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He is the first composer to have composed the 72-mela ragamalika geetam, a unique formula-piece appropriate for both practice and performance.
He is the only composer to have composed a whole piece with only descending phrases in Carnatic music (Sada nin padame - Chakravakam).
Versatile, he has composed in five languages - Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada.
Other unique works include Pancha-raga-tala-jati-malika tillana, Dwigati Tillana, Raga-bhasha-malika krti, Navaraga malika ragaakshara pallavi, Tillana in Chatushra-tishra gati and various pieces that employ swarakshara (where the word matches the solfa note) in interesting and at times, even in a thematic manner.
He has also composed hundreds of short (ragam-tanam) pallavis minutes before performing them and numerous interesting korvais (rhythmic cadenzas).
Ravikiran's compositions include about 350 conventional performing music forms and about 250 other diverse creations, which form a part of his music-dance productions and melharmonic and other instrumental works. His Carnatic compositions cover a range of themes in musical forms such as varnam, krti, padam, javali, tillana and folk melodies such as chindu.He has also employed a new musical form that he has named swarakrti (compositions sans lyrics but with well-defined structure similar to krti). He has composed major pieces in majestic, traditional ragas like Yadukulakambhodhi, Shahana, Dhanyasi, Surati and Devagandhari, and also handled ragas such as Ranjani, Kadanakutoohalam, Bindumalini and Sindhubhairavi. His varnams and tillanas are a blend of the innovative and the intricate.
Most of Ravikiran's compositions adhere to rules of classical Indian rhyme, but a few intentionally deviate from the conventional path. They are marked by alliteration, word play, swarakshara-s and on occasions, raga-mudra (raga name incorporated in the lyrics).
Like most traditional Carnatic composers who used signature (mudra) for their compositions, Ravikiran signs his pieces with the phrase, ravi-shashi . However, many of his operatic pieces will not bear this signature. Some pieces also have the word, 'Ravikiran' incorporated in the lyrics
Ravikiran's works more often rendered by his disciples than himself. He prefers to focus on the works of other quality composers and spends more time and energy championing the less-known creations of brilliant composers like Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi. On a lighter vein, he remarks, "My most noteworthy stat as a composer is being born exactly 200 years after Tyagaraja (1767-1847)!"
For a list of Ravikiran's Carnatic compositions, please
click here.
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