An exploration of the hyper-sophisticated tonal systems outside of western classical music begins with Raga... And Ravi Shankar.

What is a Raga?

Let Pandit Shankar fill you in.

Here's a crash course from the special features of a 2002 BBC/Opus Arte documentary about the legendary Hindustani classical composer titled Ravi Shankar: In Portrait.

 

Where the octave in the world of Western classical music is divided into 12 (mostly) equal intervals, the Indian classical octave is split into 22 intervals -- closer to the denser ancient Greek tuning systems than what evolved into the 12 half-steps of the current Western standard. Starting with 72 different groups of these pitches (like a scale), variations on each group exist in the form of which notes hold dominant roles or call for emphasis (like a mode). There are, however, deeper layers of intention in each Raga. Whether associated with a particular day part, season, goddess/god, ritual, colour, or sentiment; each and every Raga (of which there are too many to name) holds its own personality. That is where (I think) the greatest distinction lies.

That isn't to say that certain composers in the western fold didn't associate particular key areas with fixed emotional ideas (most notably Mozart), but the density and specificity of Indian tonal systems make diatonic scales seem primitive and ambiguous.

In this next short film Music of India (1966), various Hindustani (North Indian) and Carnatic (South Indian) Ragas are introduced and demonstrated by various ensembles, including one featuring a very young Pandit Jasraj (just after the 11 minute mark).

 

 

Now, to indulge in the story of how the intensely variegated landscape of Indian classical music came to the West.

In 1955, it was Yehudi Menuhin who first invited Shankar to introduce New York to the brilliance and beauty of the Indian classical sound. After a dozen years of friendship and collaboration, the pair recorded a killer concept album in 1967 which spent 18 weeks on the Billboard Classical chart that year. His work with Menuhin inspired a commission the London Symphony Orchestra for his first Concerto for Sitar and Orchestra in 1970, premiered live at Royal Festival Hall and recorded at Abbey Road in January of 1971.

In the mid-1960s, George Harrison was introduced to him through his friends The Byrds, inspiring the incorporation of sitar on the legendary Beatles song Norwegian Wood (Rubber Soul, 1965). Shankar also performed at the unforgettable inaugural Monterey Festival in 1967 (celebrating its 50th anniversary this year); the event immortalized in the Eric Burdon and the Animals song. 

Apparently "Ravi Shankar's music made [Eric Burdon] cry."

But, it was Ravi Shankar who shed a tear or two when he witnessed Jimi Hendrix light his guitar on fire. From a 1997 interview in Rolling Stone:

"Then I saw Jimi Hendrix. I saw how wonderful he was at the guitar, and I was really admiring him, and then he started his antics. Making love to the guitar. And then, as if that was not enough, he burned the guitar. That was too much for me. In our culture we have such respect for musical instruments, they are like part of God."

Part of Shankar's Monterey performance along with footage of lessons he gave George Harrison and collaborations with Yehudi Menuhin are included in this 1971 documentary about the international superstardom of this legendary musician. The project culminated in The Concert for Bangladesh to raise awareness and fund relief efforts in the wake of the Bangladesh Liberation War and genocide. The first of its kind, a super-group including Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, and Ringo Starr joined Harrison and Shankar at Madison Square Garden for the benefit.

Join Ravi Shankar and friends in Raga: A Film Journey into the Soul of India (1971) directed by Howard Worth for the Beatles' Apple Films.

Tune in next Wednesday for another episode of Mid-week Musicology here on Classic107.com!