Shri Chitravina Ravikiran' s revised and updated IV Edition of "Perfecting Carnatic Music - Level I' (Aug 2012) is a must have for all students of Carnatic Music. The book covers and offers refreshing perspectives on time-honoured fundamentals of Carnatic Music including sections on theory, practice exercises, which comprise Sarali, Jantai, and other varishais, and practice compositions like geetams, swarajatis and simple tiruppugazhs, besides a series of appendices.

Contents: Foreword. 1. Approaching Carnatic Music. 2. Melody on rhythm. 3. Composers of Carnatic Music. Practical exercises - Phase I: Getting started (Varnams). Practical exercises - Phase II: Krtis. Appendices: 1. 16 note system. 2. Scheme of 72 melakartas. 3. Some popular ragas. 4. 7, 35 and 175 talas. 5. Suggested listening. 6. A few useful technical terms. Published by: The International Foundation for Carnatic Music.

This book features the lyrics and notation of the Kamakshi Navavarna krtis and Saptaratna krtis of Venkata Kavi, which, some feel are the first of their kind creations in the Carnatic arena. One cannot help but be mesmerized by the confluence of the emotive, intellectual and spiritual aspects, which form the very back bone of Indian culture.

This book is a result of a study of over 400 compositions of the mega-composer and analyses Venkata Kavi's substantial contributions to meldy, rhythm, literature, poetry, opera, dance, culture, history and spiritualism. It brings to fore his exemplary humble, cheerful and positive attitude.

Tamil version of the notated compositions of Tanjavur Shanakra Iyer.