Know Your Composer
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji wrote massive, complex compositions in early 20th century. Is that the only reason he is not widely known? By Anu Kumar For someone who revelled in obscurity, even ensuring that his work was accessible only to the “serious and dedicated” listener, Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji has gained a
Know Your Composer
On December 10, 1956, in a remarkable struggle for survival and artistic freedom, György Ligeti (1923-2006), one of the most important composers of the twentieth century, boarded a train under the cover of night and escaped from the politically turmoiled Hungary. Hiding from the Soviet army, patrolling in the border,
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1+1=1 Estonian-born composer Arvo Pärt (1935-) has managed to strike a sound of devotional archaism into a world of chaotic modernity. Highly experimental during his early musical career, Pärt’s study of early music inspired a new, and completely unique musical language and vocabulary. Influenced by Orthodox Russian
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We spoke the other day with Indian composer Param Vir, whose recent work, Cave of Luminous Mind, takes the writings of the 11th century Tibetan saint and poet and has created a work about the state of enlightenment. Milarepa’s thoughts on the breath and creating a meditation technique based
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Art is a matter of evolution, not revolution 70 years ago, the world completely ignored the passing of one of the most creative and influential composers of the 20th century. Béla Bartók (1881–1945) originally hailed from the Hungarian town of Nagyszentmiklós, now Sînnicolau Mare in Romania, had died in
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ON Stage brings you excerpts from the NCPA Quarterly Journal, an unsurpassed literary archive that ran from 1972 to 1988 and featured authoritative and wide-ranging articles. In the second part of a two-part series, George Ruckert draws a comparison between Bach’s music and Indian ragas. Johann Sebastian Bach was
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Was Johann Sebastian Bach Western classical music’s “last Asian composer”? The question was raised in Bombay in March at a seminar celebrating the 300th anniversary of the birth of the great German composer. The seminar focused on one of Bach’s final works, the famous Art of the Fugue.
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Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1610) should undoubtedly be considered the most significant Spanish composer of his time. He exclusively devoted his life and creative energies to the Catholic Church, and became one of the leading musical figures of the Counter-Reformation. Born around 1548 in the city of Ávila — a medieval
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Shyam Benegal’s composer for most of his films, Vanraj Bhatia’s music has the unusual quality of being both loved and ignored at the same time. By Vipasha Aloukik Pai There are those who have heard his music but not his name. Play for them one of his more