Ravi

Ravi Shankar – India

(Capitol Records, Y1T 1C604 – Full Dimensional Stereo, Early 1960s)

Some albums educate. This one initiates. Released during a time when Indian classical music was still unfamiliar to most Western listeners, India features Ravi Shankar’s sitar mastery in a curated program designed to showcase the ragas, talas, and emotional architecture of Hindustani tradition.

🎶 Typical Program Highlights

While exact tracklists vary by pressing, this LP often includes:

• Raga Hamsadhwani – bright and auspicious, often used to open concerts
• Raga Rageshree – romantic and evening-based, rich in ornamentation
• Tabla Solo – featuring rhythmic cycles and improvisational brilliance
• Folk or Dhun-based compositions – lighter, melodic, and accessible

The recording is warm and intimate, with Capitol’s stereo engineering capturing the spatial interplay between sitar and tabla, the resonance of sympathetic strings, and the emotional microdynamics of Shankar’s phrasing. Studio monitors will reveal the full fingerprint—pluck textures, tonal decay, and breath-like rubato.

Visually, the cover is iconic: a close-up of Ravi Shankar mid-performance, framed by stylized typography, the Indian flag, and Capitol’s branding. It’s not just design—it’s cultural reverence. The image captures intensity, focus, and the quiet dignity of a musical ambassador.