Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar, KBE, born Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury, his name often preceded by the title Pandit, was a known Indian musician and a composer of Hindustani classical music. He was one of the best-known exponents of the sitar in the second half of the 20th century and influenced many other musicians throughout the world...
NationalityIndian
ProfessionSitar Player
Date of Birth7 April 1920
CityVaranasi, India
CountryIndia
gradually music
I started out as a dancer, but gradually became more interested in music.
came classical hear house music musicians western
My brother had a house in Paris. To it came many Western classical musicians. These musicians all made the same point: 'Indian music,' they said, 'is beautiful when we hear it with the dancers. On its own, it is repetitious and monotonous.'
america coming enjoy europe happy indian musicians seeing success
I enjoy seeing other Indian musicians - old and young - coming to Europe and America and having some success. I'm happy to have contributed to that.
electronic music
I don't appreciate avant-garde, electronic music. It makes me feel quite ill.
believe classical improvised last mozart music olden somehow western
In the olden days, I believe Mozart also improvised on piano, but somehow in the last 200 years, the whole training of Western classical music - they don't read between the lines, they just read the lines.
animation chances either fairy indian music provide secret sorts tale
My secret ambition was always to provide music for animation films: something with an Indian theme, either a fairy tale or mythological tale or on the Krishna theme. I still have a very deep desire, but these sorts of chances don't always come.
almost music sanctity spiritual
My music has a very spiritual background, a sanctity that is almost like worship.
analyzing duty music realizing
I try to give to my music the spiritual quality, very deep in the soul, which does something even if you are not realizing it or analyzing it - that's the duty of the music.
absolutely god learned music
The music that I have learned and want to give is like worshipping God. It's absolutely like a prayer.
keeps lets music
I will keep playing as long as my body lets me, and as long as I'm wanted by my listeners. Because music is the only thing that keeps me going.
believe classical composer electronic mixed music performer protecting tried
In India, I have been called a 'destroyer.' But that is only because they mixed my identity as a performer and as a composer. As a composer I have tried everything, even electronic music and avant-garde. But as a performer I am, believe me, getting more classical and more orthodox, jealously protecting the heritage that I have learned.
actress favorite fight india musician natural
It is natural to have your favorite actor or actress or musician or composer. But India is the only place where we fight over it.
based certain classical composed music perform sounds written
In the U.K., classical music is composed by individuals and written down. Indian music is based on certain sequences called ragas. When I perform live, 95% of the music is improvised: it never sounds the same twice.
respect musical culture
In our culture we have such respect for musical instruments, they are like part of God.