Another great talent , Ravi Shankar, has left this world. Well, technically,
he didn’t really leave anywhere. He simply ceased to function. But at the age
of 92, Mr. Shankar led a long and very productive life. He shared his amazing
musical talent with the world. Although he began his music in India, studying
under one of the great musicians of his time, Allauddin Khan, a disciple of Wazir Khan, who was a direct descendent of
the legendary Tansen, the chief musician of the Mughal emperor Akbar, he moved
beyond his home countryside. We were lucky enough to see and hear Mr. Shankar
perform on several occasions in New Delhi during the 1960s, and then later in
Washington at the Kennedy Center and in Charlotte. Listening to him play was a
transcendent experience. Even to the uninitiated, his Indian musical
performances were amazing. He was a true
global talent, carrying his music well beyond India. He played with jazz groups,
western classical groups and with the likes of the Beatles. He literally filled
the airs of the world with music that uplifted one.
Thank you Mr. Shankar for sharing your talents with us. You
dazzled the world.
The Manchester Guardian has published a wonderful obituary on Mr. Shankar, which you may read at this site:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/dec/12/ravi-shankar-dies?CMP=EMCNEWEML1355
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