Music examples – external sources
Video | Tyagaraja’s ekaika raga kritis – lecture recital by Dr R S Jayalakshmi (vina)
Vina: Dr R S Jayalakshmi & Charulatha Chandrasekar Mridangam: Kalaimamani Sri TR Sundaresan >> Live lecture-recital at Arkay Convention Center (Chennai) on 17 October 2025 organized by Madhuradhwani *Ekaika kriti raga refers to a “single song raga” though additional songs or kritis may, of course, have been added later on. In 1996 senior musicologist and … Read more
Birdsong in Indian music: “A rich tapestry that intertwines music, poetry and nature”
Read “How images of birds enliven Indian classical music” by Chitra Srikrishna (Scroll, 2 February 2025) along with images and YouTube contents:https://scroll.in/article/1077488/how-images-of-birds-enliven-indian-classical-music Bhakti poet Andal, Marathi mystic Dhyaneshwar and Tamil poet Subramania Bharati have all used birds as rich metaphorical devices. Both the Carnatic and Hindustani classical traditions are filled with the songs of birds. … Read more
Flow | Mela practice
raagam: mAyAmALavagauLaAa: S R1 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S | Av: S N3 D1 P M1 G3 R1 S raagam: shankaraabharaNam Aa: S R2 G3 M1 P D2 N3 S | Av: S N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S raagam: kalyANiAa: S R2 G3 M2 P D2 N3 S | Av: S N3 D2 … Read more
Flow | The right tempo or “kalapramanam”
If there is a single feature of Carnatic music to account for its mesmerizing effect on listeners it may well be a feature known as kalapramanam: practicing rhythm (laya)1 and performing in the the “right tempo”2 (kālapramānam) which, once chosen, remains even (until the piece is concluded). Adopting it as part of regular practice enables … Read more
On the tanpura / tambura – Martin Spaink
Martin Spaink (1961-2020) earned a name for himself as a leading tanpura expert. Read more on the finer points of tanpura playing, stringing, tuning, maintenance, restoration and playing techniques. | Read his article on fine-tuning of a tanpura | Backup PDF (100 KB) >>
Flow | Janya practice 5 notes – raga Valaji
The above exercise is inspired by the eminent violin duo Lalgudi G.J.R. Krishnan & Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi rendering a varnam by their late father Lalgudi Shri. G Jayaraman: raagam: valaci (valaji), 16 cakravAkam janyaAa: S G3 P D2 N2 S | Av: S N2 D2 P G3 S
“Cosmic Order, Cosmic Play: An Indian Approach to Rhythmic Diversity”
Music by Kalaimamani TR SundaresanConcept by Ludwig PeschInspired by a conversation on the subject of ‘korvai’ with the late Sangita Vidwan S. Rajam Originally published in 2001 by KIT Publishers in Rhythm, A Dance in Time by Elisabeth den Otter (ed.) in conjunction with the exhibition titled “Ritme, dans van de tijd” at the Tropenmuseum … Read more
Flow | Janya practice 5 & 6 notes – raga Vasanta
raagam: vasantA 17 sUryakAntam janyaAa: S M1 G3 M1 D2 N3 S | Av: S N3 D2 M1 G3 R1 S Having but 6 notes (instead of 7), this type of raga pattern is traditionally classified as being “derived” (janya) from a melakarta raga. Text books refer to any raga limited to 6 notes as … Read more
Open access version (text and audio files): The goddess Māriyammaṉ in music and in sociology of religion
The Goddess Mariyamman in Music and in Sociology of Religion by Pia Srinivasan Buonomo & S. A. Srinivasan >> Listen to the four recordings here; and download the audio and text files onhttps://archive.org/details/mariyamman-in-music >>