Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
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| Bade Ghulam Ali Khan | |
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 Bade Ghulam Ali Khan |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Sabrang |
| Born | April 2, 1902, Kasur, Punjab, British India |
| Died | April 25, 1968, Hyderabad, India |
| Genres | Hindustani classical music |
| Occupations | singer |
| Years active | ? - 1967 |
| Labels | HMV, Times Music |
Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (Devanagari:बड़े गुलाम अली खान, Shahmukhi: بڑے غلام علی خان) (c. 1902 – 25 April 1968) was a Hindustani classical vocalist, from the Patiala Gharana.[1]
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[edit] Early life and background
Bade Ghulam Ali was born in Kasur, then in the Punjab province in British India; after partition, Kasur became a part of Pakistan.[2] His father was a famous singer, Ali Baksh Khan, in a West Punjabi family of musical heritage.
At the age of seven, he learned sarangi and vocal from his paternal uncle Kale Khan, who was also a singer and composer of repute, and after his death he picked up a few compositions from his father who had re-married by this time. This tenure lasted for almost three years. It was at this juncture that he improvised the musical instrument "Kanoon" to the present "Swaramandal" which became his trademark. When he was about 21 years old, he moved to Benaras where he accompanied a courtesan named Zarabai on the sarangi and started to perform in public. Other important influences on him were Baba Shende Khan, Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan and Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan.[3][4]
[edit] Singing career
Though Khan started his career by playing the sarangi, he also used to sing a few compositions of his late uncle. He was also a disciple of both Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan and Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan, two scions of the Patiala Gharana.[5] He became popular as a vocalist after his debut concert in Kolkata. Khan amalgamated the best of four traditions: his own Patiala-Kasur style, the Behram Khani elements of Dhrupad, the gyrations of Jaipur, and the behlavas (embellishments) of Gwalior. His voice had a wide range, spanning three octaves, effortless rendition, sweetness, flexibility and ease of movement in all tempi.[6] He popularised the Thumri, Ka Karoon Sajni Aye Na Baalam.
For a long time, Bade Ghulam Ali stayed away from singing in films despite requests and persuasions from well known producers and music directors. However, he was coaxed and convinced by K. Asif to sing two songs based on ragas Sohni and Rageshree for the 1960 film Mughal-e-Azam, in which his voice was represented as Tansen's by the music director Naushad. He demanded a very, very high price, reportedly Rs. 25,000/- per song, when the rate for popular and star playback singers such as Lata Mangeshkar (b.1929) and Mohammed Rafi(1925–1980) was below Rs. 500/- per song.
Khan was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Padma Bhushan in 1962.[7][8]
Khan was married to Ali Jiwai, who died in 1932. Khan's son, Munawar Ali Khan (1930–1989), was a classical singer. His grandson, Raza Ali Khan, is also a Hindustani classical singer.
Khan died in Hyderabad at Basheerbagh Palace in 1968, after a prolonged illness which left him partially paralysed in his last years. He continued to sing and perform in public with the support of his son Munawar until his death.
[edit] The legacy
Today, the Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Yaadgar Sabha, founded by his disciple Malti Gilani, keeps his music and memory alive. It aims to promote Hindustani classical music and organises many concerts to this end. Its primary aim, however, is to provide medical aid to ailing musicians. The Sabha organises a Sabrang Utsav every year in the memory of the maestro. Under his pen name, Sabrang, Khan left numerous compositions.
Many years after the death of his first wife Allah Jiwai,he married an issueless widow, Allah Rakhi, who survived him and died on 11 August 1996.
[edit] Discography
- Mehfil - Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan - Times Music
- Golden Milestones - Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
- Classical Vocal - Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
- Sab Rang
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ "A different experience". The Hindu (Chennai, India). 12 November 2007. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/11/12/stories/2007111251220800.htm.
- ^ http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_2-1-2003_pg3_2
- ^ Sheikh, M.A. "Yaadein" http://www.sadarang.com/Yaadein%20-%20Ustad%20Bade%20Ghulam%20Ali%20Khan.htm
- ^ ITC SRA "Tribute to a Maestro" http://www.itcsra.org/tribute.asp?id=4
- ^ Sheikh, M.A. "Yaadein" http://www.sadarang.com/Yaadein%20-%20Ustad%20Bade%20Ghulam%20Ali%20Khan.htm
- ^ Bade Ghulam Ali Khan - Tribute to a Maestro
- ^ "Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards - Hindustani Music - Vocal". Sangeet Natak Akademi. http://www.sangeetnatak.org/sna/awardeeslist-music.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-18.[dead link]
- ^ "Padma Awards". Ministry of Communications and Information Technology). http://india.gov.in/myindia/advsearch_awards.php?start=0&award_year=&state=&field=3&p_name=Ghulam&award=All. Retrieved 2009-05-16.
[edit] References
- Manuel, Peter L (1990). Ṭhumrī in historical and stylistic perspectives. Motilal Banarsidass Publisher. ISBN 9788120806733. http://books.google.com/books?id=PlNShmx3x68C.
