Indian Carnatic Vocalist Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna. Characteristic of Balamuralikrishna’s musical journey have been his non-conformism, spirit of experimentation, and boundless creativity. Balamuralikrishna has experimented with the Carnatic music system by keeping its rich tradition untouched. Ragas such as Ganapathi, Sarvashri, Mahati, Lavangi etc. are credited to him. The ragas which he invented represent his quest for new frontiers. Ragas such as Lavangi are set to three or four notes in ascending and descending scale. Ragas such as Mahathi, Lavangi, Sidhdhi, Sumukham that he created have only four notes; while his other ragaa creations such as Sarva Sri, Omkaari, and Ganapathy have only three notes.
He also innovated in the tala (rhythm) system. He has incorporated ‘Gati Bhedam’ (గతి భేదం) in the ‘Sashabda Kriya’ (సశబ్ద క్రియ). Actions that can produce sound/shabda (శబ్ద) in talas are called sashabda kriya – సశబ్ద క్రియ and are a part of the existing Tala chain.
Trimukhi, Panchamukhi, Saptamukhi, and Navamukhi are the basic classifications in his New Tala System. Balamuralikrishna has over 400 compositions to his credit and is one of the very few people to have composed in all the 72 Melakarta Ragas and has created several ragas, with 4 notes and 3 notes and also has invented a new Tala system. His compositions encompass every genre in Carnatic Music including Varnas, Krithis, Thillanas, Bhavageethas. Having begun his musical career at a very young age, by age fifteen he had mastered all the 72 melakartha ragas and had composed krithis in each of them. Not merely content with his fame as a Carnatic vocalist, he also played the Kanjira, Mridangam, Viola, and Violin.
