THIS IS A RARE AND USED ITEM. IT IS NOT MANUFACTURED ANYMORE. NO RETURNS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

The name of Ravi Shankar will go down in letters of old in the annals of the History of Indian classical Music. To him goes the credit of introducing Indian Classical Music to millions of people outside India and elevating its prestige in the Musical World.

He was born in 1920, at Benaras the holiest of the holy cities situated on the banks of the sacred river Ganga. At the tender age of nine, he set out on a tour abroad along with his eldest brother Uday Shankar the dance maestro and his troupe. The trip gave Ravi Shankar a splendid opportunity of witnessing and studying great personalities during their performances in conducting orchestras, ballets, symphonies and operas. Gifted with a receptive brain and sharp intellect he imbibed all the best in Western Music, which later on helped him interpret Indian Classical Music to Western audiences.

After his return to India, he went in quest of learning to Ustad Allauddin Khan the music wizard. Over there, he was put through grueling tests in order to prove his desire to learn and his devotion to Art. In the end Ravi Shankar was successful and ‘Baba’ (as the Ustad is called in fond reverence by his disciples) accepted him. He qualified as a ‘Soloist’ after several years of rigorous training and practice and then set out to carve for himself a career in the year 1940. Since then the bright, young boy has travelled a long way during the past three decades to blossom into a maestro more heard and respected than many other artistes.

His achievements in the field of creation are befitting his genius. He is the first Indian composer to receive a foreign award for his music in the film ‘KABULIWALA’, when he won the Silver bear in Berlin in 1957. He was also the first to be invited to write scores for foreign films (THE CANADIAN FANTASY’, ‘THE CHAIRY TALE’ AND ‘THE FLUTE AND THE BOW’). He has also proved his creative genius by providing music in the ballets ‘INDIA IMMORTAL’ and ‘DISCOVERY OF INDIA’!

He experimented in orchestration and used Western Orchestra as a medium for the expression of Indian Classical Music. Another example of his creative genius is the Sitar Concerto he wrote and produced in London with the London Symphony Orchestra. The world acclaimed his music in Pather Panchali. He also conducted the National Orchestra of All India Radio with great success. His close and intimate association with Yehudi Menuhin the violin virtuoso has resulted in many interesting and successful discs cut jointly by them.

Awards have come his way but the most outstanding of them was the distinction conferred on him when he was awarded the Padma Bhusan and the President’s Award four times.

His presentation of three new ragas of his own creation on this record unfolds his virtuosity as a composer and performer of rare and astounding talent. Ravi Shankar’s flawless rendering together with consummate artistry of presentation carries listeners to celestial heights.

THE MUSIC

SIDE ONE: Raga Kameshwari

Alap, Jod and Gat set to Jhaptal of ten beats (5+5). Kameshwari is an evening Raga which resembles the Carnatic Raga Saraswati but whereas Saraswati excludes the Komal Ni in the ascending (Arohana) and dwells in the higher tetrachord (uttaranga). Kameshwari uses both the Dha and the Ni in the Arohana and dwells in the lower tetrachord (purvanga).

SIDE TWO: 

(A)  Raga Bangeshwari – Gat set to Rupak Tal of seven beats (3+4). Raga Gangeshwari is a morning raga.

(B)  Raga Rangeshwari – Gat set to slow and fast Teental of 16 beats (4+4+4+4). This is an evening Raga.

All these three Ragas (created by Ravi Shankar) have been derived by using the old Murchhana (scale-wise progression) and Swarabheda (getting different Ragas by changing Sa or the tonic in a Raga).

Artists: 

Pandit Ravi Shankar (Sitar), Ustad Alla Rakha (Tabla)

Tracks:

SIDE ONE: 

Raga Kameshwari

SIDE TWO: 

Raga Gangeshwari

 Raga Rangeshwari