For his first piano anniversary, Sri Chinmoy performs three extemporaneous improvisations on the piano and composes the Piano song.
Earth’s God-Hunger-Power-Tears
Last modified January 8, 2012
Dear listeners, it is with great joy and pride that we bring you this CD by Sri Chinmoy, first released in 1988 as a cassette, and re-issued in 2010 as a CD.
Here are the notes on the back cover of the CD:
“Sri Chinmoy’s first keyboard instrument was the harmonium, which he began playing in his youth in India to accompany his devotional singing. Later, he also used other keyboards for accompaniment. In 1976 he began performing extemporaneously on electric and acoustic keyboards.
On February 18th, 1987, at the age of 55, Sri Chinmoy started playing the piano. It became one of his favorite instruments, and in his first year he performed on the piano 35 times in concerts in the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Scotland, Italy, France, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
For Sri Chinmoy’s much-anticipated first piano anniversary celebration, his students brought a Hamburg Steinway Model B grand piano to the auditorium of Public School 86 in Jamaica, New York. As usual, Sri Chinmoy led a silent meditation, then began to play. However, when the piece ended he announced that he had not yet finished, and would continue after a few minutes.
After the second piece Sri Chinmoy paused again, then played for a third time. Afterwards, he composed his Piano song and taught it to the audience. He recorded this song in his home five days later and included it with the piano recording.”
We are grateful to Sri Chinmoy for this soulful and illumining offering.
Kamalakanta Nieves
