Syama Sastri or Shyama Shastri was a musician and composer of Carnatic music.
11 Facts About Syama Sastri
2.
Syama Sastri was the oldest among the Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar being the other two.
3.
Syama Sastri was known as one of the trinity of carnatic music.
4.
Syama Sastri was born in Tiruvarur, in what is the state of Tamil Nadu.
5.
Syama Sastri received his instruction in the vedas, astrology, and other traditional subjects early on and learned music from his maternal uncle.
6.
Syama Sastri was later trained in music by Adiappayya, a noted durbar musician of Thanjavur.
7.
Syama Sastri did not have many disciples to propagate his compositions, nor was the printing press widely accessible during his time.
8.
Syama Sastri composed kritis, varna and svarajati with the ankita or mudra Syama Krishna.
9.
Syama Sastri was probably the first to compose in a new form of the svarajati musical genre, where the compositions could be rendered solely in a singing or instrumental manner.
10.
Syama Sastri's set of three famous svarajati are intended to be sung in concert rather than danced, and are sometimes referred to as "Ratnatrayam".
11.
Syama Sastri is known for his ability to compose in the most complex of talas.