Article

“It really has pushed the boundaries”: The Role of the Violin in the Transformation of Karnatak Music

Anaïs Verhulst

Published in: Ethnomusicology Ireland 6 (2020)

Pages: 95-112 | Published Online: July 2020

https://doi.org/10.64208/PCJC8702

Abstract

This article presents two analyses of two contrasting performances of the same Karnatak composition, the krti “Manasuloni”. Focusing on the use of the violin in each performance, these analyses will compare the roles violinists may take on in a Karnatak performance ensemble; that of an accompanying and a solo instrument respectively. These different roles impact the ways in which the musicians interpret and perform the music, as will become apparent when examining their musical material and choice of violin techniques. Through comparative analysis, this article will not only demonstrate the evolution of the role of the violin in Karnatak music but also the role that the instrument has had in the transformation of the tradition from an exclusively vocal genre—conceptually speaking—to one with instrumental performances in their own right.

Keywords: Karnatak music, violin, tradition and change, analysis

Author: Anaïs Verhulst