Wednesday, Oct 02, 2013
“People rarely do things that are difficult. Ghazal singing is a tough job,” said Gulam Ali, probably the most well known torchbearers of his genre left today. The maestro, who performs in Dubai this weekend, showed concern over the dwindling interest in ghazal singing and listening.
Having just arrived in Dubai, Ali spoke to tabloid! on Tuesday despite a tiring journey from Lahore. He said he would be singing a few ghazals for the first time, but refused to share them with us.
“I will tell you about them only at the show,” he laughed.
“Poets are always special, especially those people [you] love to listen to over and over again such as Mirza Ghalib, Daagh [Dehlvi], Momin [Khan Momin], [Mirza Mohammad Rafi] Sauda, Mir Taqi Mir, Ada and Nida Jafri, Sahir Ludhianvi, Hazrat Jaipuri... their poetry is a priceless gift which Allah gives only to a few. And when you combine that with notes filled with love it becomes the most beautiful gift for any audience. Till I die, I will present this to them.”
Singing is a tough job and ghazal singing is even tougher, said Ali.
“Good ghazal poetry is difficult to learn and singing is the result of several years of hard work to actually make a name for yourself. But once someone is into it, he or she will never leave. Why? Because it makes you immortal. Even if you die, people will always remember you. Legends such as Begum Akhtar, Mehdi Hasan sahab, [K.L.] Saigal, Tarannum Naz, Jagjit [Singh] Bhai — they will stay alive for centuries.”
“Yes, ghazal singing is very challenging,” agreed Jaswinder Singh, a young and upcoming ghazal singer, who will perform at the same event. “Ghazal singing is the most difficult genre though it sounds most pleasant, soothing and simple. It takes a minimum of 15 years to actually learn to be one — 10 years of music, talaffuz [diction], language, the poets and writers and, above all, to gain that maturity. People lack patience today. They want to be stars overnight”.
Being a sardar (Sikh), people easily assumed that Singh would take up Punjabi pop or folk singing but, hailing from a musical family — Singh’s father Kuldip Singer was a known composer in the Indian film industry — Singh said being a sardar was the reason he just had to do something different.
“I’m more of romantic ghazal singer. It’s not like I don’t sing Punjabi, people expect that because I’m a sardar. But so did Jagjit Singh,” said the singer who had his big break in Bollywood with Raanjhanaa, composed by A.R. Rahman, and has released three ghazal albums.
“There is so much untapped talent in this genre,” said Ali. “And it’s the responsibility of event promoters and media to bring attention them, so that the singers also feel encouraged. But it’s also important that they have an interested audience. Music only spreads love, it teaches to love. There’s all kind of music in this world, but [ghazal singing] is the crowning glory.”
Don’t miss it
What: Gulam Ali live in concert, with Jaswinder Singh
Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Shaikh Zayed Road
When: Tonight from 9pm
Tickets: Dh1,000 and Dh500 (including buffet dinner and free car parking) and Dh250, Dh125,
Call: 050-6549100/055-6549100
By Manjari Saxena Deputy Editor The weekend tabloid!
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
