Artist/s: Ravi Shankar & George Harrison
Album: Chants Of India
Genre: Indian Chants, Meditative, Indian Classical, Indian Raga, Devotional, World Music
Label/Source: Angel/ EMI-Virgin India
Catalog Number: 7243 855948 23
Package: Jewel Case
Recording Year: 1996
CD release Year: 1997
CD Notes By Pandit Ravi Shankar: Just before the release of a four CD box set known as Ravi In Celebration, in a meeting between myself, George Harrison and Steve Murphy of Angel Records, Steve suggested that Angel Records would be very interested in my doing a new project on Chants Of India. It appealed to George and me immediately, so much so that George wanted to take the whole responsibility of producing it. Thus we had two recording sessions in Madras (January & April 1996) and one at George’s studio (July 1996). This has been one of the most difficult challenges in my life, as a composer and arranger. Sanskrit chants from the Vedas, Upanishads and other scriptures have been recorded by many in India and elsewhere, either in the original form by the Traditional Scholars who have kept it up for many centuries through their families and disciples; or sung within raga forms by eminent musicians with accompanying instruments. Some have even attempted to make them more popular using a semi-classical and commercial approach. I wanted to make a version different from all these, but still maintain the tremendous spiritual force, and purity of the Suktas, Shlokas and Mantras and at the same time make them universally appealing. In addition to composing music for some of the best-known Sanskrit traditional Mantras and couplets which were mainly prayers for the well being of universe, physical, mental and spiritual selves of everyone, without any pollution, turmoil, illness, discomfort and misery of any kind and for overall Shanti (peace). I have also created new numbers (Prabhujee, Mangalam (Tala Mantra), Svara Mantra and Hari Om), and tuned them in the same spirit. I have woven some of the chants with the heavy string instruments, some of the bamboo flute, vina, harp and chimes and also used solo and vocal groups. The repetitive use of mantras invoke a special power within oneself and I have tried to imbibe this age-old tradition in this recording. In all the traditional mantras, I have used the three magical notes used in the Vedic chants from time immemorial. They are the flattened 7th (Komal Ni), the tonic (Sa) and flattened 2nd (Komal Re). If the pitch is “C” then it would be B flat C and D flat. The same combinations are repeated even if the pitch and the raga base changes. The Primordial scared sound ॐ (Aum or Om) is the shortest mantra, and is always used before or after each prayer. I have too many people to thank for this marathon project, but my special thanks are for dear George, who gave so much of his time, love and energy while we recorded in India and England, his wife Olivia, who looked after all the details, my wife Sukanya, who all along gave me support I needed, my daughter Anoushka, who was such a help in assisting and conducting during the sessions and Dr. Nandakumara of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, London, for all his work related to Sanskrit literature, text and meanings etc. I would be gratified if the people (especially the younger generation) in the west and in India as well, feel the spark of spirituality by listening to these chants into which I have poured all my heart and Soul.
AMG Review: Mantram: Chant of India is a very smooth and delicate recording of sacred Sanskrit and Vedic prayers. George Harrison produced this set for Ravi Shankar. In the liner notes, Shankar states his intention to preserve the intense spirituality of the chants and to give them universal appeal. Shankar's style and diversity allow him to open doors that are closed to other musicians. The instrumental accompaniment adds depth and soul to this recording. Shankar's compositional and sound-design styles add atmosphere. Harrison's deft touch allows the music to develop and maintain its own integrity. Among records of this nature, this one is special. It will appeal to fans of Nawang Khechog, Jonathan Goldman and Sheila Chandra. - Jim Brenholts, AMG.
CD Universe: On Chants Of India, Ravi Shankar's music mixes both Western and Eastern styles to evoke the beauty of the collective human experience. We hear an Indian chorus of singers and a western chorus of singers working in synergy, and stringed instruments ... Full Description(violins, cellos, etc.) mixed in with Indian instruments such as the sitar, tanpura, and others. George Harrison plays a little guitar and percussion as well as producing the album. One of Shankar's most experimental and daring projects, CHANTS OF INDIA is an impressive effort. The use of mantras adds power and passion to the already hypnotic compositions. 1997 release on Angel, produced by George Harrison andfeaturing 16 chants. The 16 booklet features black & whitephotos, plus the original manuscript of each chant, plusEnglish translations & summaries for each as well. Recorded in India and England.
Amazon: This collection of chants from ancient Indian scriptures is simply the best you can get of such a collection. It starts, as in traditional Indian music, with a chant for Lord Ganesh. The collection is quite varied from chantings of a specific God such as the goddess of Learning (Saraswathi); chantings from the Gita (the famous Karmanyeva adhikareste, which states that one should refrain from acting with expectations about results) and the vedas - there is the other famous Gayathri mantra. The chants are authentic in their rendering in terms of the utterences and adherence to tradition. For the westerner, all the chants may make no sense at all. But the quality of the vocals tends to give one a feeling of sacredness and sanctity. Some of the chants are melodious; Ravi Shankar's sitar is quite evident in most of these; but it doesn't dominate as with his other renderings. The chants are the main body. This CD is ideal if your roots are Indian, and you want your child to listen and learn from these. It is nice background music for a religious gathering or for a Yoga class. I use this for many of my Yoga classes. It is not infrequent, that some of my students request this particular CD be the background music for their Yoga class. - Ashwini Aragam.
Entertainment Weekly: Unlike Shankar's classical raga recordings, Chants is a set of short, colorfully arranged pieces, enjoyable for neophytes and devotees alike. Another jewel from a humble world-music superstar."
Jazz Times: Basing the music on ancient Indian chants...Shankar has produced a surprisingly colorful and accessible set of 16 pieces..."
Wildstrings Comments: Well, If you like Ravi Shankar and his Sitar extravaganza and expecting the same here, You certainly would be disappointed. This is completely a devotional project of him with assistance of George Harrison on Indian Chants that were originally written some thousands of years ago. Ravi Shankar has written four original tracks as well, which were perfectly fitted for this very special project. Not everybody's cup of tea, but if you patiently spare some time and listen to this kinda music, you most probably will have a great pleasure, spiritual enlightenment and peace of mind. Very Recommended.
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