Some thought has also been given to how widely available a particular recording might be, although Carnatic performances are by no means as well-distributed in recording as the volume of the tradition might imply. Recordings which are more widely available have been given some preference for the list, but this is not always possible, unfortunately. Carnatic music is the classical music of South India. Madras in Tamil Nadu is the leading center of the academic establishment, though many artists come from the neighboring states of Andhra, Kerala, and Karnataka, as well as some from other states of India or even abroad. As in Indian music in general, vocal rendition is the primary means of musical expression, and in fact most compositions performed by instrumentalists are exact copies of vocal works.
Concerts are usually heavily miked and then amplified.
Though there are a large number of fine compositions, performance practice dictates the incorporation of improvisational features by the artists within these compositional frameworks. An artist is not considered complete without the ability to improvise at any potential point during a rendition. Despite its short-comings, it is hoped that this list will represent a worthwhile and meaningful introduction for the beginner and that the variety of performers included will allow one to form preferences for further listening. The number ten seemed like a reasonable restriction on volume for an endeavor of this nature. It is important for the reader to note that these selections are by no means unanimous or unequivocal.