List of Carnatic composers

List of composers of Carnatic music, a subgenre of Indian classical music.

Pre-Trinity composers (before 18th century)

Composer Years Languages Approx. Number of Compositions Signature
(Insignia) 		Other Info
Jayadeva 12th century Sanskrit Gita Govindam Jayadeva Prathama Vaggeyakara(First poet-composer) of Carnatic and Hindustani music forms to compose art music (in contrast to traditional bhakti poems) involving ragas; he is praised for his contributions to dance and music by his contemporary and later musicologists in their musical treatises
Azhwars 7th to 9th century Tamil 'pre carnatic ancient sangam music[pann]'
Nayanmars 7th to 9th century Tamil 'pre carnatic ancient sangam music[pann]'
Akka Mahadevi 12th century Kannada 430 Chenna Mallikarjuna 'Composed Vachanas'
Naraharitirtha 1250? - 1333) Sanskrit and Kannada Narahari Composed Dasara Padas
Tallapaka Annamacharya 1408–1503 Telugu, Sanskrit 36,000 Venkatachala Called as Telugu pada-kavita pitamaha; composed in themes shringara(love), adhyatma(bhakti) and philosophical in 100 ragas; also author of the musical text Sankeertana lakshana
Vadirajatirtha 1480 - 1600) Kannada hundreds Hayavadana Composed Dasara Padas in his Ramagadya, Vaikunthavarnane and Lakshmisobanehadu
Purandara Dasa 1484–1564 Kannada, Sanskrit 400,000, of which only around 2000 have come down to us Purandara Vittala Set the Carnatic music in its present form; composed basic exercises for practice like sarali and janta varisai
Kanaka Dasa 1509–1609 Kannada 300 Adi Keshava Composed Dasara Padas in native metrical forms such as Suladi and Ugabhoga and wrote 5 classical Kavya epics poems in Shatpadi
Sripadaraya 1404–1502 Kannada Ranga Vittala Composed Dasara Padas
Arunachala Kavi 1711–1788 Tamil 320
Arunagirinathar 1480– Tamil 760 Composed Tiruppugazh
Basavanna 12th century Kannada 1300 (available) Kudala Sangama Deva Composed Vachanas
Allama Prabhu 12th century Kannada 1321(available) Guheshwara Composed Vachanas
Bhadraachala Raama daasu 1620–1688 Telugu 500 Bhadradri
Kshetragna 1600–1680 Telugu 100 Muvvagopala
Marimutthu Pillai 1717–1787 Tamil 42
Muthu Thandavar 1525–1625 Tamil 165
Vaikunthadasa 16th century Kannada hundreds Vaikuntha Composed Dasara Padas
Mahipatidasa 1611 - 1681 Kannada hundreds Mahipati Composed Dasara Padas
Krishnadasa 17-18th century Kannada hundreds Varaha Timmappa Composed Dasara Padas
Narayana Teertha 1650–1745 Telugu, Sanskrit 200 Vara Naaraayana Teertha Composed Krishna leelaa Tarangini
Paidala Gurumurti Sastri 17th century Telugu
Papanasa Mudaliar 1650–1725 Tamil
Sarangapani 1680–1750 Telugu 220
Vijaya Dasa 1682–1755 Kannada 25,000 Vijaya Vittala Composed Dasara Padas in native metrical forms such as Suladi and Ugabhoga
Jagannatha Dasa 1728–1809 Kannada 260 Jagannatha Vittala Composed Dasara Padas, and the Kavya poems Harikathamritasara in the native shatpadi and Tattva suvvali in the native tripadi meters
Gopala Dasa 1722–1762 Kannada 10,000 Gopala Vittala Composed Dasara Padas in native metrical forms such as Suladi and Ugabhoga
Helavanakatta Giriyamma 1750 Kannada hundreds Helavanakatte Ranga Composed Dasara Padas
Harappanahalli Bhimavva 1790 Kannada hundreds Bhimesha Krishna Composed Dasara Padas
Mohanadasa 18th century Kannada hundreds Mohana Vittala Composed Dasara Padas
Seshagiridasa 18th century Kannada hundreds Guru Vijaya Vittala Composed Dasara Padas
Prasanna Venkatesha Dasa 18th century Kannada hundreds Prasanna Venkata Composed Dasara Padas
Igi Venkatacharya 18th century Kannada hundreds Casndeva Vittala Composed Dasara Padas

Trinity-Age composers (18th century)

These composers lived during the time of the Trinity and there are recorded instances of their interaction with the Trinity.

Composer Years Languages Approx. Number of Compositions Other Info
Thyagaraja Swami 1767–1847 Telugu, Sanskrit 24000 of which only 700 are available today
Muthuswami Dikshitar 1775–1835 Sanskrit, Mani Pravaalam 400
Syama Sastri 1762–1827 Telugu, Sanskrit 400
Ghanam Krishna Iyer 1790–1854 Tamil 85
Iraiyamman Tampi 1782–1856 Malayalam, Sanskrit 40
Kavi Kunjara Bharati 1810–1896 Tamil 200
Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi 1700–1765 Sanskrit, Tamil 200
Pacchimiriam Adiyappa 18th century Telugu
Thanjavur Quartet 1801–1856 Telugu, Sanskrit
Tiruvarur Ramaswami Pillai 1798–1852 Tamil
Sadasiva Brahmendra 18th century Sanskrit 95
Swathi Thirunal 1813–1846 Sanskrit, Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi 300+

Post-Trinity composers (19th century)

Composer Years Languages Approx. Number of Compositions Other Info
Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar 1882–1921 Tamil 230
Annamalai Reddiyar 1865–1891 Tamil 40
Anai Ayya brothers 19th century Telugu 20
Dharmapuri Subbarayar 1900–? Telugu 50 Composed many Jaavalis
Ennappadam Venkatarama Bhagavatar 1880–1961 [1]
Gopalakrishna Bharathi 1811–1896 Tamil 395
Koteeswara Iyer 1870–1940 Tamil, Sanskrit 200 Composed in all 72 Melakarta raagas
Kurainadu Natesa Pillai 1830–1925
Krishnarajendra Wodeyar III 1799–1868 Sanskrit, Kannada
Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer 1844–1893 Sanskrit, Telugu 100 Composed 72-Melakarta raaga maalika
Manambuchavadi Venkatasubbayyar 19th century Telugu 50 Desciple of Thyagaraja
Mayuram Viswanatha Sastri 1893–1958 Telugu, Sanskrit 160
Muthiah Bhagavatar 1877–1945 Telugu, Sanskrit 390
Mysore Sadasiva Rao b. 1790 Kannada, Sanskrit 100
Mysore Vasudevacharya 1865–1961 Telugu, Sanskrit 250
Neelakanta Sivan 1839–1900 Tamil 300
Pallavi Seshayyar 1842–1905 Telugu 75
Papanasam Sivan 1890–1973 Tamil, Mani Pravaalam 535
Patnam Subramania Iyer 1845–1902 Telugu 100
Pattabhiramayya c. 1863 Telugu
Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar 1860–1919 Telugu 100
Shuddhananda Bharati 1897–1990 Tamil, Sanskrit 1090 Composed 72-Melakarta
Subbarama Dikshitar 1839–1906 Telugu 50
Subbaraya Sastri 1803–1862 Telugu 12 Son of Syama Sastri
Tiruvottriyur Tyagayya 1845–1917 Telugu 80
Veena Kuppayya 1798–1860 Telugu 100 Desciple of Thyagaraja

Post-Trinity composers—20th century and beyond

Composer Years Languages Approx. Number of Compositions Other Info
Dandapani Desikar 1908–1972 55
GN Balasubramaniam 1910–1965 Sanskrit, Telugu, Tamil 90
K. R. Kedaranathan 1925–2007
Lalgudi Jayaraman 1930–2013 60 [2]
Maharajapuram Santhanam |
M. Balamuralikrishna b. 1930 Telugu, Sanskrit 200 Composed in all 72 Melakarta raagas
M. D. Ramanathan 1923–1984 Sanskrit 300 Mudra: Varadadasa
Mysore V. Ramarathnam 1917–2008 Kannada, Telugu & Sanskrit '26' 'mudra rAma', "[3]"
K. Ramaraj 1936–2009 Tamil, Sanskrit & Telugu" 200 approximately. raga mudra in all compositions
L. Subramaniam b. 1947
N. Ramani b. 1934 10
N. Ravikiran b. 1967 Sanskrit, Tamil 50
Nallan Chakravartula Krishnamaachaaryulu 1925–2006 Sanskrit, Telugu 30
Periyasaamy Thooran 1908–1987 Tamil 305
S. Ramanathan 1917–1988 Tamil 50
Garimella balakrishnaprasad 1948–present Telugu,Sanskrit 800 in more than 150 "ragas" using rare ragas like visaradha , rasikaranjani etc. and also created ragas like sundararanjani etc. 'mudra " krishna, balakrishna, balakrishnaprasad
R.K. Padmanabha 1949–present Kannada 150
Neduntheevu Ponn Suhir 1965–present Tamil 30 Mudra: Neduntheevan/Tamilampahl
Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar 1915–1991 Telugu,Sanskrit 15 Mudra: Varadaraja
Balayogi Avadhuta Nirmalananda Swami 1956–present Sanskrit 549 Carnatic Classical Music Composer, Composed in All 72 Melakarta +36 new Melakarta Total 108 Melakarta Raagas

i Saint Gnanananda Teertha (Sri Ogirala Veera Raghava Sarma) II 1908-1989 II TELUGU,sanskrit II 85mudra:Raghava upto 1982, Gnanananda Teertha after 1982, Devi Gana Sudha , name of his book II Saint Composer of Carnatc Music of 20 th Century

Other composers

Other composers in Mysore Kingdom

Other composers—Bhakti Saints

In addition to the above composers, various Bhakti saints of medieval India also composed devotional hymns, verses and songs. First six composer used ancient Tamil music[pannicai] which later evolved to the Carnatic musical tradition over the centuries.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/01/02/stories/2009010251030500.htm
  2. ↑ http://aboutindianmusic.blogspot.com/p/classical-musicians-of-india.html
  3. ↑ http://mysorevramarathnam.org//page7.html
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://sites.google.com/site/rallapallisharma