On the Shelf from CCBC Libraries
Indian Sun by
One of Library Journal's "Best Arts Books of 2020" The definitive biography of Ravi Shankar, one of the most influential musicians and composers of the twentieth century, told with the cooperation of his estate, family, and friends For over eight decades, Ravi Shankar was India's greatest cultural ambassador. He was a groundbreaking performer and composer of Indian classical music, who brought the music and rich culture of India to the world's leading concert halls and festivals, charting the map for those who followed in his footsteps. Renowned for playing Monterey Pop, Woodstock, and the Concert for Bangladesh-and for teaching George Harrison of The Beatles how to play the sitar-Shankar reshaped the musical landscape of the 1960s across pop, jazz, and classical music, and composed unforgettable scores for movies like Pather Panchali and Gandhi. In Indian Sun: The Life and Music of Ravi Shankar, writer Oliver Craske presents readers with the first full portrait of this legendary figure, revealing the personal and professional story of a musician who influenced-and continues to influence-countless artists. Craske paints a vivid picture of a captivating, restless workaholic-from his lonely and traumatic childhood in Varanasi to his youthful stardom in his brother's dance troupe, from his intensive study of the sitar to his revival of India's national music scene. Shankar's musical influence spread across both genres and generations, and he developed close friendships with John Coltrane, Philip Glass, Yehudi Menuhin, George Harrison, and Benjamin Britten, among many others. For ninety-two years, Shankar lived an endlessly colorful and creative life, a life defined by musical, emotional, and spiritual quests-and his legacy lives on. Benefiting from unprecedented access to Shankar's archives, and drawing on new interviews with over 130 subjects-including his second wife and both of his daughters, Norah Jones and Anoushka Shankar- Indian Sun gives readers unparalleled insight into a man who transformed modern music as we know it today.
Call Number: ML419.S49 C73 2020
Is It All about Hips? by
The first comprehensive book on Bollywood dance culture, Is It All About Hips? traces Bollywood dances as they are interpreted, created, and produced in three locations: Mumbai (India), Kathmandu (Nepal), and Los Angeles (USA). In this pioneering work, Sangita Shresthova brings alive the world of Bollywood dance through the chronicling and analyses of live performances, dance classes, film spectatorship, and personal narratives. Watch how dances travel and meanings unravel...
Call Number: GV1703.I513 S57 2011
Global Bollywood by
Bollywood movies and their signature song-and-dance spectacles are an aesthetic familiar to people around the world, and Bollywood music now provides the rhythm for ads marketing goods such as computers and a beat for remixes and underground bands. These musical numbers have inspired scenes in Western films such as Vanity Fair and Moulin Rouge. Global Bollywood shows how this currency in popular culture and among diasporic communities marks only the latest phase of the genre's world travels. This interdisciplinary collection describes the many roots and routes of the Bollywood song-and-dance spectacle. Examining the reception of Bollywood music in places as diverse as Indonesia and Israel, the essays offer a stimulating redefinition of globalization, highlighting the cultural influence of Hindi film music from its origins early in the twentieth century to today. Contributors: Walter Armbrust, Oxford U; Anustup Basu, U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Nilanjana Bhattacharjya, Colorado Colle≥ Edward K. Chan, Kennesaw State U; Bettina David, Hamburg U; Rajinder Dudrah, U of Manchester; Shanti Kumar, U of Texas, Austin; Monika Mehta, Binghamton U; Anna Morcom, Royal Holloway Colle≥ Ronie Parciack, Tel Aviv U; Biswarup Sen, U of Oregon; Sangita Shrestova; Richard Zumkhawala-Cook, Shippensburg U. Sangita Gopal is assistant professor of English at the University of Oregon. Sujata Moorti is professor of women's and gender studies at Middlebury College.
Call Number: PN1993.5.I8 G54 2008Music of India by
Call Number: ML338 .M38 1996
Streaming Videos
- Singing Between Two Worlds: Learning Traditional Music in the Heart of Modern India This is a warm portrait of one of the most revered musical families in India, in which the cherished tradition of dhrupad vocal music is passed on from father to son. The Dagar brothers are handsome, affable young men at home in contemporary India. Yet they sit cross legged on a carpeted floor submitting to the instructions of their father, hour after hour, day after day, in order to master the complex tonalities of this demanding music. Their musical tradition has been passed on orally from father to son, kept alive for thousands of years without the aid of writing. Singing Between Two Worlds presents for the first time on film an in-depth look at the extraordinary approach to musical training fundamental to the classical music of India. This method is known as the guru shishya parampara. Through it, the Dagar brothers devote their lives to learning dhrupad vocal music, and strive to take their place among the twentieth generation of their family to have mastered this tradition. Viewers will gain an appreciation not only of the demands but also of the beauty of Indian classical music.
- Introducing the Music of India: Music of the World Over thousands of years, music has woven through India's rich culture. Though Indian music has changed and diversified, tradition remains strong. This program introduces the origins and cultural relevance of music in India. Indian Classical, Folk and Bollywood melodies and rhythms are discussed. Demonstrations of how to play widely used instruments – the bansuri, tanpura, sitar, tabla, and kinjira – will be of particular interest to music students.
Databases
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new windowArticles on any subject. This is a good place to start.
- Academic Video Online This link opens in a new window
Videos on many subjects from PBS, HBO, BBC, History Channel, and others. - Arts & Humanities DatabaseArticles on arts like visual arts, architecture, design, music, literature, and theatre,
and humanities like history, philosophy, and cultural studies. - Humanities International Complete This link opens in a new windowArticles and ebooks about humanities topics like arts, history, language, law, literature, philosophy, and politics.
Online from CCBC Libraries
Music and Musical Thought in Early India by
Offering a broad perspective of the philosophy, theory, and aesthetics of early Indian music and musical ideology, this study makes a unique contribution to our knowledge of the ancient foundations of India’s musical culture. Lewis Rowell reconstructs the tunings, scales, modes, rhythms, gestures, formal patterns, and genres of Indian music from Vedic times to the thirteenth century, presenting not so much a history as a thematic analysis and interpretation of India’s magnificent musical heritage.
Publication Date: 2015-12-25
Bangladesh by
Bangladesh is a lush, green country situated on the fertile Ganges delta, adjacent to the Indian state of West Bengal. Although there are hilly areas in the northeast, this densely populated country is mostly flat, and criss-crossed by many rivers. Much of its coastline forms part of the world's largest mangrove forests, the Sundarbans, home to the Royal Bengal tiger and many other flora and fauna.Bangladesh is young country with an ancient history. The province of Bengal was divided when India became independent in 1947, and its mainly Muslim eastern part became East Pakistan. This was followed by years of upheaval, and in 1971, after a freedom movement and a war, the east Bengali people finally gained independence as the People's Republic of Bangladesh.Most Bangladeshis live in rural areas, and the majority are Muslims. Historically they have lived in harmony with many other faiths. Bengali, or Bangla, is the lingua franca, and there are several regional dialects. Once the hub of the southern Silk Route, the Bengal delta region has a long and rich cultural tradition. Over the centuries it has been influenced by Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. It is a land of writers, saints, scientists, thinkers, composers, painters, and film-makers. It is famous for its music, dance, and drama; arts and crafts; folklore; languages and literature; philosophy and religion; festivals and celebrations; and its distinctive cuisine and culinary tradition. Bangladesh has been regularly hit by floods and cyclones, but, contrary to what the world usually hears about natural disasters and poverty, there is positive economic growth and the country is one of southeast Asia's largest exporters of garments to Western markets. Despite the hardships they endure the Bangladeshis are resilient, friendly, and hospitable, and welcome all visitors with a warm smile. This book introduces you to the people beyond the headlines, and offers invaluable advice on what to expect and how to behave in different situations, whether you are a tourist or traveling on business.
Publication Date: 2014-12-01
India by
As recently as the turn of the century, Western images of India pictured it as a land of religion, luxury, and desperate poverty--holy men sitting cross-legged by the roadside, fat maharajas on bejeweled elephants, or poverty-stricken beggars picking garbage for scraps to eat. Now that image has started to change. Today Americans are more likely to imagine Indian workers in call centers taking jobs needed in the United States or kids winning fortunes on quiz shows as in Slumdog Millionaire. Admired for its spiritual traditions (two of the world's major religions--Hinduism and Buddhism--originated here), for its peaceful struggle for independence led by Mohandas K. Gandhi, and for its vibrant culture (from Bollywood and spicy cuisine to classical music and world-renowned authors), India has had a long and fascinating history. However, while most people are familiar with certain parts of Indian history and culture, the roots of the country's contemporary society and politics are not always well understood in the West. Covering approximately 5,000 years of history, this revised resource offers an accessible, reliable introduction to the rich and diverse history of India.
Publication Date: 2011-01-01
The Black Cow's Footprint: Time, Space and Music in the Lives of the Kotas of South India by Publication Date: 2005
