Ghazal night: The versatile maestro and the soothing aura of the mehfil

Fateh Ali Khan’s performances leave audience spellbound.

ISLAMABAD:

Mild as its essence, the ghazal night at Kuch Khaas opened to a gallery of calmly receptive listeners on Friday. There were no delays as guests made themselves comfortable on floor cushions, anticipating the wonders of timeless melodies to unravel with Maestro Sultan Fateh Ali Khan.

Hailing from the famous Patiala gharana, the maestro is no stranger to the world of classical music. Born to the famous maestro Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, he is well-versed in the forms of semi-classical, ghazal, folk and light singing, each playing its due part at the event.

The evening brought many like-minded listeners together and exposed them to multiple facets of the good old classical music. Komal, a learner of classical music, mesmerised the audience with her soulful rendition of the kaushik thumri. She set the stage for a mix of ghazals and ragas to be followed in a lively orchestra of tablas, harmonium and the organ.

What started out as a pre-set “playlist” performance led to incessant requests of all-time favourites like “aaj jaane ki zid na karo”, “muhabbat karney wale kam na honge”, and the Punjabi classic “umraah langian pubbah bhaar”. The pure ragas ranged from Bhageshwari to Bhairvi to Aiman, Darbari and Bhopali.

The maestro’s seamless command over singing fell in sync with the laidback mood. He smoothly transitioned in between styles, connecting with the audience through sharing a laugh or nodding in agreement. He also performed compositions by singers that were inspired under his father’s tutelage like “sun re more pyaare saajna” by Abbas Ali Khan.

“The fusion of styles was very hypnotising for me. I’m a huge fan of qawaalis and exploring cultural music through such performances,” commented Sana, a psychology major visiting from Canada. The evening held up its promise as several expats, regardless of age or ethnicity, seemed to be taking in the aura of the mehfil.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2011.