Mangalam lyrics ravi shankar biography
Chants of India
studio album by Ravi Shankar
Chants of India is undecorated album by Indian musician Ravi Shankar released in on Falls Records. Produced by his boon companion and sometime collaborator George Histrion, the album consists of Vedic and other Hindu sacred prayers set to music, marking well-ordered departure from Shankar's more mundane work in the field extent Hindustani classical music. The rave about themes of the recorded chants are peace and harmony betwixt nature and all creatures. Assembly for the album took resource in the Indian city senior Madras and at Harrison's habitat in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, following queen work on The Beatles' Anthology (). Anoushka Shankar, John Barham, Bikram Ghosh, Tarun Bhatacharaya significant Ronu Majumdar are among interpretation many musicians who contributed join the recording.
Chants of India was well received by reviewers; author Peter Lavezzoli describes set great store by as "a quiet masterpiece" coupled with "the most fully realized collaboration" by Shankar and Harrison.[1] Shankar considered it to be betwixt the best works of climax year career.
In , say publicly album was reissued as cloth of the Dark Horse Registers box set Collaborations, which banded together various projects undertaken by say publicly two artists, beginning in Chants of India was the aftermost formal collaboration between Shankar mount Harrison, who was diagnosed slaughter cancer shortly after its assist. At the Concert for Martyr in November , Shankar unified some of the selections do too much Chants of India, including rendering album-closing "Sarve Shaam", in graceful set performed by daughter Anoushka as a tribute to Histrion.
Background and content
Having maintained unblended close friendship in the decades since their last official cooperation in ,[2][3]Ravi Shankar and Martyr Harrison began working together remit on projects to celebrate Shankar's 75th birthday.[4] Harrison first wind up successfully a four-disc career retrospective appear on EMI's Angel Records,[5]Ravi Shankar: In Celebration (),[6] which as well included unreleased recordings made unreceptive the pair,[7] before serving by the same token editor on Shankar's second experiences, Raga Mala.[8] When compiling In Celebration, Shankar and Harrison under the control of b dependent on with Angel Records the right lane of making an album invite Vedic chants and other Hindi sacred texts set to music.[8] According to Shankar, the copy company were hoping to retell the commercial success of uncluttered recording by "those Spanish monks"[9] – Chant, an album be successful Gregorian chants by the Benodictine monks of the Abbey regard Santo Domingo de Silos, featuring a contemporary rhythm section.[10][11] Writer Simon Leng describes the Chants of India project as wonderful "back to the roots" apply for Harrison, after his arrange of Radha Krishna Temple significant his own releases such translation "My Sweet Lord" and "It Is 'He' (Jai Sri Krishna)" in the s.[10][nb 1]
As remote as the words are occupied, they are open now [after 40 years], but the consignment I had to give, hottest add a slight orchestration bargain the background, was with that very thought that it necessity match this old sentimental, antique spiritual context that it has. At the same time, grizzle demand be too much, you know? Or sound very ritualistic resolve fundamentalist or anything like that.[19]
– Ravi Shankar,
Shankar had adult up in the Hindu devotional city of Benares,[20] where significance public chanting of Vedic hymns "[awakened] his passion for music", author Reginald Massey writes,[21] existing as a young man alongside the s he had embraced the concept of Nada Brahma (meaning "Sound is God"), in the shade the strict tutelage of masterpiece guruAllauddin Khan.[22][23] In his inside layer notes to Chants of India, Shankar nevertheless describes the business as "one of the domineering difficult challenges in my living, as a composer and arranger".[24] Shankar noted the precedents oblige such a venture: "Sanskrit chants from the Vedas, Upanishads become calm other scriptures have been filmed by many in India prosperous elsewhere, either in its uptotheminute form by the Traditional Scholars or sung within raga forms by eminent musicians with resultant instruments. Some have even attempted to make them more typical by using a semi-classical have a word with commercial approach. I wanted finished make a version different expend all these, but still keep up the tremendous spiritual force, mushroom purity of the Suktas, Shlokas and Mantras, and at rectitude same time make it invariably appealing."[24]
Shankar consulted a Dr Nandakumara of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London, regarding the advise of the Sanskrit texts.[24] Hold back from adapting these ancient texts, Shankar composed new selections make the album[3] – "Prabhujee", "Mangalam", "Svara Mantra" and "Hari Om" – and, as he have the result that it, "tuned them in rank same spirit".[24] Peter Lavezzoli, originator of The Dawn of Soldier Music in the West, writes of the album's themes: "The record begins with the prearranged invocation to Lord Ganesha, imperishable through a series of understood Hindu prayers and chants cause the collapse of the Rigveda, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita."[25] Harrison biographer Gary Tillery describes the songs' focus, masses the opening invocations, as "peace, love, ecology, and social harmony".[26]
Chants of India reunited Shankar favour Harrison with English musician opinion arranger John Barham.[10] Barham conj admitting Western annotation of Shankar's melodies,[27] a role he had foremost supplied for Shankar at ethics Bath Music Festival in , when the Indian sitar maestro had duetted with Yehudi Menuhin.[28]Anoushka Shankar conducted the musicians undergo the sessions,[24] having made sum up European performance debut in July at an official concert interrupt celebrate her father's 75th eat one\'s fill, held at the Barbican Nucleus in London.[8]
Recording
The Chants of India recording was somewhat complicated beside the fact that the put in writing company wanted to release titanic album of "spiritual" music wind would go to number one Neither George nor Ravi wilful to commercialize it to anything like that extent the single is strictly a Ravi Shankar classical Indian record.[10]
– John Barham, discussing Shankar and Harrison's seeing for Chants of India,
The first recording sessions were spoken for in the south Indian plug of Madras in January ,[10] at Sruthilaya Media Artists Studio.[27] After a second set accuse dates there, in April,[24][29] Shankar and Harrison decided to involve the project to Harrison's stick facility at Friar Park, queen home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.[10] According to Tillery, Madras had antediluvian chosen in order to "cultivate authenticity", being a music wherewithal of the South Asian vicinity, yet the atmosphere at Sruthilaya "seemed too secular for high-mindedness aura of spirituality they loved to create".[30][nb 2] A substantial cast of local musicians gratuitous to the recording in Province, on instruments such as veena, violin, flute, cello, tanpura abstruse mridangam, while the chorus chorus (divided into "Indian" and "Western" groups on the sleeve credits) numbered [27]
While in India accent April, Harrison visited the sacred city of Vrindavan with realm Radha Krishna Temple friends Mukunda Goswami and Shyamasundar Das.[31] Distinction pilgrimage inspired him in her majesty current work with Shankar, initiator Joshua Greene writes,[32] just considerably a visit to Vrindavan challenging been the catalyst for presentation Shankar's Music Festival from Bharat revue[33] and their joint Northerly American tour that year.[34][35] Spontaneous July , Shankar and Histrion reconvened at Friar Park, aft Harrison had recorded a assessment for Carl Perkins' Go Hombre Go! album.[36] The Friar Protected area sessions for Chants of India took place in the house's drawing room, with cables be painful through from the studio globe above[26] – the same arrange under which Harrison had be given b win the Music Festival from India studio album,[37] in summer [38]
I like producing Ravi's music, thanks to for me it's educational primate well as a joy simulation work with. It's actually soporific to your soul, and indictment helps you to focus steal transcend.[39]
– George Harrison,
From 7 July,[40] sessions ran intermittently invasion to late August.[36] Shankar afterwards told Rolling Stone magazine turn this way he wrote "Mangalam" at that time: "'Mangalam' came to self-ruling while I was walking sky Friar Park, George's place, neighbourhood we were recording. I was looking at the trees streak the sky, and feeling seize elated all of a bark, wishing everything should be beneficial for everyone, and it impartial came to me."[9]
Among the involved musicians at Friar Park were Shankar's occasional tabla player Bikram Ghosh,[1] along with Tarun Bhatacharaya (santoor), Ronu Mazumdar (bansuri flute) and Jane Lister (harp).[27][nb 3] While operating mainly in primacy role of producer, Harrison responded to Shankar's requests to implement on the recordings;[26] Harrison planned on acoustic guitar, bass, autoharp, vibraphone and percussion, as pitch as supplying backing vocals.[43] Shankar's wife Sukanya, a trained songster in the Karnatak tradition,[44] was also among the vocalists midst what the album sleeve lists as the "London sessions".[27] Illustriousness recording and remix engineer was John Etchells.[27]
Tillery describes the fabrication of Chants of India since a "labor of love" vindicate Harrison following his participation sediment the Beatles' Anthology project,[26] put forward Barham similarly recalls it orangutan having been "a pleasure excavation on this beautiful record".[10] Vibrate Shankar's recollection, following a playback of some of the tracks,[45] Harrison was so moved walk he "embraced me with disappointment in his eyes and purely said, 'Thank you, Ravi, in the direction of this music.'"[46] According to Lavezzoli, the album was one comment Shankar's "personal favorite works".[8]
Release
Angel Rolls museum issued Chants of India take somebody in 6 May in America, smash a UK release following success 1 September.[47][48] The album was marketed as a collaborative work,[49] and Harrison joined Shankar just the thing promoting the release.[50]
These activities categorized television appearances in New Royalty and Paris,[51] one of which, for America's VH1 network, immediately on 24 July as George & Ravi – Yin & Yang.[52] In what would translation out to be Harrison's endorsement performance on a TV show,[53] he and Shankar discussed interpretation album and their shared autobiography, such as the Concert on Bangladesh ().[1] Harrison then common an acoustic guitar from hotelman John Fugelsang[54] and performed songs including the just-released "Prabhujee", dynasty with Ravi and Sukanya Shankar.[55][56]
Reception
Chants of India was critically well-received,[62][63] while commercially it peaked suspicious number 3 on Billboard magazine's Top World Music Albums chart.[64] On release, Josef Woodard only remaining Entertainment Weekly labelled the textbook "enchanting" and added: "Unlike Shankar's classical raga recordings, Chants robust India is a set stencil short, colorfully arranged pieces, amusing for neophytes and devotees in agreement. Another jewel from a unpretentious world-music superstar."[60]JazzTimes described it considerably "a surprisingly colorful and vulnerable set of 16 pieces".[65] Smudge his review for Billboard, Saint Verna commented that "the delegation possesses a hypnotic quality indicative of the label's enormously wellreceived Gregorian chant recordings" and concluded: "'Chants of India' represents uncut creative milestone in the self-possessed of a veteran artist whose contributions to traditional Indian congregation cannot be overestimated."[58]
Peter Lavezzoli writes of the album: "Chants homework India is a quiet jewel, one of the most information and musically engaging recordings heed sacred music Harrison's production built the ideal setting for scold chant, all of which varying exquisitely sung, and the autograph album remains the most fully verified collaboration between both artists."[1] Jim Brenholts of AllMusic similarly praises the work, writing: "Shankar's thing and diversity allow him advance open doors that are blocked to other musicians Shankar's compositional and sound-design styles add environment. Harrison's deft touch allows position music to develop and keep going its own integrity. Among rolls museum of this nature, this lag is special."[57]
Author and former Mojo editor Mat Snow considers in peace to be "perhaps the unpick best introduction to the longstanding creative friendship between the Asiatic classical master and the nucha from Liverpool's back streets".[66] Player biographer Alan Clayson describes Chants of India as a "thoroughly diverting production" that "[balances] voiced lyrics as succinct as haiku and instrumental passages of adroit quirky complexity vaguely reminiscent depict Frank Zappa".[67] Writing in Goldmine magazine in , Gillian Gaar described the album as "a sound that's akin to 'Within You, Without You'", and "especially soothing and relaxing" due cross-reference the devotional nature of glory words.[68] Anastasia Tsioulcas of NPR Music includes Chants of India in her list of Shankar's five "essential" works, and writes: "Shankar took Hindu prayers, mantras and scriptural texts and unalterable them within larger musical settings, incorporating both Indian and Denizen instruments along with voices. Say publicly results are transporting – very last very beautiful."[69]
Legacy and reissue
The secluded and musical friendship between Ravi Shankar and George Harrison was powerful enough to make highrise impact on the large, melodic life of the later cardinal sixties and it reverberates, chimp clearly, even today. I would go as far as put the finishing touches to say that today there gaze at scarcely be a musician up in the air composer virtually anywhere in leadership world that is not judicious of, nor been touched unhelpful, the fruits of the exceptional encounter between these two.[70]
– Framer Philip Glass,
Chants of India was the last formal sweet-sounding collaboration between Shankar and Harrison.[10] During promotion for the lp in summer ,[71] Harrison was diagnosed with cancer, a dispute he was then thought tell apart have beaten[72][73] until a near-fatal stabbing by a deranged select, on 30 December , pleased its return.[74][75] On 29 Nov , a year after crown death at the age unconscious 58, Shankar included selections immigrant Chants of India in grandeur opening, Indian music portion bank the Concert for George,[76] engaged at the Royal Albert Portico in London.[44] Anoushka Shankar accomplished the set, as sitarist remarkable conductor,[77] backed by some be more or less the musicians and singers who had contributed to the Mendicant Park sessions in , counting Sukanya Shankar,[78] Chandrashekhar, M. Balachandar and Lister.[79] The album-closing "Sarve Shaam" appears at the elicit of David Leland's Concert stick up for George documentary film (),[79] faked as Harrison's widow Olivia radiance commemorative candles on stage.[44][80]
As measurement of Ravi Shankar's 90th event celebrations in ,[81]Dark Horse Registry reissued Chants of India heritage a four-disc box set gentlemanly Collaborations.[82] A project overseen put forward produced by Olivia Harrison,[70][83] excellence box set also included depiction albums Shankar Family & Friends () and Ravi Shankar's Masterpiece Festival from India (), band together with previously unreleased film lecture the Music Festival's debut track record in September ,[84] directed hard Stuart Cooper.[85][nb 4]
Track listing
All songs are traditional, adapted by Ravi Shankar, except where noted.
- "Vandanaa Trayee" –
- "Omkaaraaya Namaha" –
- "Vedic Chanting One" –
- "Asato Maa" –
- "Sahanaa Vavavtu" –
- "Poornamadah" –
- "Gaayatri" –
- "Mahaa Mrityunjaya" –
- "Veenaa-Murali" –
- "Geetaa" –
- "Mangalam" (Ravi Shankar, Dr Nandakumara) –
- "Hari Om" (Shankar) –
- "Svara Mantra" (Shankar) –
- "Vedic Chanting Two" –
- "Prabhujee" (Shankar) –
- "Sarve Shaam" –
Personnel
Madras sessions
| London sessions
|
See also
Notes
- ^In the –70 recordings credited get closer Radha Krishna Temple (London), class first UK branch of character International Society for Krishna Consciousness,[12] Harrison had helped popularise nobleness Hare Krishna (or maha) mantra[13] and, in the case late "Govinda", what is reputed feel be the world's first ode, taken from the Satya Yuga.[14] "My Sweet Lord" also includes part of the maha mantra[15] and a prayer in approval of one's guru, the Educator Stotram,[16] while in his ditty "It Is 'He'", Harrison modified the Sanskrit words of well-ordered kirtan[17] that he, Shankar dispatch others had sung in skilful temple at Vrindavan in Feb [18]
- ^Author Keith Badman writes turn this way Shankar and Harrison used exceptional second location in the hindrance during April – Swara Laya Studio.[29]
- ^During the sessions, Harrison historical Ghosh and Lister's contributions belong the Indian segment of sovereignty song "Brainwashed",[41] released posthumously overshadow his album of the identical name.[42]
- ^In another release to imprint the start of Shankar's ordinal decade, East Meets West reissued the long-unavailable documentary on Shankar, Raga.[86] As well as attendance in the film,[87][88] Harrison communicate its soundtrack album[89] and if finance through Apple Films.[90]
References
- ^ abcdLavezzoli, p.
- ^Allison, p.
- ^ abTillery, p.
- ^Lavezzoli, pp. –96,
- ^"Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar: In Celebration: Releases", AllMusic (retrieved 21 Oct ).
- ^The Editors of Rolling Stone, p.
- ^Clayson, p.
- ^ abcdLavezzoli, p.
- ^ abAl Weisel, "Ravi Shankar on his pal Martyr Harrison and 'Chants of India'", Rolling Stone, 15 May (retrieved 26 November ).
- ^ abcdefghLeng, owner.
- ^"Benedictine Monks of Santo Tenor de Silos – Chant", AllMusic (retrieved 13 March ).
- ^"The Radha Krishna Temple", Apple Records (retrieved 24 October ).
- ^The Editors give evidence Rolling Stone, pp. ,
- ^Greene, pp. , –
- ^Allison, p.
- ^Greene, pp. –
- ^George Harrison, pp. –
- ^Tillery, pp. –
- ^Ravi Shankar, in Collaborations, p.
- ^Ken Hunt, "Ravi Shankar", AllMusic (retrieved 24 November ).
- ^Reginald Massey, "Ravi Shankar obituary", The Guardian, 12 December (retrieved 24 November ).
- ^Lavezzoli, pp. 17, 51,
- ^Shankar, My Music, My Life, pp. 58, 65,
- ^ abcdefRavi Shankar's liner notes, Chants racket India CD (Angel Records, ; produced by George Harrison).
- ^Lavezzoli, pp. –
- ^ abcdTillery, p.
- ^ abcdefAlbum credits, Chants of India Record (Angel Records, ; produced insensitive to George Harrison).
- ^Lavezzoli, pp. 62–63,
- ^ abBadman, p.
- ^Tillery, pp. –
- ^Greene, pp. –
- ^Greene, p.
- ^Olivia Actor, p.
- ^Tillery, pp. –
- ^Leng, pp. ,
- ^ abMadinger & Wind, p.
- ^Collaborations, p.
- ^Lavezzoli, pp. ,
- ^Huntley, p.
- ^Badman, proprietor.
- ^Leng, pp. –
- ^Lavezzoli, pp. –
- ^The Editors of Rolling Stone, proprietress.
- ^ abcLavezzoli, p.
- ^Leng, pp. –
- ^Shankar, Raga Mala, p.
- ^Badman, p.
- ^Tillery, pp. ,
- ^Leng, pp. –
- ^Allison, pp. –
- ^Badman, pp. , ,
- ^Clayson, pp. ,
- ^Leng, p.
- ^Badman, pp. –
- ^Madinger & Easter, p.
- ^Huntley, owner.
- ^ abJim Brenholts, "Ravi Shankar Mantram: Chants of India", AllMusic (retrieved 8 August ).
- ^ abPaul Verna, "Reviews & Previews" > Albums, Billboard, 7 June , p. 77 (retrieved 11 Venerable ).
- ^Larkin, p.
- ^ abJosef Woodard, "Chants of India, Ravi Shankar", Entertainment Weekly, 1 August (retrieved 18 November ).
- ^John Lewis, "Miscellany: My sitar's quantum leaps", Uncut Ultimate Music Guide: George Harrison, TI Media (London, ), holder.
- ^Greene, p.
- ^Rodriguez, p.
- ^"Ravi Shankar Chants of India: Awards", AllMusic (retrieved 8 August ).
- ^"Ravi Shankar – Mantram: Chants Go with India CD Album" > Artefact description, CD Universe/Muze (retrieved 8 August ).
- ^Snow, p.
- ^Clayson, proprietor.
- ^Gillian G. Gaar, "Shankar/Harrison inactive succeeded on crossover appeal", Goldmine, 31 January (retrieved 4 Grand ).
- ^Anastasia Tsioulcas, "5 Essential Ravi Shankar Recordings, From 'West Meets East' To 'West Eats Meat'", NPR Music, 12 December (retrieved 22 August ).
- ^ ab"Foreword vulgar Philip Glass", in Collaborations, owner. 1.
- ^Badman, pp. ,
- ^Greene, pp. ,
- ^Huntley, pp. –
- ^Tillery, pp. –43,
- ^Dhani Harrison interview, contain George Harrison: Living in representation Material World DVD (Roadshow Distraction, ; directed by Martin Scorsese; produced by Olivia Harrison, Nigel Sinclair & Martin Scorsese).
- ^Ravi Shankar interview, in Concert for George.
- ^Leng, pp. –
- ^Lavezzoli, pp. ,
- ^ abBooklet with Concert for George.
- ^Introduction, in Concert for George.
- ^Sean Michaels, "George Harrison and Ravi Shankar collaborations to be reissued", , 18 August (retrieved 8 Grand ).
- ^News: "11/5/10 Ravi Shankar/George Histrion Collaborations box set now available"Archived 23 October at the Wayback Machine, , 5 November (retrieved 21 October ).
- ^Olivia Harrison, "George Harrison and Ravi Shankar Trunk Set 'Collaborations' is a Labour of Love for Me – Spinner". Archived from the beginning on 2 January Retrieved 26 October : CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), Spinner, 18 October (archived model retrieved 8 August ).
- ^Richie Unterberger, "George Harrison/Ravi Shankar Collaborations", AllMusic (retrieved 8 August ).
- ^Badman, possessor.
- ^News: "8/15/10 Raga DVD"Archived 23 October at the Wayback Contrivance, , 15 August (retrieved 22 October ).
- ^Leng, p.
- ^Badman, proprietor.
- ^Lavezzoli, p.
- ^Clayson, p.
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