Ravi Shankar with Yehudi Menuhin

Yehudi Menuhin, an American classical violinist played a key role in introducing Indian musicians to the West. His partnership with Ravi Shankar was proof that it was possible to bridge the musical cultures of the West and East. They were formally introduced at the behest of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952, when Yehudi visited Delhi.

The meeting sparked a lifelong friendship that resulted in many collaborations, including EMI’s West Meets East trilogy in which Yehudi played Ravi’s compositions, based on Indian ragas and rhythms.