For Subscribers

The Carnatic violin: a voice of fluid grace

2025-09-12T08:45:00

Lalgudi Siblings

Brought to India in the late 18th century, the violin now plays a central role in South Indian classical music. Nikhil Bhambri presents an introduction to its use in Carnatic concerts, and hears from some of its leading exponents

Imagine a Western violinist stepping into a Carnatic concert audience for the very first time. There’s a violinist on stage, yet everything looks different. The scene is intimate, with four musicians sitting cross-legged on the floor. The viewer notices the violin is resting on an ankle, angled towards the chest in a posture that departs from traditional Western technique, yet feels deeply thought out…

Already subscribed? Please sign in

Subscribe to continue reading…

We’re delighted that you are enjoying our website. For a limited period, you can try an online subscription to The Strad completely free of charge.

  • Free 7-day trial

    Not sure about subscribing? Sign up now to read this article in full and you’ll also receive unlimited access to premium online content, including the digital edition and online archive for 7 days.

    Free trial

    No strings attached – we won’t ask for your card details

  • Subscribe 

    No more paywalls. To enjoy the best in-depth features and analysis from The Strad’s latest and past issues, upgrade to a subscription now. You’ll also enjoy regular issues and special supplements* and access to an online archive of issues back to 2010.

    Subscribe

 

* Issues and supplements are available as both print and digital editions. Online subscribers will only receive access to the digital versions.