On 24 and 25 November 1995, at the Cirque Royal in Brussels, world music pioneers and lifelong friends Yehudi Menuhin and Ravi Shankar presented From the Sitar to the Guitar, a musical journey that starts nearly a thousand years ago in Rajasthan, India, and culminates in the Spanish flamenco.
For the first time, in aid of the International Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and the Ravi Shankar Foundation, this historic event is now available on DVD and CD.
From the Sitar to the Guitar features extraordinary and previously unreleased performances by Ravi Shankar, Blanca del Rey, Langas and Manghaniyars of Rajasthan, Ludovit Kov¡c, Trio Loyko (featuring violinists Oleg Ponomarev and Sergei Erdenko) and Abdelli.
After the concerts, Y. Menuhin wrote: "Ravi Shankar established an atmosphere which was magical... The audience was gasping with the joy which comes of seeing a dream fulfilled, which unhappily does not exist in our ordinary life."
- The DVD contains the complete 24 November 1995 concert (2hrs 20mins) plus interviews with the participating artists, vocal and instrumental demonstrations and rehearsal footage (approx. 50 minutes of extras).
- It is accompanied by an exclusive CD with 78 minutes of unreleased highlights from the 25 November 1995 concert.
- The 16 page booklet includes a new foreword by Ravi Shankar, the original programme foreword by Yehudi Menuhin, rare and unpublished documents and manuscripts, notably by Lord Menuhin and Pandit Ravi Shankar.
In his new foreword for the booklet, Ravi Shankar writes: "This is a beautiful DVD aptly named From the Sitar to the Guitar, showcasing the musical voyage of gypsies and the evolution of the human dialogue through harmony and sound and thereby crossing all boundaries and barriers. I am also very thankful that the proceeds from the sale of these DVD and CD will go to both Yehudi's and my foundations."
The From the Sitar to the Guitar concerts were originally produced by the International Yehudi Menuhin Foundation in 1995 and conceived by its Secretary General, Marianne Poncelet. Eleven years later, celebrating the 90th anniversary of Yehudi Menuhin's birth, Kairos Communications is proud to release the DVD+CD of these historic moments. "We are very happy to have saved this unique material from oblivion. It is an honour for us to have the opportunity, through this production, to contribute in perpetuating the philosophy and message of such truly great men as Lord Menuhin and Pandit Ravi Shankar. A message of friendship, love, understanding and tolerance, which in today's world is more relevant than ever", said Johan Ral, Managing Director of Kairos Communications, an independent Belgian company.