Music >> Artists >> World
Birth Name:
Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury

Genre:
World

Years Active:
'30s, '40s, '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s






Ravi Shankar

Biography

Rabindra Shankar Chowdery, aka Ravi Shankar, was born on April 7, 1920, in Varanasi, India, into a well-off orthodox Brahmin family. His father, ShyÆm Shankar, was employed as a diwan (minister) by the Maharajah of Jhalawar. By the age of 13, Ravi Shankar was going along on every tour of his brother Uday Shankar's Compaigne de Danse et Musique Hindou (Company of Hindu Dance and Music). At the All-Bengali Music Conference in December 1934, he met the multi-instrumentalist Allauddin Khan. Precisely when Allauddin Khan was born is uncertain. People hazard dates in the 1860s around 1862, but in later years he himself gave his age haphazardly. He would transform many musicians' lives, but he had an incalculable effect on Ali Akbar (his son), Annapurna Devi (his daughter), and Shankar himself. Allauddin Khan joined Uday's troupe as its principal soloist around 1935-1936.. In 1938, Shankar gave up a potential career as a dancer and went to study with Allauddin Khan in Maihar. In 1939, he began giving public recitals and came out of training at the end of 1944. Until 1948, he based himself in Bombay and gave programs all over India. He toured and wrote for films and ballet. Around this time he began his recording career with a small session for HMV (India). Work for All India Radio followed, as music director from February 1949 to January 1956 in New Delhi. Concurrently, his international star was on the rise. In 1954, he performed in the Soviet Union. In 1956, he played his debut solo concerts in Western Europe and the U.S. Within a decade he would be the most famous Indian musician on the planet. Within two decades he became probably the most famous Indian alive. His English-language autobiography, My Music, My Life (1969), is still one of the best general introductions to Hindustani music. It would be hard to over-estimate his influence in late 20th century Western music. His disciples included George Harrison and Philip Glass.

Shankar was not one-dimensional. Apart from pursuing a career as a classical performer, he also experimented outside this field. For this reason he has attracted criticism from purists. Some of this, especially during the Beatles era, undoubtedly had an element of jealousy to it, and some was certainly warranted, because Shankar did take many chances. In fact, that was one of the things that kept his music exciting. To use a cricketing image — baseball would be wholly inappropriate — Shankar's batting average remained high throughout a long and illustrious career. In later life, he spent a great deal of time in the U.S. at his home in California, and continued to give spellbinding live performances well into the new century. However, his final concert took place in Bangalore, southwest India, in February 2012, where he shared the stage with his daughter, Anoushka. Sadly, following a long period of ill health, Shankar passed away at a San Diego hospital on December 11, 2012, aged 92. A pair of albums appeared later that year, Living Room Sessions: Part 1 and a performance of Shankar's only symphony composition, simply called Symphony, done by the London Philharmonic Orchestra with David Murphy.

Top Albums


1. Ravi Shankar
Spirit of India, Ravi Shankar
2. Spirit of In..
The Very Best of Ravi Shankar (Remastered), Ravi Shankar
3. The Very Bes..
The Sounds of India, Ravi Shankar
4. The Sounds o..
Collaborations, Ravi Shankar
5. Collaboratio..
Vision of Peace - The Art of Ravi Shankar, Ravi Shankar
6. Vision of Pe..
Ragas (Remastered), Ali Akbar Khan
7. Ragas (Remas..
Incredible Ravi Shankar, Ravi Shankar
8. Incredible R..
The Spirit of India, Alla Rakha
9. The Spirit o..
Passages, Ravi Shankar
10. Passages
Chants of India, Ravi Shankar
11. Chants of In..
Homage to Mahatma Gandhi, Ravi Shankar
12. Homage to Ma..
Inside the Kremlin, Ravi Shankar
13. Inside the K..
Maestro's Choice: Series One - Ravi Shankar, Ravi Shankar
14. Maestro's Ch..
Sitar Soul, Ravi Shankar
15. Sitar Soul
The Living Room Sessions, Pt. 1, Ravi Shankar
16. The Living R..
The Living Room Sessions, Pt. 2, Ravi Shankar
17. The Living R..
North India: Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ravi Shankar
18. North India:..
The Legendary Ravi Shankar: Golden Jubilee Concert (Live In London) [featuring Shubho Shankar], Ravi Shankar
19. The Legendar..
Menuhin Meets Shankar, Ravi Shankar
20. Menuhin Meet..

Top Songs

NameAlbumTimePrice
1.
Raga Bahar: Alap and Gat in EktaalRavishankar: 70 Classical I..6:13$0.99
2.
Escondido ImprovisationRavi Shankar: Milestones, A..5:35$0.99
3.
Father & Daughter: San FranciscoRavi Shankar: Milestones, A..8:39$0.99
4.
Birth of RIMPARavi Shankar: Milestones, A..6:11$0.99
5.
Fathers & Sons: Fillmore WestRavi Shankar: Milestones, A..6:45$0.99
6.
UCLA: Lecture on NaadRavi Shankar: Milestones, A..5:11$0.99
7.
Nadodi Choolam MooliGarbhasreeman (Original Mot..4:38$0.99
8.
Devgiri Bilawal DhunRough Guide To Indian Class..6:02$0.99
9.
Chembarathi KammalittuManikyakkallu (Original Mot..4:35$0.99
10.
Le Mode Ahiri-LalitaWorld Class Classics: Ravi ..5:37$0.99
11.
Tabla Solo - JhaptalWorld Class Classics: Ravi ..5:10$0.99
12.
Swara-Kakali based on Ràga TilangYehudi Menuhin: One Hundred..8:50$0.99
13.
Raga Rageshri - Pt. 1 (Alap)Ravi Shankar Collection: Im..6:50$1.29
14.
KarnatakiRavi Shankar Collection: Im..6:43$1.29
15.
Fire NightRavi Shankar Collection: Im..4:37$1.29
16.
Improvisations On the Theme Music fr..Ravi Shankar Collection: Im..7:07$1.29
17.
Tabla Solo in EkialLive at Monterey6:19$1.29
18.
Dhun (Folk Airs)Ravi Shankar Collection: In..5:53$1.29
19.
Kafi Holi (Spring Festival of Colors..Ravi Shankar Collection: In..7:13$1.29
20.
Shanti MantraRavi Shankar: In Celebratio..6:43$1.29
21.
West Eats MeatRavi Shankar: In Celebratio..6:09$1.29
22.
3rd Movement Sitar Concerto No.1Ravi Shankar: In Celebratio..3:29$1.29
23.
2nd Movement Sitar Concerto No.1Ravi Shankar: In Celebratio..6:13$1.29
24.
Supaney Mein AyeRavi Shankar: In Celebratio..4:12$1.29
25.
Raga HamsadhwaniRavi Shankar Collection: In..9:17$1.29

Top Music Videos

Tappa (Raga Khamaj: Tala Chanchar) [Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974], Ravi Shankar
1. Tappa (Raga K...
Thumri (Mishra Piloo: Tala Jat) [Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974] {Slideshow}, Ravi Shankar
2. Thumri (Mishr...
Raga Mala (Based on Raga Khamaj: Tala Teental) [Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974] {Slideshow}, Ravi Shankar
3. Raga Mala (Ba...
Ravi and Anoushka Mixing In 5.1 (Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974), Ravi Shankar
4. Ravi and Anou...
Introduction By George Harrison (Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974), Ravi Shankar
5. Introduction ...
Hymns from the Vedas (Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974), Ravi Shankar
6. Hymns from th...
Tarana (Raga Kirwani: Tala Ektal) [Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974], Ravi Shankar
7. Tarana (Raga ...
Vilambit Gat, Drut Gat and Jhala (Raga Yaman Kalyan: Tala Teental) [Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974], Ravi Shankar
8. Vilambit Gat,...
Naderdani (Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974), Ravi Shankar
9. Naderdani (Li...
Raga Jait: Tala Rupak (Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974), Ravi Shankar
10. Raga Jait: Ta...
Krishna Krishna (Bhajan) (Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974), Ravi Shankar
11. Krishna Krish...
Dehati (Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974), Ravi Shankar
12. Dehati (Live ...
Musicians Introduction (Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974), Ravi Shankar
13. Musicians Int...
Vandana (Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974) [Slideshow], Ravi Shankar
14. Vandana (Live...
Alap / Noom Toom / Jor (Raga Abhogi) [Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974] {Slideshow}, Ravi Shankar
15. Alap / Noom T...
Dhamar (Raga Vasanta: Tala Dhamar) [Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974] {Slideshow}, Ravi Shankar
16. Dhamar (Raga ...
Khyal (Raga Kedara: Tala Teental) [Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974] {Slideshow}, Ravi Shankar
17. Khyal (Raga K...
Tarana (Raga Kirwani: Tala Ektal) / Chaturanga [Raga Yaman Kalyan: Tala Teental] {Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974 / Slideshow}, Ravi Shankar
18. Tarana (Raga ...
Kajri (Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974) [Slideshow], Ravi Shankar
19. Kajri (Live A...
Pallavi / Thani Avarthanam (Raga Bilahari: Tala Aditala) [Live At the Royal Albert Hall 1974] {Slideshow}, Ravi Shankar
20. Pallavi / Tha...


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