anoushka taking her father's legacy forward

India's classical music is deeply bound to the country's ancient mystical traditions. This unique Rough Guide brings together the greatest names in Indian Classical music, performing some of the most beautiful ragas of India’s classical legacy. Enjoy the musical artistry of legendary performers such as Shivkumar Sharma, Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Zakir Hussain and Ravi Shankar.

For more information, visit www.worldmusic.net/indianclassical

THE ROUGH GUIDE TO INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC

India's classical music is deeply bound to the country's mystical ancient traditions. Stretching back  through time to the Vedic period musical historians encounter the Rigveda, an ancient collection of Sanskrit hymns, and the Sama Veda, a text which begins to discuss the origin of seven shruti (notes) from the sounds of nature. The practice of combining tones in certain sequences and the notation system that was developed during this era is connected to the development of the Indian classical raga form. 'Raga' literally translates as a 'hue' of colour and is a musical method of constructing melody through prescribed conventions. Ragas are linked to different moods and times of the day. Amjad Ali Khan's ‘Raga Chhaya Nat’ is in the Hindustani (North Indian) chhayanat mode and illuminates his crystalline prowess on the sarod, a stringed lute that is played with a plectrum. Uppalapu Srinivas' song 'Sankari Sankuru' is played on his mandolin in saveri raga, which is said to bring about the mood of pity and was originally composed by one of Carnatic (South Indian) music’s greatest figures Syama Sastri (1762-1827). 

Indian Classical Legends Shivkumar Sharma, Hari Prasad Chaurasia and Brij Bhushan Kabra are heard delicately delivering a Hindustani bhairav raga on ‘Ahir Bhairav’. This raga is related to Sikh tradition from northern India and appears in the Guru Granth Sahib (the central religious text of Sikhism). Ravi Shankar’s radiant sitar shines bright on the fast-paced track ‘Devgiri Bilawal Dhun’. Shankar’s name and ascendant international career is now synonymous with Indian classical music. Widely regarded as a musical sage or pandit, his definition of raga touched upon its vast and complex nature, describing it as a ‘scientific, precise, subtle and aesthetic melodic form’. Another sitar scholar, Vilayat Khan is heard on ‘Dhun Punjabi Ang’. The Khan musical lineage traces all the way back to the court musicians of the Mughal Empire.

Father and son duo Allah Rakha and Zakir Hussain enter into percussive playoff on the live track ‘Ek Taal’. Tabla virtuouso Zakir Hussain remains grounded by the musical discipline and natural flair he inherited from his father who he regarded as ‘a spirit who was created to work for music by God’. Carnatic vocalist Dr M. Balamuralikrishna’s marvellously melodic instrument sparkles on ‘Sadhathava Pada’. His formidable range and versatile tone mark him out as a legendary singer. He is also credited with popularising the jugulbandi concept in Indian classical music – when two soloists of equal skill perform together. Riverboat Records artist Jyotsna Srikanth contributes ‘Annapoorne’, a work crafted by the famous Carnatic composer, Muttuswami Dikshitar. The subject matter concerns Annapoorne, the Hindu goddess of nourishment. The raga used is sama, one that denotes peace.

Uncover the mystery and beauty of India’s verdant classical tradition on this excellent introduction to one of the world’s most valuable musical repertoires. 

Jyotsna Srikanth: Annapoorne (taken from The Rough Guide To Indian Classical Music)

Anoushka Shankar - Lasya

Being a bombayaite, I have always waited for the rains. For me monsoons have always been electrifying. indeed the fill our minds and body with a sense of electricity that brings out the hidden emotions within us. For Bombay and for the monsoons that will always play a major role in defining the spirit of the city.

Midival Punditz - Rebirth (Anoushka Shankar)

Pt Ajay Prassana - Bansuri
Karsh Kale - Tabla

Live in Langkawi 

YAMAN - KARSH KALE/AJAY PRASANNA - ASHES

01 Aaj More Ghar Ao

03 Track 3

Gaurav Raina (of Midival Punditz) and Ankur Tewari (of Ankur and The Ghalat Family) have collaborated on a new track called ‘A Distant Rumble’.

"In his many trips to Delhi, Ankur dropped into my Village Studio one evening, armed with an acoustic guitar, and started to jam on an electronic loop I was working on. The jam lasted over six hours and out of that emerged ‘A Distant Rumble’. Its an exploration into sound textures, harmonics and hard beats."
- Gaurav

A Distant Rumble - Grain & Ankur Tewari (Free Download!)

TUM CHANDAN HUM PAANI-Pandit Jasraj

Anoushka Shankar plays 'Pancham Se Gara

Beautiful Sitar instrumental by the best Sitar players; Pandit Ravi Shankar & his dauter; Anoushka Shankar.

[HQ] Pandit Ravi Shankar   Anoushka Shankar Live (BBC) - Raag Khamaj - YouTube

'The Gypsy' is an ode to wanderlust, featuring Anoushka Shankar on sitar, Sanjeev Shankar on shehnai, and Pirashanna Thevarajah on percussion. Much like the city the episode was filmed in, New Delhi, the track is unapologetically modern, and yet steeped in tradition.

Download the song: bit.ly/10MLnBj

'The Gypsy' - Anoushka Shankar, Sanjeev Shankar, Pirashanna Thevarajah - The Dewarists S02E05

At Dewar’s, we believe in harnessing passion and turning it into action.The Dewarists embodies the Dewar’s philosophy that some things are just worth doing.



'The Gypsy' - Anoushka Shankar, Sanjeev Shankar, Pirashanna Thevarajah - The Dewarists S02E05

The Dewarists

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