Thyagaraja, also known as Thyāgayya and in full as Kakarla Thyagabrahmam, was a composer and vocalist of Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. Tyagaraja and his contemporaries, Shyama Shastri and Muthuswami Dikshitar, are regarded as the Trinity of Carnatic music. Tyagaraja composed thousands of devotional compositions, most in Telugu and in praise of Rama, many of which remain popular today, the most popular being "Nagumomu". Of special mention are five of his compositions called the Pancharatna Kritis, which are often sung in programs in his honour, and Utsava Sampradaya Krithis, which are often sung to accompany temple rituals.
Varṇam is a type of composition in the Carnatic music system that encapsulates the key features of a raga, and considered as a foundational element in the learning path. Varnams capture the essence of the ragam in terms of typical swara patterns used, vishesha prayogas, highlighting the main notes, etc. This forms the basis for creative presentation (manodharma) of the raga in the form of raga aalapana, kalpana swarams and neraval.
Gudalur Narayanaswamy Balasubramaniam, popularly known as GNB, was an Indian Carnatic singer. He innovated the art through emphasis on laya control and reducing the gamakas which eventually made Carnatic music appeal to the lay and the learned alike. He was also a Tamil film actor. Ariyakudi Iyengar inspired him.
Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, popularly known as Ariyakudi, was a Carnatic music vocalist, born in Ariyakudi, a town in the present-day Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu. Ariyakudi developed a unique style of singing which came to be known as The Ariyakudi Tradition and is followed by his students. He is credited with establishing the modern katcheri (concert) traditions in Carnatic music.
Seshadri Srinivasa Iyengar CIE, also seen as Sreenivasa Iyengar and Srinivasa Ayyangar, was an Indian lawyer, freedom-fighter and politician from the Indian National Congress. Iyengar was the Advocate-General of Madras Presidency from 1916 to 1920. He also served as a member of the bar council from 1912 to 1920, the law member of Madras Presidency from 1916 to 1920 and as the president of the madras province Swarajya Party faction of the Indian National Congress from 1923 to 1930. Srinivasa Iyengar was the son-in-law of renowned lawyer and first Indian Advocate-general of Madras, Sir Vembaukum Bhashyam Aiyangar. Iyengar's followers called him Lion of the South.
Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande was an Indian musicologist who wrote the first modern treatise on Hindustani classical music, an art which had been propagated for centuries mostly through oral traditions. During those earlier times, the art had undergone several changes, rendering the raga grammar documented in scant old outdated texts.
Patnam Subramania Iyer was a composer and singer of Carnatic music. Subramaniya Iyer followed the traditions of the great composer Tyagaraja. He has left behind almost one hundred compositions.
Koteeswara Iyer, was a pioneer composer of Indian classical music Carnatic music. He was a grandson of Kavi Kunjara Bharati(1810–1896) attributing to a strong lineage of accomplished musicians. He was born in Nandhanur to Nagarathinam iyer who was a Sivagangai Samasthana Sangeetha Vidwan. His ancestors lived initially in Tirunelveli and later in Raja Hiranya Garba Thirumalai Sethupathi's village in Perungarai (Ramanathapuram). Koteeswara Iyer studied music under Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar (1860–1919) and Patnam Subramania Iyer (1845–1902). He composed mainly in the Tamil language and used the mudraKavi Kunjara Dasan in tribute to his grandfather. While studying his BA in English Literature in Trichy, Koteeswara Iyer started performing in small Kutcheries singing Kavi Kunjara Bharathi's Skanda Puranam, Perinba Keerthanaigal. Noted devotional singers K. Somu (Somasundaram) and K. Veeramani were the grandsons of Koteeswara Iyer, and thus the great-great grandsons of Kavi Kunjara Bharathi.
The Kingdom of Mysore (1399–1950) was founded by Yaduraya in 1399 as a feudatory of the Vijayanagara Empire and became an independent kingdom in the early 17th century, after the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire. Many musicians and composers have presumably adorned the courts of the Mysore kings from Yaduraya's time, furthering the Dakshinadi school of music that had developed in earlier centuries. However, records are only available from the time of King Ranadheera Kanteerava Narasaraja Wodeyar (1638). Musical treatises surviving from this time, though, provide ample information on the music, musical instruments, the types of compositions, the raga (melodies) and the tala (rhythms) used. Though all the Mysore kings patronised music, the golden age of Carnatic music was considered to be during the reigns of Kings Krishnaraja Wodeyar III (1794–1868), Chamaraja Wodeyar IX (1862–1894), Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV (1884–1940) and Jaya Chamaraja Wodeyar (1919–1974). The reign of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV is regarded as particularly important in musical terms.
Mohanam is a rāga in Carnatic music. It is an audava rāga. It is usually described as a janya rāga of Harikamboji. However, alternate opinions suggest that Mechakalyani may be a more appropriate classification based on the lakshana of the raga.
Keeravani is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is the 21st Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. The 21st melakarta rāgam as per Muthuswami Dikshitar school of music is Kiraṇāval̥i.
Chingleput Ranganathan was a classical Carnatic vocalist and Guru.
Ramanathapuram C. S. Murugabhoopathy, popularly referred to as CSM, was one of the most distinguished Mridanga maestros of the 20th century. He was a contemporary of Palghat Mani Iyer (1912–1981) and Palani Subramania Pillai (1908–1962). The three legends are revered as the "Holy Trinity of Mridanga".
Kedaragaula is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is a janya rāgam from the 28th melakarta scale Harikambhoji, and is sometimes spelled as Kedaragowla. It is a janya scale, as it does not have all the seven swaras in the ascending scale. It is a combination of the pentatonic scale Madhyamavati and the sampurna raga scale Harikambhoji. It is a morning rāgam.
Mayavaram V. R. Govindaraja Pillai was a Carnatic violinist from Tamil Nadu, Southern India.
Professor T. R. Subramaniam, popularly known as TRS, was a vocalist in the Carnatic tradition. He was popular for infusing unconventional and populistic techniques in his renditions, especially of the pallavi, without compromising on the classicism of the rendition. Famous for his willingness to explore new avenues regardless of whether they would be accepted or not, TRS' concerts were much sought-after. He was also much loved as a teacher.
Madurai Narayanan Krishnan (1928–2005) was an Indian musician, known for his proficiency in carnatic music. He was known to have been proficient in all the three facets of music viz. vocals, lyrics and music and was considered by many as a Vaggeyakara. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in 1992 and followed it up with the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, in 2003. He was also a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, UNESCO Award and the Kalaimamani Award.
