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Carnatic music and Tamil Isai: composers, institutions and instruments
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The Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri, were all born at Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Isai Moovar (the three pioneers of Tamil music), Muthu Thandavar, Arunachala Kavirayar and Marimutha Pillai, composed in Tamil, and Chennai's December Madras Music Season is one of the largest music festivals in the world. This page keeps the names, places and instruments that exams ask about in one place.
The Carnatic Trinity
| Composer | Dates | Signature and works |
|---|---|---|
| Tyagaraja | 1767 to 1847 | Devotion to Rama, in Telugu; the five Pancharatna Kritis; lived at Thiruvaiyaru, where the Tyagaraja Aradhana is held every January |
| Muthuswami Dikshitar | 1775 to 1835 | Signature "Guruguha"; Sanskrit compositions, including those on the Tiruvarur and Chidambaram deities |
| Syama Sastri | 1762 to 1827 | Signature "Syama Krishna"; devotion to Goddess Kamakshi |
All three were contemporaries and are associated with Tiruvarur and the Thanjavur region. Tiruvarur's Thyagaraja Swamy Temple appears on the important temples of Tamil Nadu list.
Tamil Isai Moovar
The Tamil Isai Moovar are Muthu Thandavar, Arunachala Kavirayar and Marimutha Pillai, who composed devotional pieces in Tamil between roughly the 16th and 18th centuries. Arunachala Kavirayar is best known for the Rama Nataka Keerthanai. They helped to establish a Tamil repertoire in a concert tradition dominated by Telugu and Sanskrit songs.
The Tamil Isai movement of the 1940s urged musicians to sing more Tamil songs in concerts. The Tamil Isai Sangam in Chennai was founded in 1943 under the leadership of Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar, the founder of Annamalai University.
Institutions and the music season
- Madras Music Academy was founded in 1928 and holds an annual conference and concerts in the Tamil month of Margazhi (December to January). Prizes such as the Sangita Kalanidhi are given at that conference.
- Margazhi season. Hundreds of concerts and dance performances take place across Chennai from mid-December to early January. In 2017, Chennai joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Music.
- Kalakshetra in Adyar, founded in 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale, teaches music as well as dance. See classical and folk dances of Tamil Nadu.
- Festivals. The season sits alongside the Margazhi religious observances in festivals of Tamil Nadu.
Traditional instruments
| Instrument | Type | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Nadaswaram | Wind, a long double-reed pipe | Played in temples and weddings; T. N. Rajarathinam Pillai is a celebrated name |
| Thavil | Barrel drum | Paired with the nadaswaram |
| Parai | Frame drum | Ancient Tamil drum used in festivals and rituals |
| Mridangam (Mathalam) | Double-headed drum | Main percussion in Carnatic concerts |
| Veena | Plucked string | Saraswati veena of South India |
| Yazh | Ancient stringed instrument | Referred to in Sangam poetry; many forms (such as the Periyazh) described |
| Urumi | Drum | Used in village festivals |
| Thappu | Frame drum | Used for Thappattam |
M. S. Subbulakshmi
M. S. Subbulakshmi (1916 to 2004), born in Madurai, was the first musician to receive the Bharat Ratna (1998). She also sang at the United Nations General Assembly in 1966. Her recordings of Venkatesa Suprabhatam are known across India. She appears with the other Bharat Ratna recipients on Tamil Nadu firsts.
Frequently asked questions
Where were the Carnatic Trinity born?
All three, Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri, were born at Tiruvarur.
Who are the Tamil Isai Moovar?
Muthu Thandavar, Arunachala Kavirayar and Marimutha Pillai.
When was the Madras Music Academy founded?
In 1928.
Which instrument is paired with the nadaswaram?
The thavil.
Where does this fit in the TNPSC syllabus?
As part of Tamil Nadu's cultural heritage in the TNPSC Tamil Nadu history and culture unit.
Official sources
- Sangeet Natak Akademi: documentation of Carnatic music and awards.
- The Music Academy, Madras: season programmes and Sangita Kalanidhi list.
- UNESCO Creative Cities Network: list of cities including Chennai.
Birth and death dates of composers differ slightly across sources, so use the textbook version for exams.
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