RAVI SHANKAR (b.1920): Symphony.

Description: NOTE: This is not a “crossover” composition! Meaning it works and can be listened to again. Shankar has chosen to use the classical Western symphonic form, right down to four movements (i.e., a scherzo between the slow movement and the finale) and sonata form in the first movement. Each movement has a raga as basic theme, two traditional and two composed by Shankar. What we don’t have is a dependence on harmony, modulation and counterpoint; the Indian part of this dish is its reliance almost solely on rhythm and melodic structures. A solo sitar adds to the color, making sections sound almost like a concerto. But the sitar is the only non-Western instrument employed. Really worth hearing, especially at the price. The crowd goes wild at the end. Live recording from July 1, 2010. Anoushka Shankar (sitar), London Philharmonic Orchestra; David Murphy.