Tabla maestros, brothers Shabih Sen and Wajih Nizami and Sharmeen Malik on the sitar capped off the night in style. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Music transcended words as the power of classical instruments took over. In the ongoing celebration of the Jashn-e-Khusro festival at Kuch Khaas (KK), an ensemble of tabla, pakhawaj and sitar players mesmerised the audience on Friday.
The festival commemorated the death anniversary of the legendary polymath Amir Khusro Dehlavi. The third event in the series, “Khayal-e-Khusro,” offered a retreat into the centuries-old ragas (musical notes) as composed by Khusro.
A band of young musicians — Ecstasy — broke the ice with a fusion of sitar, tabla, leads and rhythm. The popular numbers “Aaj rang hai” and “Chaap tilak” had many in the audience singing along, taking in the music’s soft melody. They blended the traditional genre with a Western vibe, creating a soulful mix.
Ustad Niamat Khan and Shabih Sen took to the stage, playing tabla and sitar in harmony. They performed a Bhopali raga, inspired by a disciple of Khusro, among others.
The Institute for Preservation of Arts and Culture (IPAC) Chief Executive Officer Umair Jaffar elaborated on the ancient sound the seasoned musicians played at the event.
He described how the nearly-extinct barrel-shaped instrument, pakhawaj, had been split into two halves to create the modern-day tabla. He also talked about the evolution of the sitar from a three-string to a seven-string instrument.
Traditional musicologists believe it was Khusro who split the pakhawaj, so he could hear both sides of the instrument while playing it. The tabla added a dimension and sound quality to his music.
Ustad Ajmal Khan, who recently received a Pride of Performance award for tabla playing, demonstrated the subtle variations in the individual sounds of the pakhawaj and tabla, through the “teen taal” technique.
He displayed how the conversion of the instrument refined and uplifted its sound, lending diversity to the classical music form in the Indian Subcontinent.
The musical evening came to a close with a group performance by tabla maestros, brothers Shabih Sen and Wajih Nizami while Sharmeen Malik joined in on the sitar. The festival was organised by KK in collaboration with IPAC, the Lime Tree cafe and Radio1 FM91.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 15th, 2013.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ