Pandit Ravi Shankar - A Discography

 

Vinyl LP Records

 1.⁠ ⁠Madhukauns, Jogiya & Dhun.

 2.⁠ ⁠Hamsadhwani, Kafi Dhun & Ramkali.

 3.⁠ ⁠Ahir Bhairav, Simhendra Madhyamam & Jog.

 4.⁠ ⁠Deshi, Shuddha Sarang & Yaman Manj.

 5.⁠ ⁠Hem Bihag, Malaya Marutham, Mishra Mand.

 6.⁠ ⁠Madhuvanti, Mishra Mand.

 7.⁠ ⁠Puriya Dhanasri, Charukeshi, Kafi Holi, Dhun & Mishra Piloo.

 8.⁠ ⁠Pather Panchali, Fire Night, Keeravani & Rageshri.

 9.⁠ ⁠Abhogi Kanada & Tilak Shyam.

10.⁠ ⁠Ahir Lalit & Rasiya.

11.⁠ ⁠Lalit & Khamach.

12.⁠ ⁠Nat Bhairav & Mishra Pilu.

13.⁠ ⁠Bihag

14.⁠ ⁠Parameshwari

15.⁠ ⁠Gangeshwari, Rangeshwari & Kameshwari.

16.⁠ ⁠Alihiya Bilaval & Patdeep

17.  Shuddha Kalyan, Samant Sarang & Devagiri Bilaval.

18.  Dadra, Maru Bihag, Bhimpalasi & Sindhi Bhairavi.

19.⁠ ⁠Malkauns & Multani.

20.⁠ ⁠Bhopal Todi & Sindhi Bhairavi.

21.⁠ ⁠Bhim palas, Pancham se Gara (Monterry)

22.⁠ ⁠Hamir, Gara.

23.⁠ ⁠Jogeshwari

24.⁠ ⁠Mohan Kauns & Hemant.

25.⁠ ⁠Shuddha Kalyan & Rasiya (Victoria Memorial)

26.⁠ ⁠Puriya Dhanasri, Manj Khamach (Woodstock).

With Ali Akbar Khan

27.⁠ ⁠Bilaskhani Todi & Palas Kafi.

28 Shree & Sindhu Bhairavi

29.⁠ ⁠Durga & Khamach

30.⁠ ⁠Hem Bihag, Manj Khamach & Sindhu Bhairavi.

31.⁠ ⁠Mishra Pilu.

32.⁠ ⁠Jhinjoti & Bahar (solo).

With Yehudi Mehuhin

33.⁠ ⁠Prabhati, Puriya Kalyan & Tilang.

34.⁠ ⁠Ananda Bhairav, Mishra Pilu & Dhun.

35.⁠ ⁠Nat Bhairav, Puriya Danasri, Miya ki Todi, Nat Bhairavi.

Orchestral & Film music

36.⁠ ⁠Durga, Shiva Ranjini, Rokudan, Kaushik Dhwani. (Japan)

37.⁠ ⁠Meera Film Songs.

38.  Music from "Charly".

39.  Music from "Gandhi".

40.  Festival from India.

41.  Shankar Family & Friends.

42.  Jazz Mine.

43.  Asian Games 1982 Music.

44.  Sitar Concerto 1 with Previn.

45.  Sitar Concerto 2 with Mehta.

7" Extended Play E.P. Records

 1.⁠ ⁠Marwa, Hemant, Yamani Bilaval & Prach.

 2.⁠ ⁠Sindhu Bhairavi, Tilak Shyam, Nat Bhairav & Puriya Kalyan.

 3.⁠ ⁠Bhatiyar, Hameer, Keeravani & Rasiya.

 4.⁠ ⁠Ahir Lalit, Pancham se Gara, Yaman Manj & Bengali Kirtan.

 5.⁠ ⁠Kaushi Bhairav & Khamach.

 6.⁠ ⁠Megh & Nand.

 7.⁠ ⁠Janasanmohini & Mishra Gara.

 8.⁠ ⁠Todi & Manj Khamach (with Ali Akbar). 

 9.⁠ ⁠Mishra Jhinjoti (with Ali Akbar) & Joi Bangla.

10.⁠ ⁠Songs from film "Anuradha".

Pre-recorded Cassettes

 1.⁠ ⁠Abhogi, Desh, Todi & Thumri.

 2.⁠ ⁠Asa Bhairav, Kaunsi Kanada & Mishra Gara.

 3.⁠ ⁠Passages (with Philip Glass).

 4.⁠ ⁠Tana Mana.

 5.⁠ ⁠Inside the Kremlin.

 6.⁠ ⁠Ahir Bhairav & Bengali Kirtan (Live at Hyderabad)

 7.⁠ ⁠Ananda Bhairav & Sindhi Bhairavi. (Live at Pune).

 8.⁠ ⁠Parameshwari (Dover Lane)

 9.⁠ ⁠Asa Bhairav & Mishra Bhairavi (Dover Lane)

10.⁠ ⁠Encounter (for festival of France).

11.⁠ ⁠Bagesri, Manj Khamach (Live at Delhi).

12.⁠ ⁠Chants of India.

13.⁠ ⁠Genesis film music.

14.⁠ ⁠Chappaqua film music.

15.⁠ ⁠Kaushi Kanada & Mishra Gara (Carnegie)

Compact Discs

 1.⁠ ⁠Gangeshwari (Live at Allahabad).

 2.⁠ ⁠Kaunsi Kanada & Bihag

 3.⁠ ⁠Janasanmodini & Desh (Copenhagen)

 4.⁠ ⁠Bibhas, Parameshwari (Hollywood).

 5.⁠ ⁠Dhun & Sindhi Bhairavi (Hollywood).

 6.⁠ ⁠Malgunji, Khamaj, Kedar & Satyajit.

 7.⁠ ⁠Mishra Kafi, Sindhi Bhairavi & Bhairavi.

 8.⁠ ⁠Multani & Vachaspati.

 9.⁠ ⁠Symphony London Philharmonic.

10.⁠ ⁠Basant Mukhari, Basant Pancham & Kedar.

11.⁠ ⁠Sanjh Kalyan, Yaman & Dhun.

12.⁠ ⁠Bairagi Todi, Gaud Sarang, Gara.

13.⁠ ⁠Bairagi, Nat Bhairavi & Marwa.

14.⁠ ⁠Tilak Kamod, Bhatiyar & Dhun

15.⁠ ⁠Bhatiyar, Sindhu Bhairavi (Stutgart)

16.⁠ ⁠Todi & Shuddha Sarang (Montery 67)

17.⁠ ⁠Todi, Manj Khamach & Shailangi (Venice)

18.⁠ ⁠Rajya Kalyan, Pahadi Jhinjoti.

19.⁠ ⁠Anandi Kalyan & Desh.

20.⁠ ⁠Miya ki Malhar, Sindhura & Kafi.

21.⁠ ⁠Jhinjoti & Khamach (70th Anniversary)

22.⁠ ⁠Bihag & Pancham se Gara. (70th A.)

23.⁠ ⁠Charu Kauns & Dhun.

24.⁠ ⁠Purvi Kalyan, Puriya Kalyan & Man Pasand.

25.⁠ ⁠Jait & Keeravani (Albert Hall).

26.⁠ ⁠Mishra Khamach (Albert Hall).

27.⁠ ⁠Yaman Kalyan. (Bangalore)

28.⁠ ⁠Tilak Shyam & Khamach. (Bangalore).

Studio/Live Recordings of Classical Music

There will necessarily be a difference between the two. In the case of a studio recording, right from the conception, the artist is aware of the eventual listener, probably a connoisseur & the contribution to posterity. The listener is one who is sufficiently interested (to invest his money, in the early days at least), to acquire the record & listen with full attention. Also in the quest for perfection, there will be many takes, and the best will be selected for release. So the finished product may be expected to be technically sound & artistically aimed at the "high end" of listeners.

On the other hand, the presence of a live appreciative audience may spur the performer(s) to higher levels of creativity, which may be captured in a live recording. However, the artist is bound to perform to please a broader spectrum of audience, including the philistines. So he/she may dumb down the presentation to cater to the lowest common denominator, or in other words, "to play to the gallery". This is evident in the Promenade concerts, where the audience is allowed to applaud between movements of a work, which is forbidden in a more formal setting. Also, any errors may be preserved.

A curious amalgamation of the above two, seemed to have taken place when Pandit Ravi Shankar played to his largest audience at Woodstock (estimated at 5 lakh listeners). He was dissatisfied with the audience & after the concert, was unhappy with the recording. So he is supposed to have recorded the same ragas in a studio, overdubbed with the live announcements & ambient noise at the venue & released the result as "Live At Woodstock"!

Education & Profession

The purpose of education is not only to provide knowledge or skills to obtain a living & provide status. Even people without education can obtain wealth & status, for example, in the underworld. The purpose of education is to produce a cultured individual capable of appreciating the fine arts & sports.

In addition to a knowledge of the natural world & overview of the sciences & arts, one should also be a useful member of society. Unfortunately, this comprehensive view of education is completely forgotten in the mad rush for wealth & status. The most frequently asked questions in a Google search are the searched person's "networth" rather than his/her achievements. 

This perversion has become so normalised that one views even entertainment through the distorting, irrelevant & ultimately egregious prism of money. One is more interested in the money earned by the filmstar or cricketer rather than enjoying their artistry on the screen or cricket field. 

How harmful it is to become besotted by film stars or cricketers, who are after all only entertainers, was probably anticipated by Chanakya himself when he placed various restrictions on entertainers' stay & travel from place to place, whereas bars, gambling dens & places offering female society were allowed, albeit under government control.

Coming back to education & profession, every professional person is quite often not educated at all in the true sense of the word, even though he/she may have a string of letters after their name.

The Four Ways of Demonstrating Hindustani Instrumental Music

1. 
   The First way is by singing the swaras using the words of the Khayal (or fixed composition) like the famous "Bole re papihara" in the raga Miya ki Malhar.
2. The second way is by singing the sargam or the actual swaras (or musical notes) being intoned by the composition. Like "M P nDNS__ g__gMRS" in the example given above.
3. In instrumental music, say the Sitar, the right-hand index finger is used to pluck the string to produce the sound. The inward pluck is called "da" & the outward "ra". There are other variations like "diri" etc. A singer can intone the sitar right hand plucking syllables while singing the swaras of the composition.
4. Similarly, the strokes on the Tabla are also identified by "Da, Dhin, Ta, Na" etc. The composition can also be sung (in the swaras denoted for it) while intoning the tabla syllables mentioned above.

Education & addressing people

Education presupposes attending school & using the dictionary at some point to know the exact meaning of words. The dictionary meaning of uncle/aunt is a sibling of one's parent. Similarly grandfather/grandmother is a parent of one's parent.

But what is happening in India since the last 50 years or so, is that even unrelated people perceived as slightly older than oneself are addressed as uncle/aunt. Those with even a strand of grey hair are addressed grandfather/grandmother (or its regional equivalent.) This started in South India with the influx of Hindi speaking people from the north, who are more at home in Hindi than English.

The semantically correct way of addressing people, used in countries where English is the first language, is by their name, prefixed with Mr./Ms. If the name is not known, Sir/Madam may be used. Addressing elderly strangers as grandpa/grandma is considered as a doubly provocative insult, because they are not biologically related & one is drawing attention to their age, which is extremely bad manners.

In a famous example, Anne of Green Gables, an orphan, on her arrival, asks Marilla, a middle aged spinster, "Can I call you Aunt Marilla?" Marilla sternly replies "No, because I am not your aunt & I don't like people being called names that don't belong to them. Just call me Marilla."

It is only to be hoped that the so-called "educated(!)" Indians, start to use words strictly according to their meaning in the dictionary. Addressing people by a non existent biological relationship is an insult rather than an assumption of family ties.