Composers
Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Shyama Shastri. These three composers are collectively known by this name.
Who are The Carnatic Trinity?
The two major traditions of Indian classical music today are named for these two regions of the Indian subcontinent.
What are Carnatic and Hindustani?
This type of composition traditionally appears toward the end of a concert/recital and is known for its lively rhythm and fast-paced movements.
What is a thillana?
This instrument provides the continuous drone heard underneath many Carnatic and Hindustani performances.
What is the tanpura/tambura?
This young Carnatic vocalist won Airtel Super Singer Junior 4 at just nine years old and later trained under the renowned Ranjani-Gayatri duo.
Who is Spoorthi Rao?
This composer is traditionally credited with creating the basic Carnatic music exercises (sarali varisai, janta varisai, and alankaram) that beginners still learn today.
Who is Purandara Dasa?
For centuries, Indian classical music was primarily passed from teacher to student through this tradition rather than through written notation or standardized textbooks.
What is Guru-shishya parampara?
This devotional genre, originating in Maharashtra, became part of the concert repertoire of several Carnatic musicians and is particularly associated with devotional poetry dedicated to Vithoba.
What is an Abhang?
This instrument is essentially a metal frame with a vibrating tongue that the player holds against their mouth and plucks. It is commonly heard alongside the mridangam in Carnatic percussion.
What is the morsing?
This Carnatic vocalist is one of the most celebrated Indian musicians of the 20th century and became the first musician to receive the Bharat Ratna.
Who is M. S. Subbulakshmi?
This poet wrote about Krishna, Shakti, freedom, women's empowerment, and the future of India. More than a century later, his words are still being sung on Carnatic stages and performed by classical dancers.
Who is Subramania Bharati (Bharathiyar)?
A student of Hindustani music might tell you they belong to the Gwalior, Jaipur-Atrauli, Kirana, or Patiala tradition. What is the term for these musical lineages?
What are Gharanas?
This famous Swati Tirunal composition describes Vishnu reclining on the serpent Adishesha. The lyrics reference the deity being worshipped through three different entrances, each revealing a different part of his body. Name the composition.
What is Bhogindra Shayinam?
You almost never want to hear this instrument without its partner: together, they form the iconic musical sound of South Indian temple processions and weddings. Name the percussion instrument that accompanies the nadaswaram.
What is the thavil?
This legendary sitar player helped introduce Indian classical music to Western audiences and famously collaborated with Western musicians.
Who is Ravi Shankar?
This Carnatic composer wrote hundreds of devotional compositions and also composed music for numerous Tamil films during the early days of Indian cinema.
Who is Papanasam Sivan?
The ancient Sanskrit text traditionally associated with the foundations of Indian performing arts, including music, dance, and drama.
What is the Natya Shastra?
Muthuswami Dikshitar composed a set of nine kritis, each dedicated to one of the celestial bodies in traditional Indian astrology.
What are the Navagraha Kritis?
This Hindustani string instrument evolved from the Afghan rabab and is distinguished by its smooth, fretless metal fingerboard. Unlike a sitar, the absence of frets allows the performer to create long, continuous slides between notes, known as meend.
What is the sarod?
This legendary violinist was known for his flamboyant stage presence, including his trademark large tilak and traditional attire. Unlike many classical musicians of his generation, he deliberately brought Carnatic music into more popular settings and became a household name in Tamil Nadu.
Who is Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan?
This Hindustani musician and composer is traditionally considered one of the greatest musicians in Indian history and served in the court of Akbar.
Who is Tansen?
This 13th-century musicological text is significant because it predates the full separation of the Carnatic and Hindustani traditions and influenced both.
What is the Sangita Ratnakara?
This set of five kritis by Muthuswami Dikshitar pays tribute to five Shiva temples, each representing one of the five elements of nature. Name this collection of compositions.
What are the Pancha Bhoota Kritis?
The Natya Shastra divides Indian musical instruments into four broad categories based on how sound is produced. What are these four categories?
What are Tat (string), Sushira (wind), Avanaddha (membranophone/percussion), and Ghana (solid/idiophone)?
This legendary Kathak dancer belonged to the Lucknow gharana and was the face of Kathak for generations. He also choreographed for major Indian films, including Devdas and Bajirao Mastani.
Who is Pandit Birju Maharaj?