raagarasika

Episode 30: Sri. Oothukadu Ventakakavi's Compositional Style

We continue our conversation from the last episode, and discuss Sri. Oothukadu's musical mastery, highlighting his rhythmic prowess as well as poetic genius. Vidya illustrates salient aspects of his compositional style using examples drawn from his compositions, including the universally popular Alaipayudhe Kanna.

Episode 29: Featured Composer -- Sri. Oothukadu Venkatakavi

We begin the episode with an introduction to the three composers known as the Trinity of carnatic music – Sri Thyagaraja, Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar and Sri Shyama Shastry. We continue our exploration by featuring a prolific pre-trinity composer: Sri. Oothukadu Venkatasubbier, also known as Oothukadu Venkatakavi. In this episode, Vidya shares with us some his popular compositions and discussed his exemplary contributions to Carnatic music.

Episode 28: Raaga Quiz: Mukhari vs. Bhairavi

We finish the discussion on Mukhari and its allied raaga Bhairavi with a quiz. Vidya sings two alapanas, one in Raaga Mukhari and the other in Raaga Bhairavi. Can you figure out which is which? If you know the answer, write to us! We will answer the quiz the next time we publish our Rasika's Voice segment. We will recognize winners as well!

Episode 27: A Discussion on Allied Raagas -- Mukhari and Bhairavi

In the last couple of episodes we featured the Raaga Mukhari. There are a number of raagas in Carnatic music that are closely allied to Mukhari, the most prominent of them being Bhairavi. In this episode, we discuss the similarities and differences between Mukhari and Bhairavi.

Episode 26: Featured Composition -- Enthani Ne

In this episode, we feature a Tyagaraja composition: Enthani Ne in Mukhari raaga. In this composition, Tyagaraja describes Shabhari's (a character in the Hindu epic Ramayana) good fortune because she was able to meet and serve Lord Rama. We highlight the wonderful way in which the composer employs various aspects of Raaga Mukhari to effectively bring out the high emotions connected to this story.

Episode 25: Featured Raaga -- Mukhari

In this segment, we feature a raaga well known for its emotive appeal: Mukhari. As we discuss this raaga, we also cover a wide range of topics and define several terms in Carnatic music, such as: janya, shadava raaga, sampoorna raaga, and so on. We conclude the episode by talking about the fairly common misperception of Mukhari being a raaga associated with sadness and melancholy.

Episode 24: Featured Compositions of Sri. Annamacharya

We continue our discussion from the previous episode and talk about Annamacharya's compositions. Specifically, we feature two of his compositions. The first is Oka Pari in raaga Kharakarapriya, rendered by Sangeetha Kalanidhi Dr. Nedunuri Krishnamurthy. The second is the very popular Brahma Kadigina Padamu, in the raaga Mukhari.

Episode 23: Featured Composer -- Sri. Tallapaka Annamacharya

In this episode, we feature a prolific composer who was born 600 years ago: Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya. He is one of the earliest and most prolific composers in South India who composed several thousand songs in the praise of Lord Venkateshwara. We discuss his composition format and style, and also the ongoing efforts to re-popularize his compositions. We conclude the episode with a snippet from a rendering of an Annamacharya composition by Ms. Srirangam Gopalaratnam.

Episode 22: Graha Bhedam Illustration

We finish the discussion on Graha Bhedam with an illustration. Vidya discusses a graha bhedam performed by her guru Shri. Lalgudi Jayaraman in a Nattaikurinji raaga alapana to bring out the flavor of Neelambari raaga.

Episode 21: Carnatic Music Terms Defined -- Shruti Bhedam or Graha Bhedam

Continuing on the topic of "Shruti", in this episode we present the concept of Shruti Bhedam. Shruti Bhedam or Graha Bhedam is a form of improvisation in Carnatic Music where artistes transpose the raaga they are rendering to a new raaga by using a perception of a shift of their fundamental note or shadjam. Vidya illustrates this concept using the raaga Mohanam to bring out the raaga Madhyamavathy by a tonic shift.