Monday, May 30, 2011

MUSIC OF KERALA

The Music of Kerala has a miscellany of facets to it. The best known form of music in Kerala is the sopanam which is sung in the temples of Kerala during the popularity of Jayadeva's Gita Govinda. The sopanasangitham is sung by the steps - sopanam - of the temple, accompanied by the drum - the idakka. This form of music in Kerala is a unique blend of the Vedic, tribal and folk styles. Some of the famous exponents of the sopanam are Neralattu Rama Poduval, Janardhanan Nedungadi and Damodara Marar. Other variations of Music of Kerala comprise:
The classical music of South India - Carnatic music - was popularized under the patronage of Swathi Thirunal, a monarch of the erstwhile state of Travancore. In this form of music of Kerala, the vocalist is accompanied by an orchestra that comprises mridangam, violin, ghatam and moorchang. Kathakali music is sung by a couple of vocalists followed by the drums - the maddalam and the chenda. There is also the chengila, a bell metal gong that is played by one vocalist while the other plays the cymbal or ilathalam.
Vadakkanppatu is the name given to the northern ballads extolling the gallantry of the Ankachekavar warriors who waged many a famous duel. Dating back to centuries, few of these folk songs have survived the test of time. Entertainment songs are mostly sung during the Onam. Christian songs of art forms include the Margom Kali and the Chayittu Natakam which are distinguished by the their language and style. This form of music in Kerala contributes to the folk tradition too.
Most of the folk songs and ballads are sung in local dialects. Although their popularity has waned, they have been passed into the successive generations by a vibrant oral tradition. Since the inception of Malayalam cinema, film songs have played an important part in defining the Music of Kerala. The songs are an integral part of films and are based on folk and classical tunes. Aired live on the radio, TV and public addresses, film songs have been deeply ingrained in the minds of the Malayali masses. Some of the famous composers are: Devarajan, K. Raghavan Dakshinamoorthy and others. Among the other forms of music in Kerala are: lullabies, work songs etc.

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