5d • General discussion
Music of India and Paul Horn
Paul Horn (1930–2014) was one of the first Western musicians to deeply integrate the spiritual essence of Indian music into his artistic and personal life. His encounters with music from India profoundly reshaped his understanding of sound, silence, and consciousness.
Horn’s landmark album "Inside the Taj Mahal" was inspired by his visit to India with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Recorded spontaneously inside the Taj Mahal, the album revealed how sustained tones, breath, and natural acoustics could evoke a meditative state—an approach closely aligned with Indian raga practice, where sound is a vehicle for inner awareness rather than display technique.
This journey continued with Paul Horn in India, created in collaboration with leading Indian classical musicians. Rather than imposing Western jazz structures, Horn listened deeply to the rhythmic cycles, drone-based harmony, and unfolding melodic forms of Indian music, allowing them to guide his improvisation.
For Horn, Indian music was inseparable from meditation. His flute playing became an extension of his spiritual practice—slow, spacious, and intentional—reflecting India’s ancient view of music as a sacred discipline rooted in breath, vibration, and consciousness. Through his work, Horn helped open Western ears to the idea that music can be a path inward, carrying profound spiritual roots that transcend culture and genre.
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Music of India and Paul Horn
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Especially for flutists wh want to broaden their range of expression to include the rich traditions of Music of India.
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