PERFORMANCE STRUCTURE AND TRANSMISSION IN THE SOUTH INDIAN MRIDANGAM

Extensive research has been done on Carnatic music and Indian classical instruments, though not much has focused on the specific relationship between the music, the instrument, and the performer. Mridangam, a classical South Indian drum, is one of the most highly developed of Indian percussion instruments. What areas of performance are constant among all mridangists and what aspects distinguish one mridangist from another? This question forms the framework of this essay. My research focuses on three transcriptions of mridangam accompaniment of the same Carnatic song. I compare the transcriptions and take into account several factors including the speed at which the mridangist is playing, where sarvalagu patterns are played, and where sangathi improvisations are emphasized along with the singer. Through this analysis, we can better understand the general musical framework a mridangist is given to work with for Carnatic accompaniment and gain insights into the balance between the rigid structure of vocal accompaniment, and the musical flexibility of the performer. Using my learning experience and interviews with mridangam teachers, I would further like to show how the teaching and learning of mridangam fits with the aesthetic framework of mridangam accompaniment in Carnatic music.