Shanmukhapriya is the well known fifty sixth Melakarta Ragam of Karnatik music. This Raga has no equivalent in the Hindusthani paddhati.   I had the privilege of listening to Great Masters like GNB, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, S. Balachander(on the Veena) and others.

Shanmukhapriya (Sanskrit: षन्मुखप्रिया, Tamil: சண்முகப்பிரியா) is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is the 56th melakarta rāgam (parent scale) in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Chāmaram in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.[1] [2] It is said to be borrowed into Hindustani music from Carnatic music.[2]

[edit] Structure and Lakshana

Shanmukhapriya scale with shadjam at C

It is the 2nd rāgam in the 10th chakra Disi. The mnemonic name is Disi-Sri. The mnemonic phrase is sa ri gi mi pa dha ni.[1] Its ārohaṇa-avarohaṇa structure (ascending and descending scale) is as follows (see swaras in Carnatic music for details on below notation and terms):

ārohaṇa: S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N2 S

avarohaṇa: S N2 D1 P M2 G2 R2 S

This scale uses the swaras chathusruthi rishabham, sadharana gandharam, prati madhyamam, shuddha dhaivatham and kaisiki nishadham. As it is a melakarta rāgam, by definition it is a sampoorna rāgam (has all seven notes in ascending and descending scale). It is the prati madhyamam equivalent of Natabhairavi, which is the 20th melakarta scale.

[edit] Janya rāgams

Shanmukhapriya has a few minor janya rāgams (derived scales) associated with it. See List of janya rāgams for scales associated with Shanmukhapriya.

[edit] Compositions

Here are a few common compositions sung in concerts, set to Shanmukhapriya.

Vaddane vaaru by Thyagaraja

Siddhi Vinayakam, Mahasuram Ketumaham and Ekamreshanayakim by Muthuswami Dikshitar (with rāgam name chāmaram mudra in them)

Marivere Dikkevarayya by Patnam Subramania Iyer

Parvathi nayakane, Saravana bhava ennum and Vilayada idu nerama by Papanasam Sivan

Abhimaanamutho Nannubrovaradha by Mysore Vasudevachar

[edit] Related rāgams

This section covers the theoretical and scientific aspect of this rāgam.

Shanmukhapriya’s notes when shifted using Graha bedham, yields 3 other major melakarta rāgams, namely, Shoolini, Dhenuka and Chitrambari. Graha bedham is the step taken in keeping the relative note frequencies same, while shifting the shadjam to the next note in the rāgam. For further details and an illustration refer Graha bedham on Shanmukhapriya.

[edit] References

^ a b Ragas in Carnatic music by Dr. S. Bhagyalekshmy, Pub. 1990, CBH Publications

^ a b Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub. 1964, The Music Academy of Madras

From

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanmukhapriya