简介：RaviShankar'snameisknowntoallmusicloversandhehasbeenthegreatestambassadortotheWestforIndianClassicalMusic,whichwasrelativelyunknownandunappreciatedinUKuntilthe'50s,whenIbegantoattendsmallconcertsinLondontoheargreatperformersincludingthesarodist,AliAkbarKhan,sincewhenIhavebeenwritingaboutthisarcanedelight,whilstremainingstillanignorantdevoteeofthiswonderfulmusic,whichrequiresyearsofstudytobegintopenetrateitsmysteries.Atasuperficiallevel,itiseasytoenjoy,andfewwillremainuntouchedbythebeautyofthesitar,toseeandtohear,withrevealingclose-upsshowingexactlyhowitisplayed. TocelebrateRaviShankar's80thbirthdayhereisadelightfulandmovingdocumentary,expertlycompiledandfilmed,withbreathtakingscenesoflifeinIndiaandtheWest.RaviShankarreviewshisextraordinarylifewithwarmthandhumility,commentingwithmembersofhisfamilyaroundhimonthesceneswhichpassbeforehimandus,expressinggratitudeforhisgoodfortuneandlonglife.Wearetakenthroughhischildhood,worldtoursasadancerinatroupledbyhisbrotherUday,theglamoroushighlifeofParisandNewYork,meetingsandassociationswithallthegreatestmusiciansofthetimeand,fromeighteen,intensivestudywithhisguruBabaAllauddinKhanwhichledhimtowardsemergenceasthegreatmusicianintheclassicaltraditionwhoisreveredtheworldover. LaterRaviShankarcontributedthemusictoSatyajitRay'shistoricfilms,influencedmusiciansasdiverseasMenuhin,JohnColtraneandGeorgeHarrison,laterretreatingandwithdrawingfromtherockworldsuper-stardomandtakinggreatsatisfactioninteachingpupilsincludinghisdaughterAnoushka,nowasitarvirtuosoinherownright.Thereisashortextractfromoneofhislessonsand,toend,ashortintroductiontoIndianmusicandtothesitar,withademonstrationofhowtheyaremade,followedbytwoRagasplayedinconcertinLondon,atUnionChapel,Islington,duringthesummerof2002,theRagaRangeelaPilooespeciallybeautiful. from: http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/b/bbc00853dvda.html…