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Hariprasad Chaurasia

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

Hariprasad Chaurasia is an Indian flautist and composer, born on 1 July 1938 in Allahabad, now Prayagraj. He plays the bansuri, the bamboo flute of the Hindustani classical tradition. His father was a wrestler who wanted him to pursue a career in sport. Chaurasia therefore learned music in secret, first singing with a neighbour and then studying flute for eight years with Bholanath Prasanna in Varanasi.

Music and breakthrough

In 1957 he joined All India Radio in Cuttack, and after four years he was transferred to Bombay. There he worked in both classical music and the Hindi film industry. Later he became a pupil of Annapurna Devi, who made him unlearn what he knew. Chaurasia has played left-handed ever since. He developed the bansuri into a full concert instrument, with techniques that he borrowed from singing and from other instruments.

Influence

In 1967 he recorded the album Call of the Valley with the santoor player Shivkumar Sharma and the slide guitarist Brij Bhushan Kabra; it was widely heard in India and beyond. With Sharma he also formed the film-composing duo Shiv-Hari, known for Silsila (1981) and Chandni (1989). He has worked with George Harrison, Zakir Hussain, John McLaughlin and Jan Garbarek, among others, and received high Indian honours, including the Padma Vibhushan in 2000.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Call of the Valley. Notice how the bansuri sings like a voice, with long, flowing notes and small ornaments, and how the santoor and the slide guitar play around it.

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists