Reviews (page 7 of 8)
I actually was exposed to quite a lot of classical Indian music growing up, but I was never a fan and I’m afraid that hasn’t changed. Just not my style.
Nice relaxing morning sounds
An important album, but not a fun listen. Once in a lifetime is enough. 2/5
I appreciate this, but it was so hard to listen to.
I think I would have enjoyed watching this as a video. I liked the educational side but it was a little dull for just audio.
I though this was an interesting album, especially with the individual speaking notes in between tracks.
I've never heard of Ravi Shankar before, but listening to this album was a very unique experience. I don't know much about eastern music, but the sitar and other instruments were incredibly pleasant to listen to, and I appreciate that Ravi gave some explanations of each song and its structure. Not only is Ravi a skilled musician, but it's awesome that he was able to leave his fingerprint on popular western music via George Harrison. I think that the next time that I need to relax, I'll try another one of Ravi's albums.
Hmmm
I can see how drugs would make this considerably better. Nice to listen to different instruments & rhythms but doesn't inspire passion / heartbreak either.
Dit gaat niet goed he? Raak hier helemaal van over mijn toeren, het gaat ook maar door.
Tja, leuk om die invloeden in bijvoorbeeld de Beatles te horen. Maar na een paar keer skippen werd ik een beetje nerveus van dat loopse katten gejengel
Oef dit is wel een hele taaie dobber. Het zijn prachtige geluiden die er uit die citar komen, maar ik kan dit gewoon niet langer dan een paar minuten aanhoren. Krijg er zenuwtrekken van....
Education is important
Interesting to listen to but not something I will necessarily seek out again!
Not for me.
Would have preferred a non-instruction album, also do like the music but more together with other instruments or singing. The man is a legend of course, 3 stars
Vinyl
Definitely appreciated the first track and the explanation of the various instruments/musical structure. Very interesting though not something I would listen to again.
I struggled to get through this. It didn't annoy me, but I certainly didn't enjoy it and won't ever listen to it again. I'm just not a big fan of sitar.
Traditionel indisk musik, god introduktion, men svært at vænne sig til
лекция приемлимая, я поспал алкоальбом: дед в переулке и ты пьяный танцешь хари кришну
Спасибо, этой главы в курсе муз.литературы не хватало, пробел восполнен. Забавный экспириенс, когда тебе музыку уже по полочкам сам автор разложил. Можно так все делать будут? Лан, не надо, иначе скучно будет
нормас лекция
Ravi Shankar and sitar music as a whole are like moderately tasty dessert. At first, it's really enjoyable and fun, but as time goes on, it starts to lose its appeal.
I don't know what occasion would prompt me to play this album again, but I did enjoy it.
Es una verga esto. No es para mi.
I listened to it. I didn't like it. I recognize its probably just my western tastes, but it seemed very repetitive. I'm just thankful for his daughter, Norah Jones, whose music I enjoy much more.
It’s a challenge for Western ears to get around some of the time signatures here. But it was an interesting listen. Enjoyed the little intro bits before each track
Albums purpose of educating western audiences on Indian music is still just as relevant as it was back in 1957 and serves to preserve that slice of culture. A different listening experience, but an appreciated one at that.
So George Harrison either stole or at least co-opted from this for Within You or Without You on Sgt. Pepper. But apparently he gets a pass, as the thinking goes that the Quiet Beatle was responsible for introducing the sitar to the world. And truth be told, George was always quick to credit Ravi. I'm more pissed at Wes Anderson for trying to do with The Darjeeling Limited that this album did much better some 50 years previous.
Got bored very quickly.
Sorry but it is boring 2/5
What Ravi Shankar did on this record is remarkable. Bringing Indian music to the masses by exploring the instruments and the structure with the listener was revolutionary. I listened and appreciate the musicianship but it’s simply not for me.
Not for me
Album 43 of 1001 Ravi Shankar - The Sounds of India Favorite Track : Rating : 2 / 5 Excellent for falling asleep or just relaxing. Wouldn't listen for entertainment, though I get his relevance.
a bit frenetic for daily listening, but I liked it. especially the little explanatory bits
Is this school? Why is this man trying to teach me?
A nice listen. Good background music
Hmmmm
4.25
Come for the great tunes, stay for the music theory lesson! ✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️
One of those odd products of its time with the whole tutorial aspect, but nothing to fault in the music.
Relaxing to have on in the background but I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it
A little lumbering at times but enjoyable
Despite the odd start, found myself vibing.
Interesting stuff - loved the little tutorial at the start.
Great spiritual music and primer for the sitar.
It's interesting. Informative. Technically profound. A show of skill. But a fun listen it is not. Sorry Ravi.
Didn't bother listening to this. I have zero interest in this kind of music. I skimmed the tracks and felt like I was playing the same track over and over. What's the difference in these songs?! 2 stars only because I dont want to listen to the whole thing.
Very interesting insight into music I haven't heard much of. Not something I could listen to regularly but the music is very enchanting
I mean. He is super awesome on the sitar. And this is super pleasing. But this doesn't make me feel anything. And I am not currently high. Which is a statement that probably is more than a little disingenuous.
A very interesting experience, one which I may come to appreciate more with a relisten. The only thing that really stops this being a 5 for me is that I don't think I could put it in and really enjoy it, I guess you need a "without lessons" disc for that.
Really just not my thing
I'm just gonna go ahead and give this a 5.
This is extremely solid. A gentle, easy, yet comprehensive introduction to the sitar by Ravi Shankar, who knows his audience well. His stance of humility and grace comes through in the early recordings. And then you hear him play… wow! It changed my mind on the sitar, and showed me there was more than meets the eye. I just love records like that. Reminds me of the classic record that Pete Seeger did on how to play folk guitar— the one that Joni Mitchell picked up when she first started playing. This record must have changed many hearts and minds, and I’m happy it exists. And incredible playing! 4/5
It’s cool he tried to teach me about the sounds of India but I’m afraid I didn’t retain much. Shankar is quite good at what he does, that I know. 3 stars
Really just not my vibe, I’m sorry India
Une initiation à la musique indienne par le maître lui même. J'ai pas tout compris, mais ça fait un fond musical plutôt correct, doublé d'une belle importance historique avec tout ce que cet album a eu comme impact sur les années 60, sa musique et l consommation de drogue en général.
A great introduction to traditional sitar music. The explanatory, pedagogic intro was a welcome surprise and made me realize how much I would love to hear musicians talk more about their craft within a song itself, an interactive Song Exploder-like experience.
Culture
Slaps a lot harder than you think it does.
It’s cool that this album is on this list in theory because it gives you insight into how Indian music is made and why it’s cool. In practice it’s boring as fuck and can only be enjoyed on a theoretical level for me.
waaaaoooooooommmmm drdrdrdrrriiinngggggggg prrrnnnngggg prrrrnnnngg drrrnnng bnng bnnng dnnng dnng dnnng waaaooooooommmmm
I always love Indian music when I listen to it, although it is very very complicated and I often felt like I was losing something. The introduction tracks made an excellent addition and were greatly appreciated for this reason! As to be expected, there are loads of inspiring improvisational ideas, and overall a great listen
Kinda weird.
Compelling from a music appreciation standpoint but it's not something I would listen to often.
I don't know about this one. I mean, Ravi Shankar definitely has historic significance and influence on western music. Sort of liked his explanation, but it also interrupted the music a lot. 50 minutes of the sitar became a bit repetitive for me. 2,5/5
This was a bizarre instructional album for indian sitar. I don't really understand why it's here. He's good at what he does, but still a strange choice.
Dragged on a little but it was an interesting showcase of Indian classical music, which no one can deny was very influential in the decade later.
Very educational. I had no idea that indian classical music does not use western "harmony"
Not my usual cup of tea, but the album was really soothing. I probably wouldn't seek it out for another listen, but I enjoyed it.
Please don’t
i love what i know of the music of india but i’m also a complete ignoramus about it, maybe this should be 5 ⭐️ i don’t want to pander though
While I love Indian music, this album outstays its welcome by a bit. It essentially boils down to a 45 minute sitar solo, with a few educational bits in between. Honestly, the educational bits are probably the most interesting part, as Shankar explains the basics to Western listeners unfamiliar with Indian music. As a lesson in Indian music, I'd give this 4.5 stars. As an album? Maybe 3.5...and I'm going to round down.
Han är väl duktig men det blir ju så tradigt i längden.
1957! I mean for being this old, it somehow sounds great and fairly modern. Idk if that's because Indian music hasn't changed since 1957 or what but not bad
Ill
I would go to school if this guy was the teacher… also my edition of the book says this album was released 1968… pretty embarrassing… banger btw
Sitar e sick
sick
I think this album is a real piece of history, both in the positive and negative sense. It's incredible that Ravi was kind enough to introduce each song with a lengthy explanation of structure and sounds of Indian music. I think the biggest positive of this album is the idea of bringing two cultures closer together. By introducing Western society to Eastern classical music, we come to a better understanding of our beginnings. And while I can say that I feel and understand "The Sounds Of India", I'm not a fan of it. Sitar and its tone and melodies, plus mine musical upbringing taste are really in a big conflict while listening to the album. I felt more like I'm listening to a negative of western music (the "normal" one). Great piece of music and history, but not really for me, or hopefully not yet for me.
A fine introductory album into the world of Hindustani classical music. That being said, this feels more like an album for musicians rather than a wider audience. Shankar provides a brief lesson at the start of each track, along with the opening track on side A to give insight into how this genre should be approached. This stands to make The Sounds Of India an invaluable educational album, but an underwhelming showcase of Hindustani music. It's worth noting the impact of Shankar's efforts to bring Hindustani music to the west. We would see it take root in psychedelic music in later years, validating Shankar's efforts on this album. Understanding the ragas and how they can be implemented into songs has helped expand the knowledge base for songwriters, and we've been better off because of it.
Educational, gracious, and just straight up awesome. I wish there were some shorter tracks to accompany this so I could revisit a piece here or there without committing a quarter of an hour to it. Best track: An Introduction to Indian Music
Found this interesting, but I don't think it's something I would listen to very often.
Nah. Guess one had to be there (paisley, psychedelia, weed and all) to get it.
Indian music is something I don't have a lot of exposure to, but they are interesting in their own way.
Surprisingly tuneful.
I liked how the songs all build upon themselves. Fun listen.
I really like Ravi Shankar, and Indian classical music in general, but I guess I do not listen to albums for a “Great Courses” lecture.
Very fun and interesting
Magic
Mmmm
Kinda cool
Really interesting to have an album starting with instructions for how to listen to it and an explanation of the instruments used. For all Shankar says his music is not jazz, it shares certain qualities - one of which is that I don't fully understand it! I enjoyed this album, although like most instrumental pieces I found myself getting a little distracted - so maybe better as background music.
A fascinating artefact documenting the West’s introduction to Indian classical music. Although Shankar wasn’t the first to implement the album format as a didactic tool of cultural discourse as much as a strictly melodic anchor point, his heightened profile really makes this a significant milestone in the Western canon. The actual music, interspersed with Shankar’s brief monologues explaining the forthcoming musical structures, is a gargantuan slab of exhilarating sitar playing which is undoubtedly captivating at various particular points as opposed to a coherent whole. If you embrace Shankar’s initial plea to an open mind towards this form of music, it is a truly rewarding experience from a legendary player.
Interesting. Deserves to be on this list to be exposed to different sounds.
I'll start by saying it's super smart to start the album with an explanation of the music style, that way listeners unfamiliar with the instrument and style can perhaps understand it a bit more by the first "real" song. That being said, this is kind of extremely boring. Am I missing the point? Absolutely, I was listening to him in that first song, after all, but as the top review seems to imply, I feel a boatload of substances are needed for this to be anything I'd want to go out of my way to listen to. All the songs are unnecessarily long, and nothing ever sticks in my mind after even just a minute. I feel bad saying this, as with George Harrison being my favorite Beatle, I should be living it up with this album, but I'm not. I don't hate it, none of it sounds bad, but I don't really care, and will forget I even listened to it by tomorrow's album. I can hardly even remember the album's name.
Nice that we’re getting non western music here, but this shouldn’t be the only exception. George Harrison might have found illumination with this music, but I certainly don’t.
The album was the first time I had intently listened to Indian music. For a 65 year old recording, I think it was timeless - relaxing and ultimately beautiful in its simplicity.
More instructional than made for enjoying the music. And thus, I didn't. It may have been interesting for some audiences, especially for the psychedelic movement about ten years later - I can hear some of the Beatles' influences here. But that's not enough to stand on it's own as a record to listen and come back to. 1.5/5
Historical important, but .... just like indian sweets, there some parts of Indian culture that doesn't settle with me.
Started off interesting but was wishing for a swift end about halfway through.
This sort of offbeat shit is why I signed up here. I couldn't say I'd listen to it regularly, and I don't think the explanations were really necessary, but it was kinda interesting all the same. 3/5.
Gerge harson
This starts with a literal music appreciation lesson which, although quite technical, was helpful even for a non-muso like me. Listening with an open and relaxed mind, as per Ravi Shankar's suggestion, this was quite atmospheric and interesting. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Dádrá Date listened: 29/11/22
muito massa o som indiano, grande mestre de geroge harrison
This was a weird one. When the music was playing it was great, but when they were just talking, not so much.
This was fun as an explainer and everything. It sounded like something Wes Anderson would stick in a movie
What George Harrison listened to before having a wank. Academically interesting but not for me. Best Tracks: Dadra; Bhimpalasi
I enjoy this but the sitar gives me anxiety eventually
pretty nice
Interesting album something I will listen to again and hopefully draw further enjoyment as it does take some effort and, as Shankar suggests in the introductory message, an open mindedness to non western song structures. 3.5
Este álbum se dio como una consecuencia de la idea de exportar la música india hacia el mundo, especialmente a los países occidentales, siendo Ravi Shankar un personaje principal en esto. Comenzando por el hecho de que fue el mentor de George Harrison con el sitar, instrumento que descubrió en su retiro con los Beatles al país oriental y el cual incluyó en algunos trabajos con la famosa banda británica. Eso ya es un adentramiento de Shankar en la cultura occidental, y con este trabajo, quiso romper aún más las barreras culturales. Siendo un álbum conformado casi en su totalidad por improvisaciones, y sonando solamente tres instrumentos, hacen que la atención se ponga casi en su totalidad a la maestría de la interpretación del sitar y cómo transmite tanto con su sonido. Incluye además explicaciones del mismo Ravi, las cuales hacen alusión a los elementos rítmicos y sonoros a los que va a hacer uso en cada una de las extensas canciones, y así dar cátedra de su excelente sonido. Su escucha termina siendo algo repetitiva, y en el caso en donde no puedas conectar de una forma directa con la interpretación y los momentos sonoros, no se hace muy disfrutable. Pero sí es una experiencia única.
VERY GOOD!
For sure, this is influential music, but I lack the open mind to go for it and just found it unlistenable on this occasion.
I was familiar with this kind of music through well-known collaborations between Indian and western artists, in particular John McLaughlin (Shakti), but I was not familiar with this particular record. Shankar's explanations of the different musical elements are interesting, but it would take more listening and explanation to fully understand it all. However, following the master's advice by listening with an "open and relaxed mind", I was able to enjoy and appreciate this album.
Commendable from an educational point of view but here I'm judging my personal listening experience, and that was horrible.
78/100: This album feels like a bit of a cop out from the editorial staff. If you think Indian music is something people have to listen to before they die (which it is, it's fantastic music), then put a real album from that part of the world on here. Instead, we get "Indian Music For Beatles Fans/White People." Ravi Shankar doubtlessly has plenty of music in his discography not made with the intent of being a cursory overview of all Indian music. Why not pick one of those? Instead of getting a "The Sounds of Jazz" album, we get "In A Silent Way." Instead of "The Sounds of Rap," we get "good kid m.A.A.d. city." There's no "The Sounds of Rock," we get 100's of classic rock albums—arguably too many. So why when it comes to Indian music do we treat it as a topic to be explicitly taught as though in a classroom setting as opposed to experienced? Mind you, this was a blast to listen to, I just think it's bullshit the way it was handled by the curators.
Just as the title says, it's a good introduction to indian music...
La musica indiana mi incuriosisce ma non mi piace come la suona lui...
This record is cool, certainly demonstrates his virtuosity, but I also really dig how he gives short lessons before each piece to the Western audience as a way to introduce the music. Aside from all of that it's just a great record.
non-western music!
swesome
Uh? This is unusual? 1957? Should this be counted as 'Classical Music'? World Music? This guy is a legend even now. Weird to think he's Norah's dad. I'm listening to this with an incense burning and chilling. Beautiful music.
This was unexpected and also pretty interesting. Definitely glad I heard it but not sure if I'll be returning to again any time soon.
absolutely beautiful music, and really amazing to listen to something so new to me. i really liked that there was that introduction in the beginning to ease you in and his explanations of Indian music. v good
Not really a fan of Indian music I guess. Kind of cool how it's set up like a music lesson though.
Fine - not that interesting, and it constantly feels like it's about to kick into a Beatles tune or two
Interesting that he was interested in evangelizing Hindustani classical music. I wonder if he would be so well known if not for George Harrison, but clearly his interest in spreading the music to the west was already in place before the Beatles. I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would, but I did enjoy it. Fun to hear his explanations of the music, but it does take away from this feeling like a real "album" as opposed to an instruction manual.
Honestly appreciated and enjoyed the spoken explanations throughout the album. Like a mini crash course on the rudiments of Indian classical music. I have only really heard this type of music via its pale imitation in 60s psychedelic rock. The real deal is far more dynamic and exciting. Really love the interplay of the percussion, drones, and soloing sitar. Exquisite jams.
Pretty talented. The explanation makes sense considering the year, diving into who this was and his influence on people like George Harrison was a fun read. It’s definitely way more intense than I’m used to for sitar but overall prettttyy goood.
All classic albums from unique or underrepresented genres should be presented this way! Such a treat to get a musical history lesson from Ravi Shankar, even though some of what he said was pretty technical and didn't resonate with me. What I do know now is that the sitar is a beast of an instrument, and Shankar is a god. It's amazing how dynamic and vibrant the notes sound, now I know why the sitar has as many strings and pegs as it does. Ultimately, I don't see myself listening to this record on a regular basis but I am encouraged to look deeper into the entire genre now!
The explanations that Ravi gives us are informative and enhance understanding of Indian and sitar music but I imagine it would be pretty annoying after a while if you listened to this album on a regular basis. Sitar is certainly good for setting that Indian mood and Shankar is a master of his instrument no doubt.
Holy shit it's George Harrison
Here's a blind spot for me. I understand why this record was important for so many western musicians, as it was a glimpse into the traditions of a whole subcontinent. But even with Ravi Shankar's pedagogical cues interspersed throughout the album, my ear is still untrained for this type of 'scholarly' music. Maybe I'm being too left-brained today to just let myself go and take those sounds as more than a continuous drone. The last track kind of accomplishes that sometimes, but it's still very fleeting... Hard to be anything but a left-brained listener anyway when you're being asked to grade a record you've never listened to through this app. Hence the reason why that grade will be perfectly neutral for now. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 809 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 104 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 48 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 42
This one was both challenging and fascinating. Took me two listens to *kinda* find the beat.
8/10. Kinda fun and educational that he explains how Indian music differs from Western music as he goes.
It's interesting to me that classical music is excluded on this list except for the couple of classical Indian albums. I thought this was decent and enjoyed the explanations about what I was about to hear but I don't think this has much replay value for me, especially considering that it's close to an hour long. 7/10
Very soothing and masterfully played! It was very cool to listen to some non-Western music and I loved how he explained some the basics of sitar music as well
This was very different. I actually thought it was pretty interesting how things were explained. Enjoyable listen from an educational standpoint.
To listen to this straight through is a chore and a half. I 100% appreciate the talent required to perform this music, but it’s a lot. One song at a time is more Tolerable, but I’m not sure I’d listen to this genre much in the future.
Mario lava level PTSD, did not enjoy.
An education
Great intro. Interesting compare/contrast to jazz
Interesting to hear, not to good for background music.
I did not need a lesson on playing a sitar. I also did not need to listen to this album. The only bright part was that it was 25 minutes long.
I love that he broke this down. It made something completely outside my musical experience accessible. It is also clear that there is a tremendous amount of talent here with many years of study. In the end, my rating is of 2 stars is based on the fact that the music itself is not something I’d seek out. But now, I can better appreciate.
Alright, eh
Not really my bag.
Informative but not to be in a regular rotation
Sweet sounds
Good for what it is. Interesting to listen to a record from 1957 and how it sounded
Interesting to checkout but not something I would ever listen to.
Sounds foreign to my Western ear due to the use of microtones (quartertones), or Shrutis (in India) Instruments: Tambura, tabla, sitar Raga - like a scale or mode in Western music This was way harder for me to keep a beat/rhythm to, and there is more improvisation in this album vs Western music
Neat! Think I will enjoy an album without explanations more, they kind of took me out of it, even though they were helpful.
While I readily recognize the talent that Ravi Shankar has in playing the sitar and also recognize the influence that he had on the Beatles, this does absolutely nothing for me. I just rewatched some of his Woodstock set and he does jam on it, but to me, it just sounds like a dead cat wail.
I have to be honest I didn't make it all the way through. Not because I am not open to different styles but this seemed more like an introductory class on the sounds of India. Most of the tracks were 10+ minutes long.
Really cool...like Indian classical music. Makes for great background listening. I appreciated the lessons that he gave on each song as well. 3.5/5
love Ravi - could listen to this for hours
Interesting
Very cool recommendation of a genre I'm not familiar with finally. Liked learning about ragas and how Indian music differs from western music. The educational/instructional aspect did take me out of it while I was trying to enjoy it though. Cool to learn, less cool to listen to and enjoy. 2/5
Not for me
Very pretty music.
Nomas para saber
I appreciate the time Ravi Shankar took to explain Indian classical music in the first track :D not sure I hugely appreciate the rest of the album but it's not the worst I've ever heard. Give me Project Mishram instead though. This album is 65 years old, doesn't have a combined 1m plays on Spotify, and seems to be included on the list as a cultural curiosity. We've had Manu Chao, Miriam Makeba and Ravi Shankar in the last week and I'm not sure any of them have a place in a greatest albums list, however comprehensive it might want to be.
This was not for me. Did quite enjoy the track where he explained how it all worked, but the actual sitar music itself is just so dull. The intro track saves it from being a 1, but only just. 2/5.
Influential artist. Didn't need the "instruction" on the music.
I do like some indian classical music sometimes, I enjoyed call of the valley. I couldn't really get into this one though, the lessons before each track are a bit much when I'm just trying to enjoy the music
Listened Before? N Indian sitar music! This was pretty dang cool even without lyrics. It was calming an unobtrusive. I may listen to this one again. Added to Library? N Songs added to Playlist: Dadra
I liked this more than I would've guessed, as can so often happen with music that's new to me from genres or locations or eras to which I haven't had much exposure. Some intriguing melodies, great harmonies, etc. And, forgive me, at times it reminded me of some of the music I heard during one of the greatest television series of all time, 'Battlestar Galactica (Reimagined/2004 Series)'. And for me, that's a wicked cool association.
Enjoyed.
Very impressive and interesting. Nothing I'd put on to be foreground music though. More of a nice background here and there.
I’m listening to Indian music I hope that’s okay with you
They'll probably be in the Zen room.... The tabla is one of my favourite instruments. This was very enjoyable. Stop! Raga time!
Ravi, what a master! Loved hearing this. And his little explainers for the uninitiated were great.
Boring.
no, I am very sorry not enjoyable at all
Just looking at the cover, I'm glad this wasn't the first album generated for me. I'm guessing this will be a bit challenging to get through. Opening it up and looking at the track lengths yes, potentially a chore but could go either way. Here we go! Turns out the best of anything is often pretty good. I liked it.
Exactly what it says it is: a recording of a very good teacher and player teaching and playing well. Is that an album?
5.0 + Ragas for gringos - love it!
The sitar is not a very pleasant instrument to my ear. And the tracks are just too long.
Wasn't really listening to the expository stuff, but I enjoyed bobbing along to the music while I was marking. 3.5/5, but I'll round down because it's not something I'd choose to listen to unless I was in a very specific mood.
Struggled to get through this. I’m not knowledgeable of music so although it was nice to hear some theory, it didn’t make this any more pleasant
Too long, would have preferred it without the instructional bits.
Cool to get some music theory in here. The music is really cool, and it's neat to hear someone explaining what's going on.
Kinda cool to hear about a different musical style, though I'm so musically disinclined that I admit I didn't understand most of the theory part. The actual songs were fun and great background music for working.
Musikaliskt geni, älskar att försöka räkna med men misslyckas, kan lyssna på hans musik hela dagen
ÄNTLIGEN! det här är anledningen till varför jag signade upp på den här utmaningen. så kul att höra nåt nytt och fräscht. Jaja även om han kanske är den mest västerländskt kända sitar-spelaren (som the beatles skamlöst hm inspirerades av) var det ändå något nytt.
Just play the music, and stop telling us about it! Dammit, 1001-guy, you couldn't have chosen "Music of India: Three Classical Rāgas" for your stupid list? What's wrong with you?
Un tostón. Un 2.
I’ve always loved the sitar interesting to listen to it for a full album!
Not really my thing.
Excrutiating
Treating this as a tutorial of Indian music made it fascinating.
I had read some years ago an anecdote about Ravi Shankar and his combo giving a show, can't remember if it was in Europe or North America but this side of the world; as the show started the musicians played for a minute or so and then they stopped, and the audience got up and cheered. Ravi Shankar went to the mic and said something in the lines of "that's very kind of you but we were only tuning our instruments" On the first track of this album, An Introduction To Indian Music, he takes the time to explain the basis to us Occidental people. Actually, these explanations come and go from time to time across the length of the album. All this might sound somehow condescending, in the sense that he might try to school his audience (us, westerners), but it really is helpful if not necessary, as Indian music has rules of its own that doesn't really relate nor translate to the academic approach to European (and its descendants) music. The question presents itself spontaneously: is music really a universal language? I don't want to start myself on the possibilities of other life forms across the whole universe or even the possibility of the existence of music beyond the boundaries of our planet Earth, and if the aliens exists, do they still have ears? Can those ears hear? Can their brains or whatever those ears are connected to (if they exist, of course), decode the sonic signal the way we understand it? Because, you see, we imagine aliens from our human point of view, but they might be something, someone, completely different. Because we conceive that "somewhere else" from here, from the very place we live and always have lived in. "That" is there because "this" is here, but what if we could make abstraction of "this" and "here"? Where would "there" be? But, yeah, music might as well be a universal language, but still, besides matters related to personal taste, one might lack the tools to really understand and appreciate "all" the music. Or the interest, right? In the same way that, say, a three year old kid might not have the same understanding of the spoken language than a professor in philosophy, even if they both speak the same "language". Or then again, the interest. Please note that I want to stick with the language thing, because a language is nothing else than a means to communication. And communication (I am about to become very technical here) is about coding, transport, and decoding. Therefore, communication is movement. Communication is evolving. The meaning of that last sentence is deliberately ambiguous, and I will leave it at that for you to interpret. Me bringing up aliens having or not ears was also deliberate. Because when one chooses to be open, the possibilities become endless. Ravi is a cool dude, his voice has a soothing quality. Or maybe it's just me fulfilling my own need of an Indian musician who speaks in a soothing way. We will never know. But we know that at the end of the aforementioned Introduction, Shankar says "The Western listener will appreciate and enjoy our music more if he listens with an open and relaxed mind" It's all about that. With everything, everywhere.
Rating: 6/10
It is now clear that music education is necessary to appreciate the eccentricities and purpose of this music. In a way, it has the complexity of jazz where to a trained musician or particularly particular ear, the fluctuating beat, timing changes, etc. have their intentional place in which their brilliant execution can be appreciated. Does this make for good music though? Objectively speaking, yes, Ravi Shankar's tutelage on the purpose of each instrument lends a sort of cheat sheet to the Western ear as for what to listen for. There is an enjoyment in what is now a new experience. However, the sustainability of that rudimentary understanding is low over prolonged listening. Eventually, the music goes back to being culturally out of reach for the Western audience. There is much to appreciate here, and this review would never seek to discourage at least one play-through with a little bit of intentional listening. Three stars feels a bit generous, and it is, but two-stars would be disingenuous.
The minute this album came I let out an audible groan - all I was thinking was scents of bad incense - elephant print yoga pants and tie dye everything. But … it actually turned out to be a insightful journey into a non-western music form - by which you understand both it and western music principles in contrast - beyond the music Ravi explains what you’re listening to and what is instruments are being played. Not going to dig out my bong again but it was an interesting journey
The commentary needed to be more detailed or nonexistent.
Amazing and timeless.
I get that this influenced 1960s music, but I found it to be somewhat boring and the "lessons" unnecessary.
Great Meditation music. The sitar is such a cool instrument and Shankar is the premier Indian musician for 9 decades. You are probably most familiar with his music from The Beatles when they were experimenting in the sixties with middle eastern philosophy.
Felt like a warm invitation into a new cultural experience of music, and clearly a virtuosic one. I wouldn't return to it often, but I'll enjoy it every time I do.
There is something so delightful about the simple and friendly presentation of this album while still demonstrating virtuosic and archetypal classic Indian music.
Well that was fun and different for me.
Interesting concept. Liked the 'instructions' on how to make Indian music, but didn't really like the resulting songs.
The goal of the raga is to create a trancey state, to broadcast a mood of ecstasy. Maybe I need to be high for this. Good introduction (5/10) FT: Dádrá
áhugavert
Good songwriting, good groove, just not really my cup of tea.
Áhugaverð plata.
Cool album. I liked his explanations of harmonies throughout the album.
Love Ravi's influence on George Harrison.
I'm not fond of Indian culture, but Ravi Shankar sounds like an exception. First of all, the sole purpose of the album was not only to show but also to explain to the western audience — what is the sounds of India. And personally, I still can't describe the feeling, but there is really something magical that gives a feeling of control over the chaos. Similar to jazz music it requires more time to understand it. I won't lie, I've tried to listen to it the second time and am not able to distinguish one raga from another. But in the end, this album was able to shift my interest towards Indian culture and I'll definitely dig up more similar music
Diesen Hippie fueled Hype würde es heute so nicht mehr geben 1.2
I liked this more than I expected. It was cool that it was instructional and intended as an intro to this genre of world music.
I liked the explanations of some of the time signatures
Kind of educational. Kind of boring. ⭐️⭐️
Really interesting to hear the teaching aspect and theory presenting Indian musical stylings to western audiences alongside the music itself. I like the sound of a lot of Indian music and instrumentation, so glad to have gotten this little bit of insight I would not have had otherwise.
Ambiente da Índia.
Okay, this was pretty cool. I came in planning to be pretty bored, but Mr. Shankar set me straight. This is really gorgeous music, showcasing Ravi Shankar's talents beautifully. I will say a little Ravi Shankar goes a long way. I probably won't revisit on my own, but this really was a great introduction to Indian music. Fave Songs: Bhimpalasi, Dadra
no
More of an historic curiosity than a listenable album.
Interessant, die Erklärungen helfen auch. Ich weiß, dass das hauptsächlich an mir liegt, aber es gefällt mir halt beim Zuhören nicht wirklich.
3/5
Erikoinen opetuslevy. Nykyään intialaiset tekee opetusvideoita youtubeen, aiemmin ilmeisesti LP-levyille! :D Alun opetus oli mielenkiintoista ja kovasti odotin opetusta jatkossakin, mutta loppulevyllä olikin enemmän vain sitä soitantaa. Ihan kivaltahan ne Intian soundit kuulostivat, ei siinä mitään. Harvemmin on tällaista maailmanmusiikkia tullut kuunneltua, virkistävää!
Periaatteessa konseptina mielenkiintoinen, kun tekijä(?) kertoo intialaisesta musiikista ja kunkin kappaleen teemasta. Valitettavasti oma musikaalinen osaaminen (ja kärsivällisyys) ei ihan riitä tulkitsemaan näitä kuunteluohjeita. Taidokkaalta musisoinnilta silti vaikuttaisi ja kyllä tästä elävät flashbackit tulee Intian työreissuihin (erityisesti taksimatkoihin). Vaikka genre ei ihan omani olekaan, ei tämä levy saavuta ykköseen ominaista absoluuttista huonoutta ja ärsyttävyyttä. Kakkonen siis.
Indian
I know nothing about indian music, but I enjoyed this and it's great music to work to.
Very relaxing, rapid scitar is impressive and interesting changes in tempo.
One of the more intriguing albums recommended so far. There was no beginning, middle or end. Just sitar, all the way. Lovely.
This album is a beautiful soundbath
Can't rate dont understand.
I dig this kind of music, will be listening again and again.
Chill nice music with some good basic explanations.
Me vuelve loco la música hindú como elemento que muestra la vasta cultura que hay en el mundo. Me vuelve más loco aún que sea música de hace más de 500 años. Igualmente, definitivamente no puedo escuchar 1 hora de música hindú porque es demasiado extraña para mis oídos, pero está bueno para ambientar.
Despite his aim of introdycing us to indian musical theory, i ignored that bit. Pretty good and enjoyable
I get that it’s totally subjective and probably due to cultural bias but this made me super anxious to the point to nausea. I tried to get through it on 5% volume but 50mins was too much for me to handle.
Very accessible introduction to raga. You can clearly hear the inspiration it had on The Beatles following Revolver and the genre psychedelic rock as a whole. Simple with the starring role sitar and complimentary tabla and tambura that align in a similar function with our Western equivalent drums and bass. It does its job. It can get people interested in raga to start learning. First track can get people excited. 2nd and 3rd tracks sound the same and are repetitive but still wonderful compositions, and not bad to listen to know for as long as they are. 4th track is a nice change of pace with noteworthy techniques to learn from. Lost interest in the middle but grabbed my attention near the end. Final 5th track builds up slowly then delivers a third of the way in, then gradually becomes more intense as the song progresses. I like it, but if not for the varying speed and intensity, I would not be able to distinguish these tracks. Largely is repetitive and something I'd only play to learn from or have in the background.
Great, but not one I'd wanna listen to over and over. Though it deserves a closer listen than I gave it...to be honest.
Not bad, if not repetitive
Interesting, can’t really see myself going back to it though
This album was cool, but it’s just not something I see myself coming back to frequently
Just like being in Tariq's
Found myself really enjoying this. The bit of music theory was nice too.
YouTube tutorials the soundtrack
yo eerlijk tof dat die zo tegen u praat
-He really get shredding at the end of Dádrá. Actually he be shredding at the end of all of them, basically. -Even though the talking about the structure of the songs is cool, it is also an L because it eliminates it from being able to be on my study playlist
I appreciate his influence and skill but didn’t even enjoy it enough to listen again although I had the time. Consequently 2*
Quite enjoyable as background music. The lecture would then come on every now and again which was a bit jarring.
I’ve heard aids is more pleasant than this album but I’m lucky enough to have avoided both. What actually is the sound of India? Elephants? Music? Or people shitting in their hands and clapping? I hope it’s an elephant noise album
this was gonna go one of two ways, and luckily for me it was good. turns out i am still a dirty, smelly, hairy hippy deep down.
I took a lot of drugs before listening to this. I was whisked off to a magical land, where a talking frog convinced a boy to kill his father. Then a grumpy emo chick started pestering me, trying to get me to choose between fuckin' a zebra or fuckin' a corpse. I chose zebra. Then an abused orphan watched me peel a verucca sock off a disabled ghost. Then a noseless man raped a singing omelette. What's it all about?
Really fucking excellent. Ravi shagged the shit out of it, didn't he? If it was a TV show, it'd be Big Break and Jim Davidson would be livid.
Are you George Harrison in disguise?
Not my preferred style, but I can appreciate the talent.
Great listen. I would like to listen to it a bit more focused with his guidance in mind from the opening track and middle, but the overall sound is so beautiful.
First listen. Nice Indian music with commentary.
Great
Much better than his western covers in a bangra stylie! This is decent background music.
One of life's great mysteries has been solved! I couldn't for the life of me understand why a sitar has at least twice as many tuning pegs as it has strings. Now I know! There are strings that run under the strings that are picked and each of these other strings is attached to a particular fret and needs a separate tuning peg. I learned this by clicking on the word sitar on the wiki page for this album. I didn't get it from Ravi's instructional comments before each song. All I can say for Ravi's comments is "sounds good to me". I suppose George Harrison would have understood what Ravi meant but I doubt anyone other than a music scholar could make heads or tails of it. George Harrison is responsible for the western world hearing a sitar for the first time, but Ravi's playing speaks for itself. His sitar playing is exotic and magical. It's no wonder all the hippy rock stars travelled to India to find this music. The influence on 60s music deserves +1. I'm equally interested in the drums, called tabla, played on this album. My disdain for drum solos by no means extends to the tabla. If you never have, dig up some solo tabla music. It's extraordinary. Tabla are also tuned but they have no strings. Another one of life's great mysteries but this one remains unsolved.
I enjoyed the instructional parts of the tracks and I appreciate that Ravi influenced a bunch of influential hippies who, in turn, influenced artists through the decades, all the way up to Cornershop and Thievery Corporation. That said, these (shorter-than-average) ragas are a bit long for me. The improvisation needs a bit more of a framework, like Keith Jarrett's, for example.
As an intro to Indian Sitar music this is great, I mean who is more qualified than Ravi Shankar? But is it really his best work and is it a seminal album in this genre? I'm not an expert on Indian music but I suspect there are more iconic albums in this genre that could have been on this list.
I've always loved the sounds of sitar and tabla. It sounded so "alien" to me as a kid. Later, when I finally heard this album in its entirety, I loved how it explained why it seemed so "alien". I wish there were other explanation albums in other musical genres.
Fantastic introduction to Indian music!
Música étnica india 100%. Muy igual todo el disco. Tiene algo de interés por la novedad, pero no destaca. No es mi género y no lo aprecio en toda su magnitud. Solo instrumentos.
Let's my mind roam free and walk down strange avenues. Standout Tracks: Dádrá, Bhimpalási, Sindhi-Bhairavi
Im not even going to listen to this.
Nope
No idea why it's in the list. Not my thing but clearly an introductory album and not his best work
This was good.
Ravi's music is excellent and absolutely wonderful. The instructional tracks are interesting, and I think they do add to the album and my understanding of citar music. I was really hoping for more music, though. This seems short for an album.
I like music I like sitar I like learning
Ravi alternates giving helpful lessons and absolutely SHREDDING a sitar to within an inch of its life for 45 minutes. First album on this whole list that I feel like is way too short by half.
Not a fan of this album
I'm not sure if listening to this is cultural enrichment or cultural appropriation... Nonetheless the journey to Shangri - La was very enjoyable.
- genuinely hard to rate a genre of music you don't know - nice balance of busy and background - can't tell the different impacts of the ragas but fascinating introductions.
Not my usual cup of tea but nice to listen as background music while working
Not much of an instrumental man but first few were really good
I really enjoyed this, particularly with the voiceovers Ravi does to provide context to the songs to those unfamiliar with Indian classical music. I listened to some Western classical music on the radio the other day and I was struck by how much work the host was doing to set the stage for the music that was being played - the context really helps me understand and get into the music. Also I've heard sitar before (including live performances) but these were particularly good.
As a music theory nerd, the introduction was fascinating. Overall enjoyable, and good background music for getting work done.
I understand the melody and musically it is quite intricate just the style to me has to fit a setting and I am rarely in that setting but I could envision myself bumping this in Disney at a Himalayan themed bar
Interesting look at a different music theory. Sounds of India has a fascinating relationship with rhythm that can be jarring for those accustomed to the western or African standards. Good stuff nonetheless!
Interesting and informative.
Really good intro to the whole genre. Ravi is a beast
If I had to pick my favorite Indian sitar virtuoso,I would always choose the only Indian sitar player I know, Mr. Shankar.
Groovy and far out
While it feels more educational than for entertainment purposes, that doesn't diminish the fact that it is interesting and fun to listen to.
I liked the tutorial aspect
No desire to listen again, but I respect the skill and artistry. Appreciate the educational intro too.
5 x 10 minute / song album, recording in 1958. This guy has so much music released, incredible. Known to be a virtuoso from north of India. Very interesting pick, the first song is an introduction to the theory of Indian music.
Kein Album zum mal eben nebenbei hören, wird etwas nervig auf Dauer. Allerdings geniale Einführung in indische Musik und Einstieg in die Popularisierung der Sitar
Educational, interesting, hypnotic. Probably wouldn't listen to much, but understand it's importance.
Well, I do know a lot more about Indian music now than I ever did before. That said, I have no desire to ever actively listen to it again. It's not the worst and it's absolutely fine for bollywood, for scenes or movies from international productions taking place in India and for Indian restaurants. But I'm unlikely to ever actively choose to listen to traditional Indian music ever again.
Interesting, different, enjoyable
This album comes with a instructions and I still don't get it.
I very much enjoyed this. At first I was a little taken aback by his, well I guess I’ll call it instructions. But only at the very beginning. I actually really liked it. I was cooking artichokes while I listened and I was able to shut off my kind and just concentrate on the act of cooking. I really liked that. Everything felt very natural and organic. Will listen again. For tomorrow Jason, it’s a 4. It could go a little over or under depending on the mood, but 4 it is
Enjoyed it for a little while, then I got bored.
Terrible. Though it had others dancing at the 6A bus stop in their sandals.
Not my cup of tea but can't argue with the skill of the musicians.
Been thrown into this list to tick a genre box. Absolute wank.