Book tracing works of composers since 1904 released

Chennai,Feb 12 (PTI): The English version of a book tracingthe works of many composers since 1904, including one of the"Carnatic Trinities" Muthuswami Dikshitar, was released heretoday.

Targeted at trained Carnatic musicians, it is aimed atgiving them detailed knowledge on traditional music.

The first volume of "Sangita Sampradaya Pradarsini"translated to English by noted musicologist Pappu VenugopalaRao has details about the history of "Lakshna Granthas" thatexplains how Carnatic music was practiced by many composers inthe 18th and 19th centuries.

"It makes an important link on how music was practiced inthe 18th and 19th centuries to new works practiced today", Raotold reporters here.

The book, released by noted music exponent SubbaramaDiksitulu in 1904 in Telugu, has over 200 works by Dikshitaralone, he said adding it took nearly 19 years to get itreleased in Tamil. "As many as five volumes of the book werereleased during the 80s", he said.

Music Academy President N Murali said the Academy decidedlast year to bring out the English version.

Rao said there were some difficulty in printing it due tothe complicated notations practiced during the 19th century.

He said the second and third volumes would be releasedlater this year and the fourth and fifth in 2012.

Tyagaraja (1759 -1847), Muthuswami Dikshitar (1776�1827)and Syama Sastri (1762�1827) are regarded as the Trinity ofCarnatic music due to the quality of Sastri''s compositions,the varieties of compositions of Muthuswami Dikshitar andTyagaraja''s prolific output in composing ''kritis.''(Carnaticsongs). PTI VIJ APR