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Ali Akbar Khan

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Ali Akbar Khan was born in 1922 in Shibpur, in present-day Bangladesh, the son of the musician and teacher Allauddin Khan. The family moved to Maihar in present-day Madhya Pradesh, where his father was court musician. He learned vocal music and several instruments, but ultimately chose the sarod. Lessons began before sunrise and sometimes lasted eighteen hours a day. In 1936, at the age of thirteen, he made his debut at a music conference in Allahabad, and in 1939 he accompanied Ravi Shankar there, the first of many duets between the two.

Music and breakthrough

In 1955, at the invitation of Yehudi Menuhin, he travelled to the United States, where he recorded Music of India: Morning and Evening Ragas in New York. He also composed new ragas, such as Chandranandan, and film music, including for Satyajit Ray's Devi. In 1956 he founded the Ali Akbar College of Music in Calcutta, and in 1967 a second one in Berkeley, later based in San Rafael. He received the Padma Vibhushan in 1989 and a MacArthur Fellowship in 1991. He also taught Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead to play.

Influence

His style was restrained and deeply expressive. He drew great intensity and tone colour from a few notes and simple melodic lines, rather than outward show. In this way he brought Hindustani classical music to the West and became one of the most highly regarded Indian musicians of the twentieth century. He died in San Anselmo in 2009.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Sindhi Bhairavi and notice how the sarod builds an atmosphere with a slow beginning. Follow how the melody gradually speeds up and how the tabla joins in later.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Mentioned in other articles

See also

Categories: ArtistsIndian classical musicParallel cinema (Bengal)