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Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was a prolific genius who expresses the `soul of Bengal'.
He won the Nobel prize for his collection of poems `Gitanjali' in 1913 and wrote many other volumes of poems, plays, stories and dance-dramas. Although some of his poems and stories have been translated into other languages, his songs ('Rabindrasangeet') have so far remained largely inaccessible to non-Bengalis.
Yet he wrote over 2,500 songs throughout his life, drawing on a wide range of musical inspiration; traditional Indian ragas, tribal music, even Irish, Scottish and German traditional songs.
These songs reflect a broad range of themes including the soul's longing for union with the infinite, human love and friendship, the bliss and wonder of nature, delight in the details of ordinary life, and commentaries on contemporary social issues.
They are arguably a rich resource for anyone wanting a form of expression for the language of the soul.
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