1. Violin

2. Publication history

3. Examples

4. List of Nottuswarams by Muthuswamy Dikshithar

5. Notes

6. References

7. External links

The nottuswara or nottu swaras compositions (from "note swaras") are a set of 39 compositions in Carnatic classical music by Muthuswami Dikshitar (18th century), who was one of the three early composers celebrated as the Trinity of Carnatic music. They are notable as an interaction between the East and the West during Company rule, being based on Western sources, mostly simple melodies inspired by Scots and Irish tunes. They are all composed with Sanskrit lyrics in the Western C major scale, whose pitch intervals correspond to that of the Shankarabharana raga scale in Carnatic music, or the Bilaval that of Hindustani music. Technically, the compositions are not in Shankarabharana proper, being based on simple melodies and devoid of the ornamentation (gamaka) that is characteristic of Carnatic music.^[1] On the other hand, the lyrics (sahitya) of these compositions are entirely Indian and consistent with the rest of the stotra-literature, or other songs addressed to similar deities.

Sometimes the name "nottuswara" is used to refer to other compositions based on Western notes, not necessarily by Muthuswami Dikshitar.^[2]

Violin

According to one popular account,^[3] the violin was introduced into Carnatic music by Baluswami Dikshitar (1786–1858), the younger brother of Muthuswami Dikshitar. He encountered the instrument being played by British bands in colonial Madras, and decided to learn it. The music was mostly Irish and Scottish fiddling, rather than Western classical music. After three years of lessons, he adapted the violin to Carnatic music. It is believed that Muthuswami Dikshitar composed these lyrics to aid his brother master the plain notes on the violin.^[4]

Publication history

They were first documented in print by C. P. Brown in 1833. In 1893, Manali Chinnaswamy Mudaliar published them with European notation, and in 1905, they were compiled by Subbarama Dikshitar as 'Prathamaabhyaasa pustakamu' in Telugu. In recent years, Kanniks Kannikeswaran has researched these compositions further, found the sources of a few compositions, and given several lectures.

Examples

The European songs used as basis include Limerick, Castilian Maid, Lord MacDonald's Reel, Voulez-vous Danser?, and God Save the Queen.^[5]

List of Nottuswarams by Muthuswamy Dikshithar

1. Anjaneyam sadaa http://www.karnatik.com/c3326.shtml
2. Chinthaya chittha http://www.karnatik.com/c3327.shtml
3. Chintayeham sada http://www.karnatik.com/c3328.shtml
4. Dasharathe dinadayanidhe http://www.karnatik.com/c3145.shtml
5. Dinabandho dayasindho http://www.karnatik.com/c3330.shtml
6. Gurumoorte bahukeerte http://www.karnatik.com/c3331.shtml
7. Guruguha padapankaja http://www.karnatik.com/c3332.shtml
8. Guruguha sarasijakarapada http://www.karnatik.com/c3333.shtml
9. He maye maam http://www.karnatik.com/c3334.shtml
10. Jagadisha guruguha http://www.karnatik.com/c3335.shtml
11. Kamalasana vandita http://www.karnatik.com/c3336.shtml
12. Kanchisham ekamranayakam http://www.karnatik.com/c3337.shtml
13. Maye chitkale http://www.karnatik.com/c3338.shtml
14. Muchukundavarada tyagaraja http://www.karnatik.com/c3339.shtml
15. Pahi durge http://www.karnatik.com/c3340.shtml
16. Pahi mam janaki vallabha http://www.karnatik.com/c3341.shtml
17. Pankajamukha shankarahitha http://www.karnatik.com/c3342.shtml
18. Paradevate bhava http://www.karnatik.com/c3343.shtml
19. Parvati Pate http://www.karnatik.com/c3344.shtml
20. Pitavarnam bhaje http://www.karnatik.com/c3345.shtml
21. Ramachandram rajivaksham http://www.karnatik.com/c3348.shtml
22. Rajeevalochana http://www.karnatik.com/c3346.shtml
23. Ramajanardana http://www.karnatik.com/c3347.shtml
24. Shakthisahitha ganapathim http://www.karnatik.com/c3354.shtml
25. Shauri Vidhi Nute http://www.karnatik.com/c3356.shtml
26. Shyamale Meenakshi http://www.karnatik.com/c3357.shtml
27. Subrahmanyam http://www.karnatik.com/c3359.shtml
28. Sadashiva jaye http://www.karnatik.com/c3349.shtml
29. Sakala Suravinuta http://www.karnatik.com/c3350.shtml
30. Samagana Priye http://www.karnatik.com/c2642.shtml
31. Santana Saubhagya http://www.karnatik.com/c3352.shtml
32. santatam govindarajam http://www.karnatik.com/c3353.shtml
33. Santatam Pahi Mam http://www.karnatik.com/c1826.shtml
34. Shankaravara http://www.karnatik.com/c3355.shtml
35. Somaskandam http://www.karnatik.com/c3358.shtml
36. Varashivabalam http://www.karnatik.com/c3363.shtml
37. Varadaraja http://www.karnatik.com/c3362.shtml
38. Vagdevi Mamava http://www.karnatik.com/c3360.shtml
39. Vande meenakshi http://www.karnatik.com/c3361.shtml

Notes

References

• {{citation | year=1990 | title=The European Airs of Muthuswamy Dikshitar | author=M R Shankaramurthy | publisher=Guruguha Gana Nilaya | place=Bangalore}}
• {{citation | year=2009 | last=Weidman|first=Amanda | chapter=Listening to the violin in South Indian classical music | title = Theorizing the local: music, practice, and experience in South Asia and beyond | editor1=Richard K. Wolf | publisher=Oxford University Press US | isbn=978-0-19-533138-7 | pages=49–64 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0cpLTOxz0KkC&pg=PA54}}
• {{citation | year=2006 | title = Singing the classical, voicing the modern: the postcolonial politics of music in South India | author1=Amanda J. Weidman | publisher=Duke University Press | isbn=978-0-8223-3620-4 | page=32 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fMg7aKE8RNgC&pg=PA32}}

External links

• Muthuswamy Dikshitar - nottu svara sahityas: The (Sanskrit) lyrics of all compositions
• Dikshitar and western music
• Vismaya – An Indo Celtic Musical Journey, recordings of the Sanskrit lyrics with Western music
• British Raj and Indian Classical Music: other examples of interaction

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