On 22 February 1987, Sri Chinmoy gave his first piano performance at Buchman Hall, Manhattan, NY. This powerful, energising and soulful nine-minute improvisation came just a few days after Sri Chinmoy started to play the piano. Sri Chinmoy later gave this performance the title ‘The Battle of Kurukshetra.’
‘The Battle of Kurukshetra‘ (1st piano performance)
Last modified March 30, 2017
Sri Chinmoy first sat at a piano and spontaneously improvised for 21 minutes on the 18th of February 1987. Sri Chinmoy had no formal training and does not read music. Similar performances on the piano and synthesiser became a regular feature of the Master’s concerts from early 1987.
The title “The Battle of Kurukshetra” relates to the epic battle fought in the ‘Mahabharata’ between the Pandavas, representing the forces of good, and the Kauravas, the embodiment of darkness and ignorance).
“On hearing a recording of Sri Chinmoy’s debut performance: “It is ‘out of earth’ music. It is cosmic music, beyond this galaxy. Sri Chinmoy’s sense of harmony and rhythm is fantastic. You have to have the wisdom of the innermost Truth to play like this. Sri Chinmoy is doing what other musicians would like to but can’t because they are so moulded. His music is the ultimate!”
— Milford Graves, jazz percussionist
Photos from piano performance
Poster from 1987 concert.
Piano, piano, piano, piano,
You beckon me towards the vastness of Infinity.
Piano, piano, piano, piano,
You embody Infinity’s music-treasure.Piano, piano, piano, piano,
Sleeplessly you offer me your heart, flooded with the love divine.
Related
A chronology of Sri Chinmoy’s early piano performances.
Artist: Sri Chinmoy
Name: The Battle of Kurukshetra
Release year: 1987 (MC)
Duration: 0:09:03
Acknowledgements: Sri Chinmoy
Tracks uploaded: Ashish | Tejvan
Format: Advanced Audio Coding
Photos by Bhashwar
The original two covers from editions of music tapes published in 1987:
