Updated on: 26 July, 2021 11:32 AM IST |
Shahenshah-e-Ghazal - The Pioneers of Ghazal
Singer, composer and ace guitarist Bhupinder Singh, is one of the most multifaceted artiste of our times. Singh has been known for playing guitar in Rahul Dev Burmans orchestra for many of his popular scores including Dum Maro Dum thus becoming a good friend of the latter who had given him a chance to sing in Gulzars Parichay -1972.
A prominent Ghazal singer who is famed for her songs with husband Jagjit Singh, Chitra Dutt now Singh is well-known voice in the fraternity. Her career took off with the launch of The Unforgettables, an album with several firsts to its credit. Her voice boasted of a unique dimension within the gamut of ghazal singing. In the case of darbari mehfil ghazals like in Dil-e-Nadaan Tujhe, Dil He To Hai and Har Ek Baat Pe Kehteh Ho from the album, Mirza Ghalib Chitra stands unparalleled. After the death of her son Vivek, in a car accident in Mumbai in 1990, Chitra stopped singing and retired from the limelight.
A popular ghazal singer in the mould of Mehdi Hassan, Chandan Dass was trained in classical music by Ustad Moosa Hussain Khan, Amanat Ali Khan and Fateh Ali Khan. After the release of his first album titled Introducing Chandan Dass in 1982, he has released about 15 albums apart from singing in some films and TV serials.
Trained by her sister Mukhtar Begum and the renowned maestro of Patiala Gharana, Farida Khanum is said to be the queen of Ghazals in Pakistan. Her special features includes her way of sticking to classical Raagas and minimalist accompaniment.
There is a mad frenzy in her singing. Melodies sway as she utters her Sufiana Qalaam. She is the famous Pakistani singer, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, the queen of Sufi Music, Begum Abida Parveen. She has redefined Ghazals and is one of the few females who have made their mark in this industry. She can sing in many languages like Punjabi, Persian, Urdu and many more.
Undoubtedly a prodigy, his taans are more intricate and accurate than more seasoned singers. Pankaj Udhas is best known for songs like Chitthi Aayee Hai and Jiye Toh Jiye Kaise. Trained in music by Master Navrang and Urdu lessons by Saeed Mirza, Udhas is credited with bringing the unique singing style of setting Urdu verses to music. Manhar Udhas, his elder brother is a well-known ghazal and playback singer.
Mehdi Hassan is the melodious voice behind evergreen hits like Patta patta, boota boota and Kab ke Bichhare. He claimed to be the 16th generation of hereditary musicians hailing from the Kalawant. He is universally acclaimed as the finest ghazal singer of his time and is only the singer whose low note are matchless among all singers of the subcontinent. Khansaab became a master in classical music by the age of eight with voice production within the framework of classical forms as varied as thumri, dhrupad, khayal and dadra.
Trained from Kirana Gharana, Talat Aziz is a well-known Ghazal singer with a mellifluous and soft voice. Hailing from an illustrious family, who were great patrons of fine arts, Talat was trained primarily by Ustad Samad Khan and later by Ustad Fayaz Ahmed who were great musicians of repute. Between 1979 and 1984 he was the top artist recording for Music India Company. He has composed ghazals for TV serial Noorjehan written by prolific Nida Fazli , the songs set in the 15th century Mughal period ambience. Talat Aziz has been singing in concerts for over three decades and has travelled the globe with his sell out performances.
Known as the "Ghazal King", Jagmohan Singh aka Jagjit Singh was a prominent Indian Ghazal Legendary singer. With a career spanning five decades and a repertoire comprising over 80 albums, the range and breadth of his work has been regarded as genre-defining. He is the only composer and singer to have composed and recorded songs written by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee also a critically acclaimed poet in two albums, Nayi Disha -1999 and Samvedna -2002. Jagjit Singh has also sung many songs for Hindi movies. Popular films include Arth, Saath Saath, Premgeet, Tum Bin, Sarfarosh, Dushman and Tarkeeb. Jagjit Singh has proved himself as a genius as he brings out the true meaning of Mirza Ghalibs poetry by singing them as melodious Ghazals.
Considered as one of the best ghazal singers of his era, Ustad Ghulam Ali is a Pakistani singer of the Patiala gharana. Unlike any other Ghazal singers, he has blended Hindustani classical music with ghazals. He is known for blending gharana-gaayaki into ghazal and this gives his singing the capability to touch hearts. His famous ghazals include Chupke Chupke Raat Din Aansu Bahana Yaad Hai and Hungama Hai Kyu Barpa Thodi Se Jo Peeli.
Conversations with the beloved would be a rough translation of the word Ghazal. Ghazal has traveled a long way to reach our shores, literally and metaphorically. Many of its early exponents were classically trained singers who specialized in Khayaal and Thumri style of singing. However, unlike classical music which to this day is perceived as elitist, ghazals have become popular with the common man. The popularity of the ghazal can be attributed to a few stalwart names in the field of ghazals today. This list quotes the top ten ghazal singers of all time...
