Introduction
This page explains how to search for books on Carnatic music using the library catalog. The box below includes recommended subject headings so that you can do some searching on your own. If you don't know where to start and want to see a selection of what the Library has available, check out the box at the bottom of this page.
Search Tips
Conducting a keyword search in the Library catalog is always a great place to start. Use the "Material Type" filter on the right of the "Advanced Search" screen to limit your results to "Books."
After finding a relevant book in the catalog, use the topics (listed in the subject field of the record) to find related materials. At this point, if you've identified several promising materials that have the same subjects listed, consider clicking on any of the subject headings to launch a new search for similarly classified items.
You can also try searching by subject heading to start.
Search broadly by using subjects like: Carnatic music or Musicians--India
Or try more specific subjects like: Ragas--India, Carnatic music--Instruction and Study, or Carnatic music--History and criticism
Remember to always take a look at the topics listed in the catalog record to get hints for searching! For more suggestions, refer to the Tips for Exploring the Collection box on the first page of this guide.
Selected Books from the Catalog
New mansions for music : performance, pedagogy, and criticism by
Call Number: MPAL ML338 .S86N4 2008The essays in New Mansions for Music: Performance, Pedagogy and Criticism look at one of the most ancient and rigorous classical musical traditions of India, the Karnatik music system, and the kind of changes it underwent once it was relocated from traditional spaces of temples and salons to the public domain.
Music in South India : the Karṇāṭak concert tradition and beyond : experiencing music, expressing culture by Call Number: MPAL ML338 V57M8Music in South India provides a vivid and focused introduction to the musical landscape of South India, discussing historical and contemporary performance, cultural history and geography, and the social organization of performance traditions. The book centers on Karnatak concert music, a unique performance practice that juxtaposes gorgeous musical compositions with many different types of improvisation. Has an accompanying CD.
Essentials of musicology in South Indian music by Call Number: MPAL ML338 .J36E8 2008Covers the fundamentals of South Indian music, raga systems, evolution of the sruti and tonal systems, gamakas, musical compositions, talas, and the aspects of manodharma and kalpita sangita. Accompanying audio CD gives a practical introduction to each chapter.
Rītigaula : a study of improvisation and discourse in Indian music by Call Number: MPAL ML338 .P69 2021This book discusses a single Indian rāga called Rītigaula. Rītigaula's pitch structure, conventions surrounding its performance, and its treatment in historical Indian music treatises are comprehensively described. Powers's unique approach to theorizing rāga examines rāga structure and meaning in this monograph too, from the perspective of musical communication and discourse. From within this perspective, Powers shares his thoughts about music's connection to language, and the relationship between rāga expression and linguistic communication.
Aesthetics of Karnatak music by Call Number: MPAL ML3877 .R36A4 2016
