Benjamin Britten in London - 6 May, 1933, 08:45 PM

from Journeying boy : the diaries of the young Benjamin Britten 1928-1938, page 139:

I go to Amb. Th. at 8.45 - ticket paid for by Miss Fass - to see Uday Shan-Kar & his Hindu dances (inc. Simkie & Robindra - quite young) & musicians (inc Vishnu Dass - marvellous drummer & Timir Bewan).* I haven't seen anything for ages which has thrilled me more. Marvellously intellectual & perfectly wrought dancing. Finest I have yet seen Music, full of variety, rhythmically & tonally. one perfect creation of Shan-kar - an ecstatic dance. Tandava Nrittya was a longer ballet with a very exciting fight.**
cite as

John Evans (ed.), Journeying boy : the diaries of the young Benjamin Britten 1928-1938 (:London, 2009), p. 139. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1435696000432 accessed: 28 March, 2024

location of experience: London

Listeners

Benjamin Britten
Composer
1913-1976

Listening to

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Tandava Nrittya performed by Timir Bewan, Vishnu Dass

Experience Information

Date/Time 6 May, 1933, 08:45 PM
Medium live
Listening Environment in the company of others, indoors, in public

Notes

*This was the famous touring troupe of Uday Shankar (1900-77) world-renowned Bengali classical dancer and choreographer from India, brother of Ravi Shankar, the virtuoso sitar player and composer. **Tandava Nritya - according to religious scholars, this dance of Lord Shiva (called 'Anandatandava,' meaning, 'the Dance of Bliss') symbolizes the cosmic death.


Originally submitted by gkw on Tue, 30 Jun 2015 21:26:40 +0100
Approved on Mon, 26 Sep 2016 23:25:06 +0100