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| January 22, 2006 | Sunday | Zilhaj 21, 1426 |
‘Patience key to appreciate classical music’
ISLAMABAD, Jan 21: A living exponent of classical music Ustad Sharafat Ali Khan has counselled music enthusiasts to develop patience to appreciate the subtleties of classical music.
The maestro, who belongs to the Sham Chaurasi Gharana (family) of singing, performed for three hours at a classical music concert arranged at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts Friday night.
Ustad Sharafat Ali is the son of late Salamat Ali Khan, one of Pakistan’s and the South Asian sub-continent’s greatest classical musicians.
The maestro had the famed Tabla player Mohammad Amjad and two harmonium players, Ustad Umeed Ali and Shabbir Ali, as accompanying musicians.
He took the arduous task of beginning with Raga Priha Kalyan, which leaves the effect of dawn breaking on the listeners.
Thereafter, he started singing Thumries, crooning “Chhor ke na ja saiyan mor”, and then switched on to selected musical pieces in Rag Eiman to give a taste of music that his late father would often sing. He closed with singing Kafis.
Ustad Sharafat returned only this week from a tour of India, where he found a composed and eager audience.
The audience on Friday night was also receptive. In the audience sat the famed classical dancer Indu Metha, nodding her head in appreciation.
However, at a point during his performance when a group of youngsters stated showing signs of restless impatience, the maestro told them to enjoy and be patient with classical music performances. He said their inability to appreciate classical music was not their fault since very few classical music concerts were arranged.
For instance, he said he was performing at the PNCA after two-and-a-half years.
However, Mohammad Ajmal intervened to end youngsters’ commotion, and paid tributes to Sharafat Ali Khan for his eminence among classical musicians.
PNCA’s performing arts director Iqbal Ansari said: “One does not hear such powerful musical voices any more.”
A gentleman in the audience came forward to narrate an incident, when he witnessed Ustad Salamat Ali Khan perform till six in the morning at a music concert held at Chattagong in former East Pakistan.— Jonaid Iqbal
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