Tanarupi

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Tanarupi
Arohanam S R₁ G₁ M₁ P D₃ N₃ 
Avarohanam  N₃ D₃ P M₁ G₁ R₁ S

Tanarupi (pronounced tānarūpi, meaning the one that embodies tanam ) is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 6th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Tanukeerti in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music. [1] [2]

Tanam or Taanam is one of the methods of raga improvisation (manodharma) in Carnatic Classical Music tradition, suited mainly for vocal music, Violin and Veena.

Carnatic music music genre originating in southern India

Carnatic music, Karnāṭaka saṃgīta, or Karnāṭaka saṅgītam, is a system of music commonly associated with southern India, including the modern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, as well as Sri Lanka. It is one of two main subgenres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Hindu traditions, the other subgenre being Hindustani music, which emerged as a distinct form because of Persian or Islamic influences from Northern India. The main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music; most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in gāyaki (singing) style.

Melakarta set of 72 sampurna ragas in Carnatic music

Mēḷakarta is a collection of fundamental musical scales (ragas) in Carnatic music. Mēḷakarta ragas are parent ragas from which other ragas may be generated. A melakarta raga is sometimes referred as mela, karta or sampurna as well, though the latter term is inaccurate, as a sampurna raga need not be a melakarta.

Contents

Structure and Lakshana

Tanarupi scale with shadjam at C Tanaroopi scale.svg
Tanarupi scale with shadjam at C

It is the 6th rāgam in the 1st chakra Indu. The mnemonic name is Indu-Sha. The mnemonic phrase is sa ra ga ma pa dhu nu. [1] Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

Arohana, Arohanam or Aroha, in the context of Indian classical music, is the ascending scale of notes in a raga. The pitch increases as we go up from Shadja (Sa) to the Taar Shadja (Sa), possibly in a crooked (vakra) manner.

An Avarohana, Avarohanam or Avaroha, in the context of Indian classical music, is the descending scale of any raga. The notes descend in pitch from the upper tonic down to the lower tonic, possibly in a crooked (vakra) manner.

The notes used in this scale are shuddha rishabham, shuddha gandharam, shuddha madhyamam, shatsruthi dhaivatham and kakali nishadham. As it is a melakarta rāgam, by definition it is a sampoorna rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the shuddha madhyamam equivalent of Raghupriya , which is the 42nd melakarta rāgam.

Raghupriya 42nd raga in the Melakarta

Raghupriya is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is the 42nd melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Ravikriya in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.

Asampurna Melakarta

Tanukeerti is the 6th Melakarta in the original list compiled by Venkatamakhin. The notes used in the scale are the same, but the ascending scale and descending scale are different. It is an audava-vakra sampurna raga (5 notes in ascending scale, while full 7 are used in descending scale in a zig-zag manner). [3]

Venkatamakhin or Venkatamakhi, was an Indian poet, musician, and musicologist of Carnatic music. He is renowned for his Chaturdandiprakashika in which he explicates the melakarta system of classifying ragas. Venkatamakhin composed geethams and prabandhas, as well as 24 ashtapadis in praise of Lord Thyagaraja of Tiruvarur.

Janya rāgams

Tanarupi has no janya rāgams (derived scales) associated with it. See List of janya rāgams for a full list of janya rāgams.

Compositions

Here are a few common compositions sung in concerts, set to Tanarupi.

The following composition is set to Tanukeerti.

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.

Tanarupi's notes when shifted using Graha bhedam , yields no other melakarta rāgam. Graha bhedam is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rāgam.

Notes

  1. Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani: S  R M P  N 
    • Western: C C# D F G A# B C
  2. Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani:  N  P M R  S
    • Western: C B A# G F D C# C
  3. Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani: S  M P N 
    • Western: C C# F G B C
  4. Alternate notations:
    • Hindustani:  N  N P M R  S
    • Western: C B A# B G F D C# C

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References

  1. 1 2 Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications
  2. Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras
  3. Shree Muthuswami Dikshitar Keerthanaigal, by A Sundaram Iyer, Music Book Publishers, Mylapore, Chennai