RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY
KEERTHANA.S
M.A MUSIC FINAL YEAR
 DETAILS OF THE THESIS

• TITLE : Stylistic analysis of the compositions of

Kallidaikurichi Vedanta Bhagavatar

• DEGREE : Doctor of Philosophy in Music

• SUBMITTED BY : Gayatri Sankaran

• SUPERVISED BY : Dr.M.Premeela

• SUBMISSION YEAR : 2007

• SUBMITTED TO : University of Madras

 CONTENTS

Acknowledgement
Preface
Introduction
Diacritical marks
Chapters 1 - 5
Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendices
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author has thanked :

▪ Guide Dr.M.Premeela

▪ Sri.K.H.Mahadeva Bhagavatar (Direct disciple of Vedanta Bhagavatar)

▪ Sri.M.Balakrishnan (Son of Sri.K.H.Mahadeva Bhagavatar)

▪ Family and friends

▪ Staffs- University of Madras

 PREFACE

About the authoress Gayatri Shankaran :

❖ Belongs to Lalgudi Jayaraman School of Music
❖ Interested in Manodharma sangita
❖ Inspiration - Manodharma sangita notations by Venkata Bhagavathar

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
❖ Only source of information - Sri.K.H.Mahadeva Bhagavatar
❖ Received manuscripts, notations and learnt compositions
❖ Sri.K.H.Mahadeva Bhagavatar personally documented notations ( As the
author was visually challenged)
❖ The author has also documented unpublished compositions
 INTRODUCTION

➢ Introduction to Music
➢ Development in stages
➢Musical forms
➢ Musical period of Trinity and post-trinity
➢Venkata Bhagavatar as a composer of musical forms
➢ Venkata Bhagavatar as a Harikatha artist
CHOICE OF THE AREA FOR RESEARCH :

1) Diversity of compositions in various musical forms

2) Diversity of language
3) Manodharma sangita notations
4) An asset to practical aspect of music
5) Beneficial to all streams of musicians
CHAPTERISATION

✓ Chapter- 1 (Life history )

✓ Chapter- 2 (Compositions)
✓ Chapter- 3 (Unpublished compositions)
✓ Chapter- 4 (Manodharma Sangita)
✓ Chapter- 5 (Harikatha)
✓ Translations and transliterations of compositions
✓ CD's containing the compositions
 CHAPTER 1
LIFE HISTORY OF SANGITA KALANIDHI KALLIDAIKURICHI BRAHMA
SRI VEDANTA BHAGAVATAR

❑ Life sketch
(Birthplace, year, parents, guru, siblings, family and musical background)
❑ Musical ambience
❑ His musical genius
(Musical concerts and its durations, vidwans who accompanied him)
❑ Personal qualities
❑ Accomplishments / Accolades won
❑ Line of disciples
❑Music in his life
(Nature of compositions, ishta deivata, specifications in compositions, similarities
to trinity compositions)
❑ Pictures of this home, bhagavatar with his wife, his awards are also attached)
 CHAPTER 2

COMPOSITIONS OF VENKATA BHAGAVATHAR

Musical forms
➢ Gitams
➢ Varnams
➢ Ragamalika
➢ Krtis
➢ List of all the compositions(62) with the raga name
➢ Other compositions
➢ Publications
BOOKS CONTAINING COMPOSITIONS

BOOK-1
➢ Pallavi
➢ Kalpanasvara
➢ Krtis
➢ Tillana

BOOK-2
➢ Krtis - Meaning and analysis
➢ Chittasvara analysis
➢ Varnam – text, meaning and analysis (Analysis containing
raga specifications and uniqueness of the composition)
 CHAPTER 3
CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF UNPUBLISHED COMPOSITIONS OF
VENKATA BHAGAVATAR

o List of unpublished compositions with raga name

o Gitam – Text meaning and scanned notation of Sri.Mahadeva Bhagavatar
o Varnam – An introduction and its structure
o Varnams of Venkata Bhagavatar with text, meaning and analysis
o Krtis of Venkata Bhagavatar with text, meaning and analysis
o Each krti containing the scanned written notation of Sri.Mahadeva Bhagavatar
Analysis of the Krtis include
• Structural analysis
• Thematic analysis
• Musical analysis
• Choice of raga
• Raga svarupa
• Sangita analysis
• Speciality
• Literary beauty – Prasa, Svarakshara, etc.
• Specificatins in each krti is given in detail at last in the order of the raga
 CHAPTER 4
ANALYSIS OF THE MANODHARMA SANGITA NOTATED BY
VEDANTA BHAGAVATAR

❖ Introduction – Manodharma sangita

❖ Sangita tatva pradarshini – Pallavi and kalpita svara of Venkata Bhagavatar

CREATIVE MUSIC – Manodharma sangita notated by Venkata Bhagavatar

❖ Pallavi
❖ Raga Alapana
❖ Kalpanasvaram
METHODOLOGY ADOPTED FOR ANALYSIS OF MANODHARMA

1) PALLAVI
• Palllavi – An introduction ,number of sangatis notated
• Essence of the raga/ Raga chaya
• Octave coverage
• Coverage of speed
• Svara patterns
• Svara structures
• Striking usages
• Use of yati
• Usage of svaras
(Notations for each of the pallavi and its neraval written manually are attached below)
2) KALPANASVARA
• Each segment of kalpanasvara is analysed based on avartana .
Eg: half avartana svara, one avartana svara, two avartana svara and so on.
• The same is done for all the ragas that are given
• Variety of svaras used
 CHAPTER 5
VENKATA BHAGAVATAR AS A HARIKATHA ARTIST

HARIKATHA
✓ Harikatha – an introduction
✓ Traditional tunes and their varieties
✓ Theme chosen (Puranas, ithihas etc)
✓ Ragas chosen
✓ Elements
✓ Musical forms
VENKATA BHAGAVATAR AS A HARIKATHA ARTIST

▪ Initial lessons
▪ Style of rendition
▪ Used 310 variteies of musical forms in compositions and also included
Dikshitar's krtis in concerts
▪ A list his harikatha compositions with its raga and tala name is mentioned
▪ Usage of Abhangs
▪ Pancapadi
▪ Literary references – Soundaryalahari, Lalitambal Sobhanam
▪ Other musical forms handled – Odappattu
▪ Harikatha on various occasions like Pattanapravesham
CONCLUSION

❖ Outcome – Individual's growth in the field of manodharma sangita

❖ Efforts of the authoress

i. In-depth study of the compositions of a musician who was well-versed
in different fields of music
ii. Brining in a creative approach in the field of manodharma
VENKATA BHAGAVATAR AS A PERFOMER AND COMPOSER

TITLES :
• Sangita Kalanidhi – Music Academy in 1940
• Sangita Kesari – Rasikas of Kallidaikurichi

AS A COMPOSER :
• Major contribution in terms of musical forms
• Contribution to Manodharma sangita
• Proficiency in various languages
• Patriotism and devotion
SPECIALITIES OF HIS COMPOSITIONS

• Notions of minute sangatis

• Usage of fast phrases
• Sangatis in arohana krama
• Handling of vivadi and samvadi relationship
• Usage of important sangatis in relevant ragas
• Svarakshara usage in appropriate places
• Choosing ragas according to the theme of the krti
➢ Importance of manodharma
➢ Highlights of sangatis and raga bhava in his compositions
➢ Disciples of Venkata Bhagavatar
➢ Some famous Harikatha concerts like Nandanar caritram and Lalitopakyanam
➢ Usage of 310 musical forms in harikatha
➢ Six unpublished compositions mentioned
➢ A copy of Lalitopakyanam
➢ More scope for in-depth analysis of Lalithopakyanam