is reached to mark the end of the

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