Inspirations and backgrounds

In much the same period around 1600 in both the Occident and Orient new forms of musical direction developed, which remain as fresh and timeless as ever. In Europe, the avant-gardist of his time, Claudio Monteverdi made a historic breakthrough in occidental musical form, changing Renaissance music to that of the early baroque, or so-called early music.

Almost in parallel, north Indian classical music was developing in the courts of the Mogul empire, which was heavily influenced by Persia. In many cases Islam’s ban on music led many musicians to India resulting in a cultural exchange with Sufi music.

Pioneers like Nikolaus Harnoncourt rediscovered early music in the 1950s causing a revolutionary upsurge of interest in the epoch after it had bee forgotten for some 300 years. Concurrently ambassadors of Indian classical music like Ravi Shankar came to Europe and fused with some western influences – the seeds of World Music were being sown.