[Indian Music] Shankar, Ravi. (1920-2012) & Rakha, Alla. (1919–2000)
Signed Photographs
Pair of original photographs of the renowned Indian musicians, each shown in mid-performance. Shankar has inscribed "To George Gaber/ Ravi Shankar," with Gaber adding the date 4/25/69. Crease to lower left corner, light surface creases, else in fine condition. Rakha, shown playing the tabla, has signed to the left of the image. Crease to lower left corner, light surface creases, else in fine condition. 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm.).This is the first signed photograph we have ever offered of Ustad Allarakha Qureshi, popularly known as Alla Rakha. An Indian tabla player, who specialized in Hindustani Classical music, he was a frequent accompanist of sitar player Ravi Shankar and was largely responsible for introducing Tabla to the western audience.
From the collection of George Gaber (1916–2007), noted percussionist who performed with a number of professional ensembles, including the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Baltimore Symphony and worked with Leonard Bernstein, Otto Klemperer, Igor Stravinsky, Henry Mancini, Duke Ellington and many others over the span of his career. From 1960 to 1986 taught percussion at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and was also an artist in residence at Carnegie Mellon University, an adjudicator for National Music Arts in Japan and the Canadian Music Competition, and a Hall of Fame recipient in Percussion Arts Society.
Signed Photograph Classical Music