Geethams Flashcards
Sanchari Geethams, Lakshana Geethams, Ganakrama, Types of Sanchari Geethams
What is the literal meaning of “geetham”?
song
What does the word “geetham” refer to in Carnatic music
A specific kind of composition
Dhatu + Mathu = ?
Geetham
Does the tempo change while singing a geetham?
no, it is uniform tempo
Are geethams sung w/ P, AP, Charanam?
no, it is continuous
Are geethams sung w/ repitition?
no
khandika
section (of a geetham, at least)
Typically, how many khandikas do geethams have?
2-3
How do some geethams end?
by repeating a portion of the opening part
True or false:
There are geethams in ALL saptatalas & their varieties
True
When are geethams learned in the Carnatic music syllabus?
After sarali, janta, dhatu, uppersthayi, & alankaras
What are the 2 types of geethams?
Sanchari Geetham, Lakshana Geetham
Other names for Sanchari Geethams
Samanya, Sadharana
What are Sanchari Geethams usually in praise of?/
Acharyas, musical luminaries, or gods
EX: Gana vidya Durandara - Nata - Saptatala - Pydala Gurumurthy Shastry
Who/what was “Gana Vidya Durandara”, by Pydala Gurumurthy Shastry in praise of?
His guru, Sri Sonti Venkata Subbayar
What tempo is a Sanchari geetham usually set in?
medium
Do sanchari geethams have any intricate combos/hard stuff?
no
True or false:
For each swaram, there is usually a syllable in the sahityam
true
True or false:
Meaningless words/phrases are sometimes found in Sanchari Geethams
True
EX: aa yiya yiya ~ from geetham 10 (Rere srirama, Arabhi ragam)
saama gaana
melodious song
True or false:
Sometimes, famous sanskrit shlokas are introduced as sahityam for sanchari geethams
True
EX: Amari Kimari (Nata) & Sri Ramachandra (Bhairavi)
How many swaras are usually in one akshara?
(in a geetham)
1
Otherwise, it disrupts the rhythm
ati chitra tama margam
1 swaram per akshara
Pillari Geethams
Purandara Dasa’s intro geethams, in praise of Ganesha, Shiva, & Vishnu
Who was an important Geetham composer after Purandara Dasa?
Pydala Gurumurthy Shastry
Were there any notable geetham composers after Pydala gurumurthy Shastry?
no
One of the names of Pydala Gurumurthy Shatry
“veyyi geetham” Pydala Gurumurthy Shatry
How do you sing a Sanchari Geetham w/ 2 khandikas?
the 2nd one after the first
EX: Kamala Jadala (Kalyani, Triputa)
What are the 5 Gana Ragas?
Nata, Goula, Arabhi, Sri, Varaali
EX: Rere Srirama (Geetham 10) - Arabhi - Triputa
Examples of Rakthi Ragams
Mohanam & Kalyani
Rakthi Raga geethams
Geethams set to Rakthi Ragams
* like Mohanam & Kalyani
EX: Varaveena - Mohanam - Rupakam
Ragamalika geethams
Geethams with more than 1 ragam
These kinds of geethams are not in use today.
What does the sahityam of a lakshana geetham describe?
lakshna of the ragam geetham is set to
* along w/ a small deiva stuti
What Exactly do lakshana geethams describe in the sahityam?
- Whether ragam is melakartha/janya
- Whether it is a bashanga/upanga ragam
- Whether it is audava/shadava/sampurna ragam
- Murchana of ragam
- whether it is a vakra/vajra ragam
- jiva swara (essential)
- nyasa swara (end)
- graha swara (beginning)
vakra ragam
A ragam with a zigzag pattern of swaras (EX: Natakurinji)
S R G M N D N P D N S / S N D M G M P G R S
varja ragam
omits one or more swaras in either arohana, avarohana, or both (EX: Saveri)
S R M P D S / S N D P M G R S
Bashanga ragam
Ragam w/ 1 or more swaras not found in its parent ragam
