Hariprasad Chaurasia

Hariprasad Chaurasia

Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (born July 1, 1938) is known internationally as a player of the bansuri, the North Indian bamboo flute. Chaurasia is a classicist who has made a conscious effort to reach out and expand the audience for classical music.

History

Hariprasad Chaurasia was born in Allahabad in (1 July 1938) into a non musical family. His father was a wrestler. His mother died when he was four. Hariprasad had to learn music almost in secret, scared of the father who wanted him to become a wrestler. He did go to the Akhada and train with his father for some time, although he also started learning music in secret, and practicing in his friend's house. He has credited this wrestling training for giving him the immense stamina and lung power that are the hallmarks of his flute playing, stating that, "I was not any good at wrestling. I went there only to please my father. But maybe because of the strength and stamina I built up then, I'm able to play the bansuri even to this day".

He first started learning vocal music from his neighbour, Pt. Rajaram at the age of 15. Later, he switched to playing the flute under the tutelage of Pt. Bholanath of Varanasi. Much later, while working for All India Radio, he received guidance from the reclusive Smt. Annapurna Devi (daughter of Baba Allaudin Khan).

Pt. Chaurasia is a rare combination of innovator and traditionalist. He has expanded the expressive possibilities of the bansuri through his masterful blowing technique. Hariprasad Chaurasia is one of the busiest North Indian classical musicians, regularly traveling and performing throughout the world.

Apart from classical music, he has made a mark as a Hindi language film music director along with Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, forming a group called Shiv-Hari. He has also collaborated with various world musicians in experimental cross-cultural performances, including the fusion group Shakti.

He serves as the Artistic Director of the World Music Department at the Rotterdam Music Conservatory in the Netherlands.

He has collaborated with several western musicians, including John McLaughlin and Jan Gabarek, and has also composed music for a number of Indian films. He has performed throughout the world winning acclaim from varied audiences and fellow musicians including Yehudi Menuhin and Jean Pierre Rampal.He has won a number of awards including the Sangeet Natak Academy (1984),Konark Samman (1992), Padma Bhushan (1992),Yash Bharati Sanman (1994) and Padma Vibhushan (2000).

Discography

Nothing but wind is basically an emotional suite of music of Love and Peace. The Liquidity of flute of performance of Hariprasad Chaurasia's with Ilayaraja's composing for various stanzas resembles real life emotions. This is the First in Asia which conveys Life Emotions.

These are the major albums released by Pt.Hari Prasad Chaurasia, categorized by release dates.²

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Hariprasad Chaurasia

1978

• Krishnadhwani 60

1981

• Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia - Flute

1984

• Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia - Flute (different set of ragas,same album name)

1987

• Morning to Midnight Ragas - Morning Ragas

1988

• Call of the Valley

1989

• Venu
• Live in Ahmedabad '89

1990

• Immortal Series

1991

• Megh Malhar

1992

• Night Ragas
• Live in Amsterdam '92
• Morning to Midnight Ragas - Afternoon Ragas
• All time Favorites
• Live from Sawai Gandharva Music Festival - Video (VHS)
• Raga-s DU Nord Et Du Sud
• Immortal Series - Flute Fantasia

1993

• Indian Classical Masters
• Daylight Ragas
• Flute - Hariprasad Chaurasia

1994

• Thumri - The Music of Love
• In A Mellow Mood
• Possession
• Immortal Series - Devine Drupad
• Classic Greats1 - Ideas on Flute

1995

• In Live Concert
• Cascades of Hindustani Music
• Maharishi Gandharva Veda - Sunrise Melody
• Maharishi Gandharva Veda - Morning Melody
• Maharishi Gandharva Veda - Midday Melody
• Maharishi Gandharva Veda - Afternoon Melody
• Maharishi Gandharva Veda - Evening Melody
• Maharishi Gandharva Veda - Sunset Melody
• Maharishi Gandharva Veda - Midnight Melody
• Maharishi Gandharva Veda - Late Night Melody
• Hariprasad Chaurasia - Flute
• Malhar-Chandrika
• Music 157 - Live in London
• Music - Flute
• Great Jugalbandis
• Music from the world of OSHO - Above & Beyond
• Prem Yog
• Written on the Wind
• Romantic Themes
• Saptarishi - Live at Siri Fort
• The Mystical Flute of Hari Prasad Chaurasia
• Maestro's Choice
• Basant Bahar
• Chaurasia's Choice

1996

• Hari Prasad Chaurasia & his Divine Flute
• Flute Recital
• Valley Recalls - In search of Peace, Love and Harmony
• Krishna's Flute - Master of the Bansuri
• Classical Encounters - A live Experience with Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia
• Fabulous Flute
• Pundit Hari Prasad Chaurasia
• In Concert - Vancouver, B.C
• Hariprasad Chaurasia - Flute
• The Bamboo Flautist of His Generation
• Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia - Nada in Jerusalem

1997

• Classical Encounters - A Live Experience with Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia
• Great Jugalbandis
• The Golden Collection (Classical)
• Immortal Essence
• Golden Raga Collection

1998

• Samarpan-VCD Special 60th Birthday Edition
• The Charms Companion
• Morning to Midnight - Morning to Dusk

1999

• Jugalbandi
• Rasdhaara
• Live Inside Khajuraho
• Live in New Delhi - '89
• Golden Raga Collection
• Musical Titans of India - Jugalbandhi Video (VHS)
• Pure Joy - Positive Energy Music

2000

• Music without Boundaries
• Maaya - Far East
• Hriday - Cuba
• Caravan Spain
• Live Concert at Savai Gandharva Music Festival
• Gurukul - The Guru shishya Parampara

2001

• Adi-Ananth
• Love Divine - Parables of Passion
• Power & Grace - Live at the Saptak Festival 2001
• Discovery of Indian Classical Music
• Flute Duet

2003

• Flute Deity Hariprasad Chaurasia
• The Greatest Hits of Hariprasad Chaurasia
• Salvation - Instrumental Bhajans

Some more Albums ( Release year not known)

• La Flute De Pundit Hariprasad Chaurasia
• Hariprasad Chaurasia - The Most Celebrated Flautist of India
• Sound of Silence
• Charm of the Bamboo flute
• Kalpana - Imagination
• A Kaleidoscope of various ragas
• Krishna Utsav
• Kali - Classical Instrumental
• Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia - the Living Legend of Flute
• Moon Light Moods - Flute Recital
• Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia - The Living Legend of Flute
• Indian Music
• HariDhwani
• Buston Abraham - Fanar
• Nothing but Wind
• Fusion India - Passage of India Series
• Being Still
• Dhammapada - Sacred teaching of Buddha
• The Charms Companion
• Eternity

Music for Bollywood films

Along with Pandit ShivKumar Sharma he composed music for

• Chandni
• Darr
• Lamhe
• Silsila
• Faasale
• Vijay

Music for Telugu films

Sirivennela, The movie revolves around the role of Pandit Hari Prasad,a blind flautist (played by Sarvadaman Banerjee) and a painter who is mute. The movie (one of the most celebrated musical masterpieces in Telugu) abounds in classical music composed by K. V. Mahadevan with flute renditions by the Hariprasad Chaurasia

External links

• Official website
• Interview
• Hariprasad Chaurasia by Mohan Nadkarni