Categorizing the musical form
A musical composition presents concrete picture of a raga. The jurisdiction of a composer is essentially sangita kavitvam and not sahitya kavitvam. When the composer happens to be also a poet as in the case of Tyagaraja, we have the happy coincidence of beautiful music coupled with high-flown poetry. Words are used in poetry for their sense. In musical compositions, they are used for both their sense and sound. The claim of a musical composition to permanence lies primarily in its musical setting. In every musical composition, the syllables of the sahitya should beautifully blend with the dhatu.
The lakshana of a musical form can be studied under the following heads :--
1.Whether the form belongs to the sphere of abhyasa gana (vocalises, studies) or sabha gana (concert pieces).
2.Whether it is a rhythmical form or a non-rhythmical form. Non-rhythmical forms are forms like churnika and dandaka and which are not set to any specific tala.
3.Whether it belongs to the sphere of pure music or applied music.
Kritis and Ragamalikas belong to the former class, whereas Divyanama kirtanas belong to the latter class.
4.Whether it is a Gita prabandha (vocal form), Vadya prabandha (instrumental form), or Nritya prabandba (dance form).
Kirtanas are vocal forms. Mukha gitas are instrumental forms. Pada varnas are dance forms.
5. Whether it is a lakshana prabandha or lakshya prabandha.
A lakshana prabandha is a musical composition, wherein the sahitya tells in so many words, the lakshana of a raga or elucidates a musical law, fact or phenomenon. Lakshana gita is an example. The Murchchanakaraka melaragamalika wherein the scales derived from the 72 melas by the process of model shift of tonic are enumerated, is another example.
Sutra gitas give in a mnemonical and epitomised form. The results of musical laws facts and phenomena pertaining to musicology. There are the Sutra gitas relating to the structure of the ashta(8) ganas, and ragas derived through grahabeda in Mohana and Sankarabharana Ragas.
Lakshya prabandhas are all composition which are of only musical interest and wherein the sahitya serves only as a vehicle to sing the music.
6. Whether a suddha prabandha or a misra prabandha.
Gitas, Kritis and Ragamalikas are suddha prabandhas. Tillana , daru is a misra prabandha since it contains in it the elements of both the forms Tillana and Daru.
7. Whether the form is sung in a particular type of concert or otherwise.
Saki, Dindi and Gvi are sung in Katha Kalakshepam and Padavarna in dance concerts. But padas can be heard in concerts of music and dance.
8.Languages figuring in the sahitya of the form.
The sahityas of Kritis are seen in Telugu, Sanskrit and Tamil. Ashtapadis exist only in Sanskrit.
9.Whether the form has to be in certain kinds or types of ragas.
Padas have to be in rakti ragas. Darus in operas have to be in ragas capable of creating one of the intended rasas. But kritis can be in any raga. They can be in ragas which evoke only gana rasa.
10.The talas in which the form is found.
Gitas are found in Dhruva tala, Dhruva rupaka tala, Matya tala, Rupaka tala and Triputa tala. The bulk of the tana varnas is found in Adi tala, Jhampa tala, Khanda jati Triputa tala, Chaturasra jati Ata tala and Khanda jati Ata talas. Other musical forms are found in Adi, Rupaka, Jhampa, Triputa, Eka and Chapu talas.
11.Whether the form has to be in a specific tempo.
Padas have to be in slow time and tana varnas in medium tempo; kritis may be in slow, medium or fast tempo.
12.Whether the form admits of a matu (sahitya) or is sung merely as a solfeggio.
The jatiswaram or Swara pallavi has no sahitya and is merely sung to solfa syllables.
13.Its constituent angas, inclusive of essential and non-essential angas.
14.Its gana krama i.e., the order in which the several sections have to be sung.
15. Rules if any, relating to the graha of the piece and the graha of its component angas.
Gitas have to be in sama graha; but in a kriti, the eduppus of the pallavi, anupallavi and charana may be identical or different.
16.The niyama concerning the theme of the sahitya i.e. whether it should be sacred, secular or didactic. Sahityas of kritis may be on a sacred, secular or didactic theme. But the sahitya of a Divyanama kirtana should be on a sacred theme
17.Whether the musical structure of the form admits of apt themes for developing niraval and kalpana swaras.
Kritis contain themes fit for niraval and kalpana svaras, but not forms like gita, pada and tillana.
18.Whether the form has a number of examples or only a few.
There are thousands of kritis and kirtanas, but there are only a few ragamilikas.
19.The value of the form as an authoritative lakshya. Forms like the kriti, tana varna, sanchari gita and lakshana gita can be quoted as authoritative lakshyas in support of the admissibility of a particular prayoga in a raga.
20.In musical forms with plural charanas, whether all the charanas have necessarily to be sung or some of them can be optionally sung.
In swarajatis, ragamalikas, kritis with charanas of different dhatus and Tyagaraja’s ghana raga pancharatnas, all the charanas have to be sung. In divyanama kirtanas, all the charanas have to be sung because of their sacred value.
In Kritis with charanas of identical dhatu, the first charana or the mudra charana may
be sung.
21. Whether the form has a high entertainment value ; or has a mere academic value.
Kritis of classical composers have a high entertainment value; lakshana gitas have only an academic value.
22. Any significance attached to the name of the form.
The name tillana is made up of the rhythmical solfa syllables ti -la na. Raga tala malika implies that it is a ragamalika and tala malika fused together.
Study of Individual Compositions
Individual compositions under each form can be critically studied under the following heads :--
1. The raga, tala, marga and tempo of the composition.
2.Its design, construction, and style.
3.The commencing notes of its pallavi, anupallavi and charana.
The commencing note of the pallavi and the commencing note of the anupallavi bear one or other of the following relationships :-
(a)They may be sama swaras (identical notes) Ex. Nadopasana—Begada).
(b)They may bear the octave relationship i.e. be an octave apart: (Ex. Janani ninnu vina—Ritigaula)
(c)They may have the samvadi relationships i.e possess shadja-panchama bhava; (Ex. Chakkani raja— Kharaharapriya).
(d)They may have the shadja-madhyama bhava ; (Ex. Mariyadagadura—Sankarabharana).
(e)They may be related as anuvadi swaras, provided the Pallavi starts on shadja or panchama.
(Ex. Swara raga sudharasa in Sankarabharana raga).
(f) The Pallavi may start on the graha swara of the raga and the anupallavi on Shadja or Panchama,
(Ex. Entanine—Mukhari raga).
What has been said above regarding the relationship between the commencing notes of the Pallavi and Anupallavi hold good with regard to the relationship between the graha swara and padagarbha swara of a Pallavi in the realm of Manodharma sangita.
4.Its constituent angas.
5.The number of avartas and padas of each section.
6.The number of sangatis in each section and the beauty and plan underlying their sequence. Also their manner of progression.
7.Whether the sangatis portray the raga bhava or the sahitya bhava. The sangatis in the latter case suggest the latent ideas enshrined in the sahitya.
The sangatis adorning the pallavis of the kritis, Mohana Rama (Mohana raga) and Marubalka kunnavemira (Sriranjani raga) are respectively examples of raga bhava sangatis and sahitya bhava sangatis.
8.Marga of the piece.
9.Themes in the composition suitable for developing niraval and kalpana swaras.
10.Places in the composition where one can suitably halt.
11.Readings and changed versions of the dhatu and matu, if any.
12.Peculiarities in the gana krama, if any.
13.Any liberties taken with grammar (of language or raga). Faulty idioms (solecisms) if any, in the sahitya.
14.The compass of the piece.
15.Gamakas figuring in the piece.
16.Whether a scholarly piece or a popular piece.
17.The entertainment value of the piece and its value as an important lakshya.
18.Circumstances if any, that occasioned the composition.
19. Whether the composition is a separate piece or belongs to a group like the pancharatna, Navaratnamalika,etc
20. If the composition is a kriti with plural charanas, the particular charana that is usually sung and the reason for the preference of this charana.
21.Technical beauties like swaraksharas, if any.
22.Rhetorical and Prosodical beauties, if any.
23.Whether it is a frequently performed piece or a rarely performed piece.
24.The tessitura of the piece.
The tessitura of Anayya’s kriti - Amba nannu brovave (Todi) is principally in the tara sthayi. The tessitura of Nadopasana (Begada) and (Balakanaka maya (Attana) are mostly confined to Madhya sthayi.
25. Peculiar usages if any in the sahitya.
(Ex. Ganga ségaram in the sahitya of Chakkaniraja—(Kharaharapriya raga).
26. Arsha (obsolete) prayogas in the dhatu if any.
For example, the phrase s d p m in Natakuranji raga occurring in the kriti, Nidimurtini.
27. Whether a mature composition or a piece composed during the early or middle period of the
composer’s life
28.Prominent musicians if any, who have specialised in the piece and brought it to limelight by their attractive and embellished rendering.
The Kriti Giripainela (Sahana raga) was rendered in a glamourous manner by Bikshandarkovil Subbarayar. So much so; that even brilliant contemporaries of his, avoided singing this kriti in their concerts. Likewise the kritj Nagumomu ganaleni (Abheri raga) was rendered in a highly jewelled manner by Sarabha Sastrigal (flutist) and Pushpavanam Ayyar (Vocalist).