Carnatic Music Quiz

1.	There are two types of musical systems - Harmonic and Melodic. Which type of system is Carnatic music? Click for Answer
2.	How many basic notes are there in the Harmonic systems and how many basic notes are there n the Melodic system? Click for Answer#
3	What is the fundamental difference in the frequency of notes between a harmonic and a Melodic system? Click for Answer
4	What is an octave? Click for Answer
5	In total, how many full and half-notes are there in Carnatic music? Click for Answer
6	Which type of notation does Indian music use - Staff notation or script notation? Click for Answer
7	What is the difference between a swara and a note? Click for Answer
8	What is a raga? Give at least two characteristics of a raga. Click for Answer
9.	Why two ragas with the same basic notes (e.g. Kalyani or Sankarabharanam) do not sound similar? Click for Answer
10.	What are the two types of ragas? Click for Answer
11.	What is the fundamental difference between the two types of ragas? Click for Answer
12.	What is a varja ragam? Click for Answer
13.	What is a vakra ragam? Click for Answer
14.	At least give me two examples of Ghana ragas? Click for Answer
15.	How is a thala different from rhythm? Click for Answer
16.	In a Sulapdi Saptha scheme of thalas, how many thalas are available? Click for Answer
17.	What is a jati? How would you differentiate thisra jati from Kanta jati? Click for Answer
18.	Thalas are named in two parts - first part representing the jati and the second the name of the thala. If you know the jati and thala, you should be able to compute the aksharas for the thala. For example: if the thala is Kanta Jati Triputa, how many units or aksharas or does it have. Click for Answer
19.	What is Venkatamukhi's greatest contribution to music theory? Click for Answer
20.	According to the Melakarta scheme, how many parent or Janaka ragas are there? Click for Answer
21	Why are Janaka ragas divided into two groups? What differentiates the two groups? Click for Answer
22	What is one principle requirement of Janaka ragas? Click for Answer
23	What does sampoornam mean when applied to Melakarta ragas? Click for Answer
24	What do we mean by Katapayadi scheme? What is this scheme used for?Click for Answers
25	Can a Janya raga or a child raga be born from a raga that is not listed as one of the ragas in the Melakarta scheme? Why or why not? Click for Answer
26	What are musical forms? Why do we need them? Give at least two different musical forms in Carnatic music.Click for Answer
27	What is the difference between abhyasa ganam and Sabha ganam?Click for Answer
28	What is the difference in characteristic between a varnam and a Geetham? Click for Answer
29	What are the two types of varnams?Click for Answer
30	What is the difference between a thana varnam and a pada varnam?Click for Answer
31	Provide a characteristic that is common and a characteristic that is different between a kirtana and a kriti.Click for Answer
32	What are maguda swarams in a ragamalikai?Click for Answer
33	What differentiates a thillana from a regular kriti?Click for Answer
34	Give an example of a musical form that focused on bhakthi and devotion?Click for Answer
35	Identify one composer from each of the following periods - pre-triniti, triniti, and post-triniti.Click for Answer
36	Who wrote the Thevara Padhikams and what type of musical form does it belong to?Click for Answer
37	Can you cite one or two reasons why South Indian classical music was called Carnatic music?Click for Answer
38	How many systems of Indian music existed before the 10th century?Click for Quiz
39	There were three composers from the seventh century who were pioneers of the bhakthi movement. Can you cite two of those three composers?Click for Answer
40	How many Azhvars were there?Click for Answer
41	Who was responsible for compiling the 4,000 Divya Prabhandam?Click for Answer
42	In what language was 4,000 Divya Prabhandam written?Click for Answer
43	Can you name the only female Azhvars among the Azhvars? Click for Answer
44	Who composed the ThiruvAchakam and TiruvempAvai? Click for Answer
45	What is the Tamil equivalent of Raga?Click for Answer
46	What was the contribution of Jayadeva; name the set of his famous compositions?Click for Answer
47	Who wrote the Geetha Govindam?Click for Answer
48	What is the primary theme of the Geetha Govindam compositions? Click for Answer
49	Who wrote the Thiruppugazh? Click for Answer
50	What distinguishes Arunagirinathar's compositions (in terms of theme or messages) from some of the earlier composers? Click for Answer
51	Which pre-trinity composer is credited with providing the compositional structure into pallavi, anupallavi, and charanam?Click for Answer
52	Which composer, although born in a Saivite family of Advaitic followers, wrote most of his compositions about Vishnu and on the Vishishtadvaitic concept of prapatti? Click for Answer
53	What is madhura bhakthi?Click for Answer
54	List one or more great contributions of the Poet Annamacharya?Click for Answer
55	Name a composer who is called the father of padams (more than one composer is credited with this title)?Click for Answer
56	Who wrote the Kshetrayya Pancharathnams?Click for Answer
57	Who is the author of Krishna Leela Tharangini?Click for Answer
58	Who wrote the musical operas, Parijatha Abaharanam and Haribhakthi Sundarnavam?Click for Answer
59	Can you name a composer who was accused of misusing tax collections to build a temple for Sri Rama?Click for Answer
60	Name a great composer who was also a Minister of Education.Click for Answer
61	Which composer is called the Pitha Maha (Great Father) of Carnatic Music?Click for Answer
62	What is the greatest contribution of Sri Purandaradasa to Carnatic Music?Click for Answer
63	Can you name a popular varnam written by Pachimiriyam Adiyappa?Click for Answer
64	Who is the composer of Rama Nataka Keerthanaigal?Click for Answer
65	Which composer is popularly known as the Tanavarna margadarsi?Click for Answer
66	At least name one composer who took up Sanyasa (relinquished family life) at a young age.Click for Answer
67	Who is Venkata Kavi and what were some of his great accomplishments and contributions?Click for Answer
68	Who are the Trinities of Carnatic Music?Click for Answer
69	In which century did the Trinities live and compose music?Click for Answer
70	Can you name one or two composers who also lived during the period the Trinities lived?Click for Answer
71	Who was the guru of Syama Sastri?Click for Answer
72	What is Syama Sastri's greatest contribution?Click for Answer
73	Name one or two of Syama Sastri's swarajatis?Click for Answer
74	On the thala front, can you cite one or more noteworthy contributions made by Syama Sastri?Click for Answer
75	Name a disciple of Syama Sastri.Click for Answer
76	What is the mudra or signature generally used by Syama Sastri?Click for Answer
77	Which one of the trinities was the youngest among the three by age?Click for Answer
78	Which one of the Trinities was proficient in both Carnatic and Hindustani music styles?Click for Answer
79	What is a sthala kriti?Click for Answer
80	What is Manipravalam?Click for Answer
81	Can you name one or more sthalas where Dikshitar composed songs in praise of the local deity?Click for Answer
82	What is the mudra or signature used by Dikshitar?Click for Answer
83	What are VAra kritis? Who composed theses kritis?Click for Answer
84	What are Navavarna kritis? Who composed these kritis?Click for Answer
85	Can you name two Navavarna kritis?Click for Answer
86	Who composed the popular kriti Vathapi Ganapthim in Hamsadvani?Click for Answer
87	What is the name of Saint Thyagaraja's guru?Click for Answer
88	Name the two operas that Saint Thyagaraja wrote.Click for Answer
89	Which of the trinities is known as the avatara purusha?Click for Answer
90	What differentiates Saint Thyagaraja's compositions from most other composers? I am referring to the message in his compositions.Click for Answer
91	Which is the only composer for who an Aradhana is celebrated each year in Thiruvayaru?Click for Answer
92	Can you name one or twopost-triniti composers?Click for Answer
93	Who is Baluswamy Dikshitar?Click for Answer
94	Who is Subbarama Dikshitar?Click for Answer
95	What is the greatest contribution of Subbarama Dikshitar?Click for Answer
96	Who wrote Sangeeta Sampradaya Pradarsini?Click for Answer
97	What is the primary content of Sangeeta Sampradaya Pradarsini?Click for Answer
98	Which composer received the title of Maha or Great composer even at the tender age of 12?Click for Answer
99	In which musical aspect was Vaidyanatha Iyer most known for?Click for Answer
100	Which composer was known as Chinna Thyagaraja Swami?Click for Answer
101	Can you name the composer of the famous kriti, Raghuvamsasudha in Kadanakuthoohalam.Click for Answer
102	Which composer used the signature or mudra, kavikunjaradasa?Click for Answer
103	Which composer was also a king or belonged to the royal family? Hint: there is more than one composer who fits this category.Click for Answer
104	What was the childhood name of the composer, Swathi Thirunal?Click for Answer
105	Can you name two great compositions of Swathi Thirunal?Click for Answer
106	Which composer used the signature or mudra, Padmanabha?Click for Answer
107	Name a post-trinity composers who was also a Ph.D in music?Click for Answer
108	Which composer also served in the royal court of Swathi Thirunal Maharaja?Click for Answer
109	What was Harikesanallur Muthia Bhagavathar's compositions known for?Click for Answer
110	Name a royal composer from the State of Mysore.Click for Answer
111	Can you name a kriti composed by Jayachamrajendra Wodeyar?Click for Answer
112	Can you name a post-triniti composer who was proficient in both carnatic and hindustani music styles?Click for Answer
113	Name a post-triniti composer who has composed songs using each of the 35 thalas from the Sulapdi Saptha thala scheme?Click for Answer
114	Name the composer who is known as modern day Thyagaraja?Click for Answer
115	Whos composed the popular kritis, Kapali in Mohanam or KAna KaNNkodi vendum in Kamboji?Click for Answer
116	Which composer has also composed many songs for the Tamil cinema field?Click for Answer
117	Give one basic difference between Western and Indian music systems.Click for Answer
118	Name a great composer who was an editor of a Tamil magazine, Swadesamitran?Click for Answer
119	Name a great composer who wrote many compositions to raise the national spirit among the Indians and to fight the British regime?Click for Answer
120	Thyagaraja Swami was one of the great trinities who wrote many of his composition highlighting the ills of the society and offered messages to improve oneself. Name a great modern day composer who followed a similar objective and wrote compositions on women's rights, freedom from caste and religious biases.Click for Answer
121	What is the principle deity on whom Papanasam Sivan wrote many of his compositions?Click for Answer
122	Which poet was arrested and put in prison for some of his songs and writings?Click for Answer
123	What is a simple definition of bhajans?Click for Answer
124	Who wrote the Natyasastra? What is the content of this book?Click for Answer
125	Which instrument is called a mangala vadyam or a sacred musical instrument?Click for Answer
126	Who wrote the navaratna malika or songs that were collectively ccalled garland of nine gems?Click for Answer
127	Name the ragas, in the right order, used in the Pancharathna kritis?Click for Answer
128	What are utsava sampradaya kritis?Click for Answer
129	Forms of Raga also developed in Tamil literature independent of its development among the carnatic musicians? What is the Tamil equivalent of the word Raga?Click for Answer
130	There are five important Shiva temples in which the lingas represent the five elements. Can you name at least three of these temple towns and what element the linga in that temple represent?Click for Answer
131	Name the four vedas?Click for Answer
132	What are some of Sama Veda's contribution to Indian music system?Click for Answer
133	Who wrote the Sangita Ratnakara?Click for Answer
134	Name a great musicologist who was also an Accountant General by profession.Click for Answer
135	Name at least three stahals or temple towns in which Thyagaraja Swami composed songs in praise of the local deity.Click for Answer
136	Name two Lalgudi pancharathnams along with the ragas in which they were composed.Click for Answer
137	Name one kriti that Sri Thygaraja Swami composed in the temple town of Thirupathi in praise of the Lord of Thirupathi. Also mention the name of the raga in which the song was composed.Click for Answer
138	List two Kovur Pancharathnams along with the names of the ragas in which they were composed.Click for Answer
139	What is a Vadi Swara?Click for Answer
140	What is a Samvadi swara?Click for Answer
141	What is a Vivadi swara? Click for Answer
142	How was Indian music called in the Vedic days? Click for Answer
143	During the Vedic period, Indian music was divided into two groups. Name the two groups. Click for Answer
144	Define Marga Sangeetham Click for Answer
145	Define Desi Sangeetham Click for Answer
146	Can you name the book that was called the fifth Veda and that was written by Saint BharathaClick for Answer
147	As you know there are seven basic swaras. These swaras are further divided by micro tones or intervals. How many total swaras do they now make including the intervals?   Click for Answer
148	India’s greatest contribution to classical music is the Raga concept. Which is the first Indian text to discuss Raga. Click for Answer
149	What does the word Raga refer to?  Click for Answer
150	As you know, some ragas (for example in the arohana) contain seven notes, while others may contain either six or five notes in the ascending or descending scales. How are these three classifications called? Click for Answer
151	Who wrote the Geetha Govinda? Click for Answer
152	Name the first great musicologist of India with an Islamic orign. Click for Answer
153	Name the person who is supposed to have invented the musical instrument “Sitar.” Click for Answer
154	What does the word “Sitar” mean? Click for Answer
155	Who is a Vaggeykara? Click for Answer
156	Can you name at least two Vageyakaras from Carnatic music? Click for Answer
157	Name the poet who began composing songs even before he turned sixteen years of age. Hint: He lived in Andhra Pradesh. Click for Answer
158	Who wrote the book Singaramanjari? Click for Answer
159	Name the violinist who, for his accomplishments, received an ivory violin from the Maharaja of Travancore. Click for Answer
160	What are padams? Click for Answer
161	What are Javalis? Click for Answer
162	Name a composer who was very well known for composing both padams and Javalis. Click for Answer
163	The Vedas use different names for Veenas. Can you name one or more of these? Click for Answer
164	What do the names Teenava and Nadi refer to? Click for Answer
165	Name the person who is credited with introducing the Western violin to Indian music. Click for Answer
166	What do the words “Tata” “Avanaddha” “Sushira” and “Vadya” refer to? Click for Answer
167	What is Tata? Click for Answer
168	What is Avanaddha? Click for Answer
169	What is Sushira? Click for Answer
170	What was the movement against the influence of Buddhism that also had a profound influence in Indian music development? Click for Answer
171	What are Thevarams? Click for Answer
172	What is Thirumurai and what do they contain? Click for Answer
173	What is the Peria Puranam? Click for Answer