Nusrat Fateh All Khan can truly
be described as one of the greatest musical prodigies of our times.
Although he was an exponent of
the Qawali (mystic) singing but he used his musical skills of the classical art
form of music to blend it with contemporary music to an extent that he can be
called the pioneer of this individualistic style by harnessing the vocal of his
high pitched voice that depicted the cry and pathos of the common man.
Born to a distinguished family
from Jalandher with a 600 year-long tradition of performing Qawali, his
deceased father and uncles are still remembered as great masters of Qawali.
Mr Nusrat began to seriously
pursue Qawali career only after the death of his father. However, since his
debut in 1965 as the lead singer of the group, he had distinguished himself as
a qawal - a singer of Qawali music. He was known as the “Shahenshah-e-Qawall” -
the king of Qawali.
Nusrat Khan continued to perform
Qawali in religious rites - the original form in which Qawali is sung-at
mausoleums of revered saints in Pakistan, while at the same time giving
concerts at more convenient venues.
The superb singing talent and
musical skill of this great master of Qawali, alongwith his strong command of
Urdu, Farsi (Persian) and his native language, Punjabi, had enabled him to sing
the mystic poetry 4 written in these languages with fluency and expressiveness.
He was also famous for his
unparalleled repertoire, which extended to several thousands of songs. In
appreciation of his excellence, the Government of Pakistan award him the
President’s Pride of Performance in 1987.
In the summer of 1985, Mr Nusrat
Fateh All Khan performed at the World Music arts and Dance festival (WOMAD) in
London, where he stood out as the most promising singer. After the success of
that summer, he began to perform music more freely.
His various experimentation, such
as the use of seat-like singing improvisation, brought a fresh breeze into the
traditional world of Qawali. His concerts in Paris in 1985 and 1988 were
received with great enthusiasm as his amazing vocal performances produced a
craze for his music throughout Europe. His first visit to Japan took place in
1987, at the invitation of the Japan Foundation.
His participation in seminars and
his performance atthe 5th Asian Traditional Performing Art Festival and
subsequent concerts in Japan had earned him a steadily increasing number of
fans in this country.
These achievements, taken
together had an immeasurable impact on cultural exchange between the East and
the West, led to the enhancement of both cultures, and thus made Ustad Nusrat
Fateh All Khan particularly worthy of receiving the Arts and Culture Prizes of
various countries and made his name synonymous with International Music.
Khan Sahib was a regular
performer of Pakistan Television ever since its inception, in Qawali programmes
but with his amalgamation of modern music in traditional music, the demand of
his songs, as a soloist became more in the enthusiastic young crowed.
To cater to this demand PTV also
launched a series of musical programmes entitled “Nusrat Fateh All Khan Show”
which was aired for three months on weekly basis.
His international tours with
regards to his musical performances to experiment and inter-act with the
diversified musical skills of musicians of international repute earned him
unparalleled place.
He could undoubtedly be acclaimed
as the cultural ambassador of Pakistan He died on 16th August, 1997.
Courtesy: Pakistan Television
Corporation.
To commemorate the 2nd Death Anniversary of Music Maestro Pakistan Post Office is issuing a commemorative postage stamp of Rs 2 denomination on August 16,1999.
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