KONNAKOL SOUTH INDIAN

S C AT S I N G I N G
கொ ன் ன க் கோ ல்

Lewis Back
WHAT IS KONNAKOL?
WHAT IS KONNAKOL?

• Rhythmic vocal performance

– Performed by mouth
– Uses percussive phrases (Solkattu) such as “tom”, “tirekita”, and “taka”
– Tala (or meter) is marked by hand
• Yes, the same kind of tala we learned before
WHAT IS KONNAKOL?

• Rhythmic vocal performance

– Performed by mouth
– Uses percussive phrases (Solkattu) such as “tom”, “tirekita”, and “taka”
– Tala (or meter) is marked by hand
• Yes, the same kind of tala we learned before

• Taught by gurus to students

– Students learn base Talas and necessary phrases to know in order to be a proficient musician
– Improvisation introduced at later levels of proficiency
• Like Dhrupad, Konnakol is derived from Vedas
WHAT IS KONNAKOL?

• Konnakol can be performed solo or in a

Carnatic Ensemble
– Carnatic Ensembles can consist of:
• Lead performer
• Konnakol vocalist
• Both western and eastern strings like violins
or rudra veena
• Percussion
http://srutimag.blogspot.com/2012/06/pocket-guide-to-carnatic-music_20.html
• Reed or flute-like wind instruments
• Tanpura drone
KONNAKOL PERFORMANCE

• Kumari
Shivapriya and
Vidwan
Somashekar

• Misra Chapu
Tala
• 7/4
KONNAKOL PERFORMANCE

Misra Chapu Tala

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
+ + - -
KONNAKOL PERFORMANCE

• V Shivapriya and
BR Somashekar
• on marching
tenor

• Fast, precise
rhythms
REFERENCES
https://naanfunctionalharmony.com/2014/02/14/misra-chapu-the-7-beat-cycle-audio/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA_3g8zgMf0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iurhjlBum0o

Young, Lisa. Konnakol, The History and Development of Solkattu - the Vocal Syllables - of the
Mridangam.

http://www.nathalaya.co.uk/konnakol

http://www.ancient-future.com/solkattu.html

https://www.milapfest.com/category/musicgenre/genre-1/

David P. Nelson, Solkattu Manual: An Introduction to the Rhythmic Language of South Indian Music,
Wesleyan University Press, 2008