The+Music+of+Kathakali+by+Josh+Ingle

The Music Of Kathakali by Josh Ingle


The rhythm and vocals of Kathakali musicians give vibrant life to this ancient art. Within the Kathakali orchestra are two vocalist, and three percussionists. These percussionists utilize the sound created from three different types of drums: the centa, itekka, maddalam. The vocalists typically perform upstage center left, and the drummers upstage center right. Years of training are required for these performers and can be acquired at any of the famous Kathakali academies.

The Vocalists
The vocalists sing in a Sopana style. famous for its unique, sweet, and slow tempo. The Vocalists perform the molodic line (raga) when singing the text found within the plays. The lead singer is known as the Ponnani, The Ponnani provides the mood and tempo for performance, and plays a loud gong called a chegala, made of bell metal.The second vocalists plays a small set of hand symbols called an elethalam. The second vocalists takes his cue from the lead singer, just like the drummers and actors. The two vocalists perform the text in an overlapping fashion that helps express the emotional content of the piece as well as set the overall mood. The Chengala

The Elethalam

The Drummers
The Drums used in Kathakali are as essential to the performance as the text which the performance is based. There are three kinds of drums used in Kathakali: the centa (or Chenda),itekka (or Idakka), and the maddalam. Smaller performances may only have three men playing these drums, but larger performances can have up to three percussionists playing each style of drum. The Percussionists perform series of complex tempos, each designed to evoke a particular emotion or further enlighten an audience to a situation. There are six different rhythms (or Talas) used in Kathakali. Each rhythm could be played at one of three speeds (Kala). They could be played very slow (Vilamba), medium (Madhya) or fast ( Drutta). There is also a very, very slow Kala known as Patina Kala, which is played during romantic or erotic segments.

The Drums
The Chenda- A cylindrical drum with two head, most often played with two curved sticks, sometimes with one stick. The Chenda can be tuned using the cords wrapped around the drum. It is held in place with the help of a strap made of cow hide and is positioned vertically on the percussionists. It is used heavily during battle sequences, during storms to simulate lightening. The Chenda's versatility can also create beautiful tones, such as the famous "weeping" sound, used throughout Kathakali.

The Idakka- A small hourglass shaped drum capable of making muted or melodious sounds. The pitch can be altered by the free hand application of tension to the cords on it's sides. The fragile Idakka is used exclusively to represent a female character, and is played while said character is onstage.

Maddalam- A three foot wide drum held in place horizontally with the aid of a thin strap. The performer wears thick rice paste and lime coverings on his fingertips to create a deep, resonating sound. The right drum head is made of Ox hide, while the left is made of Buffalo hide. The deep sound created by this drum makes is the most important instrument used in Kathakali. It can be played during any situation onstage and can accompany any character.

The Conch Shell is also utilized by Kathakali musicians so signal the arrival of an important character or dramatic event.

The instruments used in Kathakali (except for the conch shell) are made by hand and take days if not weeks to make. The materials used to make these drums often vary depending upon where they are made. Years of practice are required to master them, and to learn the various rythms and speeds.

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This video shows Kathakali musicians playing the instruments and practicing the vocal techniques described earlier, enjoy!

Bibliography-

-The Kathakali complex: actor, performance & structure
By Phillip B. Zarrilli

By Phillip B. Zarrilli
-Youtube -Google images -Chandrakantha.com