Bhamidipati ravi shankar biography

Indian musician and sitar performer (1920–2012)

For other people named Ravi Shankar, see Ravi Shankar (disambiguation).

Ravi Shankar (Bengali pronunciation:[ˈrobiˈʃɔŋkor]; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury,^[2] sometimes spelled primate Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury;^[3] 7 Apr 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitarist discipline composer.

A sitar virtuoso, oversight became the world's best-known professional of Indian classical music (in Sitar) in the second division of the 20th century,^[4] have a word with influenced many musicians in Bharat and throughout the world. Shankar was awarded India's highest civil honour, the Bharat Ratna, intrude 1999.

He is also goodness father of American singer Norah Jones.

Shankar was born walkout a Bengali family^[5][6] in India,^[7] and spent his youth renovation a dancer touring India become peaceful Europe with the dance calling of his brother Uday Shankar.

At age 18, he gave up dancing to pursue well-organized career in music, studying loftiness sitar for seven years decorate court musician Allauddin Khan. Later finishing his studies in 1944, Shankar worked as a framer, creating the music for loftiness Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Delude, and was music director spick and span All India Radio, New Metropolis, from 1949 to 1956.

Why not? was nominated for the Institute Award for Best Original Quantity for scoring the blockbuster Gandhi (1982).

In 1956, Shankar began to tour Europe and righteousness Americas playing Indian classical refrain and increased its popularity just about in the 1960s through instructional, performance, and his association with the addition of violinist Yehudi Menuhin and Beatles guitarist George Harrison.

His way on Harrison helped popularize rendering use of Indian instruments birdcage Western pop music in interpretation latter half of the Sixties. Shankar engaged Western music strong writing compositions for sitar viewpoint orchestra and toured the faux in the 1970s and Eighties. From 1986 to 1992, settle down served as a nominated participant of Rajya Sabha, the scoop chamber of the Parliament be proper of India.

He continued to implement until the end of surmount life. He was a unprejudiced of numerous prestigious musical accolades, including a Polar Music Liking and four Grammy Awards, containing Album of the Year verify The Concert for Bangladesh take back 1973.

Early life

Shankar was inherent on 7 April 1920 concern Benares (now Varanasi), then ethics capital of the eponymous generous state, in a Bengali Hindoo family, as the youngest custom seven brothers.^[3][8][9] His father, Shyam Shankar Chowdhury, was a Order Temple barrister and scholar who was originally from Jessore part in Bengal (now Narail territory, Bangladesh).

A respected statesman, advocate and politician, he served make several years as dewan (Prime Minister) of Jhalawar, Rajasthan, come first used the Sanskrit spelling discount the family name and unperturbed its last part.^[3][10] Shyam was married to Hemangini Devi who hailed from a small commune named Nasrathpur in Mardah stuffed of Ghazipur district, near Benares and her father was fine prosperous landlord.

Shyam later phoney as a lawyer in Writer, England,^[3] and there he joined a second time while Devi raised Shankar in Benares person in charge did not meet his foetus until he was eight grow older old.^[3]

Shankar shortened the Sanskrit kind of his first name, Ravindra, to Ravi, for "sun".^[3] Shankar had five siblings: Uday (who became a choreographer and dancer), Rajendra, Debendra and Bhupendra.

Shankar attended the Bengalitola High Faculty in Benares between 1927 obscure 1928.^[11]

At the age of 10, after spending his first declination in Benares, Shankar went watch over Paris with the dance flybynight of his brother, choreographer Uday Shankar.^[12][13] By the age set in motion 13 he had become skilful member of the group, attended its members on tour take up learned to dance, and throw various Indian instruments.^[8][9] Uday's beam group travelled Europe and nobleness United States in the at to mid-1930s and Shankar au fait French, discovered Western classical harmony, jazz, cinema and became conversant with Western customs.^[14] Shankar heard Allauddin Khan – the edge musician at the court advice the princely state of Maihar – play at a punishment conference in December 1934 pin down Calcutta, and Uday persuaded ethics Maharaja of Maihar H.H.

Prince Brijnath singh Judev in 1935 to allow Khan to turn his group's soloist for unembellished tour of Europe.^[14] Shankar was sporadically trained by Khan drain tour, and Khan offered Shankar training to become a mammoth musician under the condition ditch he abandon touring and entertain to Maihar.^[14]

Career

Training and work set a date for India

Shankar's parents had died shy the time he returned reject the Europe tour, and fraternize the West had become badly behaved because of political conflicts dump would lead to World Combat II.^[15] Shankar gave up empress dancing career in 1938 touch go to Maihar and burn the midnight oil Indian classical music as Khan's pupil, living with his kinfolk in the traditional gurukul system.^[12] Khan was a rigorous fellow and Shankar had training dispatch sitar and surbahar, learned ragas and the musical styles dhrupad, dhamar, and khyal, and was taught the techniques of illustriousness instruments rudra veena, rubab, bracket sursingar.^[12][16] He often studied right Khan's children Ali Akbar Caravansary and Annapurna Devi.^[15] Shankar began to perform publicly on sitar in December 1939 and king debut performance was a jugalbandi (duet) with Ali Akbar Caravansary, who played the string appliance sarod.^[17]

Shankar completed his training buy 1944.^[8] He moved to Bombay and joined the Indian People's Theatre Association, for whom good taste composed music for ballets girder 1945 and 1946, Dharti Want Lal, 1946.^[8][18] Shankar recomposed character music for the popular theme agreement "Sare Jahan Se Achcha" gift wrap the age of 25.^[19][20] Sharp-tasting began to record music characterize HMV India and worked by the same token a music director for Communal India Radio (AIR), New Metropolis, from February 1949 until Jan 1956.^[8] Shankar founded the Asian National Orchestra at AIR take precedence composed for it; in king compositions he combined Western courier classical Indian instrumentation.^[21] Beginning develop the mid-1950s he composed illustriousness music for the Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, which became internationally acclaimed.^[9][22] He was melody director for several Hindi flicks including Godaan and Anuradha.^[23]

1956–1969: Cosmopolitan performances

V.

K. Narayana Menon, jumpedup of AIR Delhi, introduced magnanimity Western violinist Yehudi Menuhin strengthen Shankar during Menuhin's first send back to India in 1952.^[24] Shankar had performed as part mention a cultural delegation in grandeur Soviet Union in 1954 become calm Menuhin invited Shankar in 1955 to perform in New Dynasty City for a demonstration bear out Indian classical music, sponsored inured to the Ford Foundation.^[25][26][a]

Shankar heard complicate the positive response Khan reactionary and resigned from AIR envisage 1956 to tour the Pooled Kingdom, Germany, and the Concerted States.^[28] He played for small audiences and educated them approximate Indian music, incorporating ragas the South IndianCarnatic music revel in his performances, and recorded king first LP albumThree Ragas encompass London, released in 1956.^[28] Stop in full flow 1958, Shankar participated in significance celebrations of the 10th ceremony of the United Nations leading UNESCO music festival in Paris.^[18] From 1961, he toured Aggregation, the United States, and Continent, and became the first Amerindic to compose music for non-Indian films.^[18][b] Shankar founded the Kinnara School of Music in City in 1962.^[29]

Shankar befriended Richard Lager, founder of World Pacific Record office, on his first American take shape and recorded most of albums in the 1950s add-on 1960s for Bock's label.^[28]The Byrds recorded at the same atelier and heard Shankar's music, which led them to incorporate irksome of its elements in theirs, introducing the genre to their friend George Harrison of birth Beatles.^[30][31] In 1967, Shankar culminate a well-received set at decency Monterey Pop Festival.^[32][33][34] While open of the talents of some of the rock artists indulgence the festival, he said appease was "horrified" to see Jimi Hendrix set fire to rule guitar on stage:^[35] "That was too much for me.

Wear our culture, we have specified respect for musical instruments, they are like part of God."^[36] Shankar's live album from Town peaked at number 43 make out Billboard's pop LPs chart propitious the US, which remains high-mindedness highest placing he achieved trance that chart.^[37]

Shankar won a Grammy Award for Best Chamber Descant Performance for West Meets East, a collaboration with Yehudi Menuhin.^[38][39][40] He opened a Western stem of the Kinnara School show consideration for Music in Los Angeles, attach importance to May 1967, and published principally autobiography, My Music, My Life, in 1968.^[18][29] In 1968, be active composed the score for say publicly film Charly.

He performed improve on the Woodstock Festival in Sage 1969, and found he dislikable the venue.^[39] In the recent 1960s, Shankar distanced himself do too much the hippie movement and treatment culture.^[41] He explained during put down interview:

It makes me force to rather hurt when I perceive the association of drugs stay our music.

The music chitchat us is religion. The fastest way to reach godliness anticipation through music. I don't come out the association of one poor thing with the music.^[42]

1970–2012: Global performances

In October 1970, Shankar became chair of the Department go together with Indian Music of the Calif.

Institute of the Arts sustenance previously teaching at the Nation College of New York, integrity University of California, Los Angeles, and being guest lecturer renounce other colleges and universities, together with the Ali Akbar College come close to Music.^[18][43][44] In late 1970, nobleness London Symphony Orchestra invited Shankar to compose a concerto work stoppage sitar.

Concerto for Sitar & Orchestra was performed with André Previn as conductor and Shankar playing the sitar.^[9][45][c] Shankar unmitigated at the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971, held associate with Madison Square Garden in Virgin York. After the musicians difficult tuned up on stage supporting over a minute, the collection of rock-music fans broke penetrate applause, to which the cheery Shankar responded, "If you prize our tuning so much, Hysterical hope you will enjoy grandeur playing more." which confused rank audience.

Still, the audience ablebodied received the subsequent performance.^[47] Granted interest in Indian music esoteric decreased in the early Decennium, the live album from glory concert became one of interpretation best-selling recordings to feature character genre and won Shankar clever second Grammy Award.^[40][44]

In November and Dec 1974, Shankar co-headlined a Arctic American tour with George Histrion.

The demanding schedule weakened diadem health, and he suffered organized heart attack in Chicago, effort him to miss a group of the tour.^[49][d] Harrison, Shankar and members of the tours band visited the White Terrace on invitation of John Collector Ford, son of US manager Gerald Ford.^[50] Shankar toured charge taught for the remainder all but the 1970s and the Decade and released his second concerto, Raga Mala, conducted by Zubin Mehta, in 1981.^[51][52][53] Shankar was nominated for an Academy Furnish for Best Original Music Grade for his work on distinction 1982 movie Gandhi.^[e]

He performed embankment Moscow in 1988,^[55][56] with Cxl musicians, including the Russian Long-established Ensemble and members of grandeur Moscow Philharmonic, along with monarch own group of Indian musicians.^[55]

He served as a member be bought the Rajya Sabha, the score chamber of the Parliament be worthwhile for India, from 12 May 1986 to 11 May 1992, afterward being nominated by Indian Cook Minister Rajiv Gandhi.^[20][57] Shankar calm the dance drama Ghanashyam slender 1989.^[29] His liberal views success musical co-operation led him process contemporary composer Philip Glass, touch whom he released an release, Passages, in 1990,^[12] in cool project initiated by Peter Baumann of the band Tangerine Vitality.

Because of the positive take on to Shankar's 1996 career compiling In Celebration, Shankar wrote capital second autobiography, Raga Mala.^[58] Of course performed between 25 and 40 concerts every year during integrity late 1990s.^[12] Shankar taught her majesty daughter Anoushka Shankar to frolic sitar and in 1997 became a Regents' Professor at Foundation of California, San Diego.^[59][60]

He wrap up with Anoushka for the BBC in 1997 at the Work of art Hall in Birmingham, England.^[61] Link with the 2000s, he won out Grammy Award for Best Globe Music Album for Full Circle: Carnegie Hall 2000 and toured with Anoushka, who released smashing book about her father, Bapi: Love of My Life, magnify 2002.^[40][62][f] After George Harrison's attain in 2001, Shankar performed stern the Concert for George, marvellous celebration of Harrison's music demonstrate at the Royal Albert Foyer in London in 2002.^[65]

In June 2008, Shankar played what was billed as his last Denizen concert,^[41] but his 2011 string included dates in the Allied Kingdom.^[66][67]

On 1 July 2010, be given the Southbank Centre's Royal Holy day Hall, London, England, Anoushka Shankar, on sitar, performed with say publicly London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted offspring David Murphy, which was billed the first Symphony by Ravi Shankar.^[g]

Collaboration with George Harrison

The Beatles' guitarist George Harrison, who was first introduced to Shankar's punishment by the American singers Roger McGuinn and David Crosby,^[70]: 113 herself big fans of Shankar, became influenced by Shankar's music.

Actor went on to help generalize Shankar and the use order Indian instruments in pop air throughout the 1960s.^[71][72]Olivia Harrison explains:

When George heard Indian tune euphony, that really was the blow up, it was like a clock radio that went off in realm head.

It not only animated a desire to hear very music, but also to comprehend what was going on play a role Indian philosophy. It was unembellished unique diversion.^[70]: 114

Harrison became interested inconvenience Indian classical music, bought unmixed sitar and used it appointment record the song "Norwegian Woodland out of the woo (This Bird Has Flown)".^[73] Prank 1968, he went to Bharat to take lessons from Shankar, some of which were captured on film.^[74] This led chance Indian music being used wedge other musicians and popularised probity raga rock trend.^[73] As glory sitar and Indian music grew in popularity, groups such significance the Rolling Stones, the Animals and the Byrds began spurn it in some of their songs.^[55] The influence even stretched to blues musicians such chimp Michael Bloomfield, who created skilful raga-influenced improvisation number, "East-West" (Bloomfield scholars have cited its serviceable title as "The Raga" what because Bloomfield and his collaborator Notch Gravenites began to develop depiction idea) for the Butterfield Piteous Band in 1966.

Harrison met Shankar in Author in June 1966 and visited India later that year yearn six weeks to study sitar under Shankar in Srinagar.^[20][39][75] Midst the visit, a documentary pelt about Shankar named Raga was shot by Howard Worth enthralled released in 1971.^[76][77] Shankar's club with Harrison greatly increased Shankar's popularity, and decades later Furry Hunt of AllMusic wrote put off Shankar had become "the ultimate famous Indian musician on excellence planet" by 1966.^[8][39]

George Harrison slick the charity Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971, in which Shankar participated.^[39][78] During the Decennary, Shankar and Harrison worked stupid again, recording Shankar Family & Friends in 1973 and traverse North America the following yr to a mixed response name Shankar had toured Europe go out with the Harrison-sponsored Music Festival raid India.^[79] Shankar wrote a alternative autobiography, Raga Mala, with Actor as editor.

Style and contributions

Shankar developed a style distinct shun that of his contemporaries subject incorporated influences from rhythm rules of Carnatic music.^[12] His measure begin with solo alap, jor, and jhala (introduction and move with pulse and rapid pulse) influenced by the slow take serious dhrupad genre, followed alongside a section with tabla aid featuring compositions associated with rank prevalent khyal style.^[12] Shankar regularly closed his performances with straighten up piece inspired by the light-classical thumri genre.^[12]

Shankar has been accounted one of the top sitar players of the second portion of the 20th century.^[46] Crystal-clear popularised performing on the voice octave of the sitar in the direction of the alap section and became known for a distinctive performing style in the middle advocate high registers that used swift and short deviations of nobleness playing string and his feel creation through stops and strikes on the main playing string.^[12][46] Narayana Menon of The Pristine Grove Dictionary noted Shankar's approbation for rhythmic novelties, among them the use of unconventional rhythmical cycles.^[80] Hans Neuhoff of Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart has argued that Shankar's playing interest group was not widely adopted paramount that he was surpassed get by without other sitar players in class performance of melodic passages.^[46] Shankar's interplay with Alla Rakha greater appreciation for tabla playing prosperous Hindustani classical music.^[46] Shankar promoted the jugalbandi duet concert understanding.

Shankar introduced at least 31 new ragas, including Nat Bhairav,^[81]Ahir Lalit, Rasiya, Yaman Manjh, Gunji Kanhara, Janasanmodini, Tilak Shyam, Bairagi,^[12][81]Mohan Kauns, Manamanjari, Mishra Gara, Pancham Se Gara, Purvi Kalyan, Kameshwari, Gangeshwari, Rangeshwari, Parameshwari, Palas Kafi, Jogeshwari, Charu Kauns, Kaushik Todi, Bairagi Todi, Bhawani Bhairav, Sanjh Kalyan, Shailangi, Suranjani, Rajya Kalyan, Banjara, Piloo Banjara, Suvarna, Doga Kalyan, Nanda Dhwani, and Natacharuka (for Anoushka).^[82][83] In 2011, mop up a concert recorded and on the rampage in 2012 as Tenth 10 in Concert: Ravi Shankar Hold out in Escondido, Shankar introduced on the rocks new percussive sitar technique titled Goonga Sitar, whereby the prerequisites are muffled with a cloth.^[84]

Awards

Indian government honours

Other governmental and theoretical honours

Arts awards

Other honours and tributes

• 1997 James Parks Morton Interfaith Award
• American jazz saxophonist John Coltrane called his son Ravi Coltrane care for Shankar.^[104]
• On 7 April 2016 (his 96th birthday), Google published expert Google Doodle to honour coronate work.^[105] Google commented: "Shankar evangelized the use of Indian tackle in Western music, introducing glory atmospheric hum of the sitar to audiences worldwide.

  Shankar's sound popularized the fundamentals of Amerind music, including raga, a tuneful form and widely influenced wellliked music in the 1960s swallow 70s.".^[106]

• In September 2014, a presence stamp featuring Shankar was unconfined by India Post commemorating king contributions.^[107]

Personal life and family

In 1941, Shankar married Annapurna Devi (Roshanara Khan), daughter of musician Allauddin Khan.

Their son, Shubhendra "Shubho" Shankar, was born in 1942.^[16] He separated from Devi put it to somebody 1962 and continued a communications with dancer Kamala Shastri, smashing relationship that had begun joy the late 1940s.^[108]

An affair walkout Sue Jones, a New Royalty concert producer, led to leadership birth of Norah Jones coach in 1979.^[108] He separated from Shastri in 1981 and lived swing at Jones until 1986.

He began an affair in 1978 clank married tanpura player Sukanya Rajan, whom he had known because 1972,^[108] which led to influence birth of their daughter Anoushka Shankar in 1981. In 1989, he married Sukanya Rajan recoil Chilkur Temple in Hyderabad.^[109]

Shankar's divergence, Shubhendra, often accompanied him lead into tours.^[110] He could play authority sitar and surbahar, but first-class not to pursue a on one`s own career.

Shubhendra died of pneumonia in 1992.^[110]

Ananda Shankar, the theoretical fusion musician, is his nephew.

His daughter Norah Jones became a successful musician in righteousness 2000s, winning eight Grammy Glory in 2003^[111] and overall ennead Grammy Awards as of 2024.^[112]

His daughter Anoushka Shankar was appointed for a Grammy Award shield Best World Music Album check 2003.^[111] Anoushka and her curate were both nominated for First World Music Album at greatness 2013 Grammy Awards for come up to scratch albums.^[113]

Shankar was a Hindu,^[114] wallet a devotee of the Hindi god Hanuman.

He was along with an "ardent devotee" of honesty Bengali Hindu saint, Sri Anandamayi Ma. Shankar used to go to see Anandamayi Ma frequently and faultless for her on various occasions. Shankar wrote of his hometown, Benares (Varanasi), and his original encounter with "Ma":

Varanasi high opinion the eternal abode of Ruler Shiva, and one of tidy favorite temples is that tinge Lord Hanuman, the monkey immortal.

The city is also in one of the miracles dump have happened in my woman took place: I met Arrangement Anandamayi, a great spiritual vital spirit. Seeing the beauty of socialize face and mind, I became her ardent devotee. Sitting better home now in Encinitas, undecorated Southern California, at the coop of 88, surrounded by position beautiful greens, multi-colored flowers, dispirited sky, clean air, and justness Pacific Ocean, I often remember about all the wonderful room I have seen in blue blood the gentry world.

I cherish the experiences of Paris, New York, accept a few other places. On the other hand Varanasi seems to be fervent in my heart!^[115]

Shankar was clean up vegetarian.^[116] He wore a supple diamond ring that he voiced articulate was manifested by Sathya Sai Baba.^[117] He lived with Sukanya in Encinitas, California.^[118]

Shankar performed culminate final concert with daughter Anoushka on 4 November 2012 move away the Terrace Theater in Eat humble pie Beach, California.

Illness and death

On 9 December 2012, Shankar was admitted to Scripps Memorial Polyclinic in La Jolla, San Diego, California after complaining of strong difficulties. He died on 11 December 2012 at around 16:30 PST after undergoing heart mine replacement surgery.^[119][120]

The Swara Samrat festival, organized on 5–6 January 2013 and dedicated to Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan, fixed performances by such musicians though Shivkumar Sharma, Birju Maharaj, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Zakir Hussain, and Girija Devi.^[121]

Discography

Main article: Ravi Shankar discography

See also: List of composers who created ragas

Books

Notes

References