Indian classical performances follow a few broad shapes. A Carnatic concert, a Hindustani recital and a dance program are arranged in different ways, and artists within each tradition arrange them differently again. Knowing the broad outlines helps you sense where you are in an evening.
Carnatic music: many pieces around a center
A Carnatic concert is usually built from a series of compositions. It often opens with a brisk piece, commonly a varnam, and continues with songs chosen to contrast in raga, tempo and composer. One or two are expanded at length through improvisation. What a Concert Program Can Tell You explains how to spot the main piece. Shorter, lighter songs tend to come after it.
The order is a convention, and a fairly recent one. T. M. Krishna has pointed out that the format is less than a century old, and he has sung varnams in the middle of a concert rather than at the start.
Hindustani music: fewer, longer arcs
A Hindustani recital often gives a single raga extended treatment before moving on. In khayal, a vocal form, a slow composition is commonly followed by a faster one in the same raga. Instrumentalists often begin with a long passage without drums, and the tabla enters with the composition. A performance may then continue with further pieces. For how the two traditions differ more broadly, see Carnatic and Hindustani: Two Distinct Listening Traditions.
Dance: moving between modes
A dance recital may move between pure dance, where rhythm and line lead, and expressive pieces that tell a story or portray a character. In Bharatanatyam, the customary order of items is known as the margam. AFA’s April 2024 program with Rama Vaidyanathan was titled “New Dimensions to the Margam.” Dancers rework the order as well as follow it. See Bharatanatyam and Kathak for more on each form.
On the night
Some programs have an intermission and others run continuously, so check the event page. Within the performance, a few changes usually mark a new stage: the drums entering or falling silent, a shift in tempo, a lighter mood after a long piece. If you are unsure what to listen for, Listening Without Knowing the Repertoire offers some starting points.
For practical details on attending, see What to Expect.
Image: Kaushiki Chakraborty
