Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Puducherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
‘Classicism is not a cage’
Rustam Ali Khan answered some of our queries about his and his father’s stylistic identity.
What would you single out as the hallmark of your style?
For us classicism does not mean a cage. Our gharana has taken freely and openly – mind you, not stolen - the best from other gharanas such as Gwalior and Indore. We have gone to other artistes, surrendered ourselves as shagirds, served them and learnt from them.
How then do you maintain your stylistic identity?
The Patiala gharana ustads have made a fresh, new bouquet from all the flowers they have gathered. It has colours and fragrances of its own. We don’t limit ourselves in the name of identity, but expand our understanding of raags and taals by exploring unknown regions.
Was it difficult to survive in a climate not conducive to artistic pursuits?
It was tough in the past. Things have improved in Pakistan, especially in the last decade. Father has been given honours, even a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Have you devised any special programme for your first concert in Chennai?
We are fascinated by Carnatic music. You have some really mazedaar (enjoyable) taals, and intriguing techniques of handling them. Your raags are different too. Hindustani music has taken so many raags from you. It will be good for us to learn more about all this firsthand. We don’t plan before concerts. While we will showcase the best from our school in khyal and thumri, we will also try to play a raag absorbed from Carnatic music. Sufiana kalam…? May be!
G.R.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Puducherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
|
