By Talat Aziz, Ghazal Singer
Mehdi Hassan revolutionised the ghazal and gave it a new aura. After Begum Akhtar, ghazals became restricted to small mehfils, but he infused purity into them and gave them a new status. He brought them into the limelight during the '70s and every big Bollywood star wanted to be present at his concerts.
He kept the classicism of the ghazal and the beauty of the thumri, but gave it new shape. As a human being, he was a very simple person and played childish pranks. He was a musician first and concerned about little else. On stage, he was an imperious king. He had such an aura that by the time he finished his aalap, and came to the first note, listeners would be transfixed, whether they understood him or not. He may be gone, but no one can take away his contribution to the field. What he gave to ghazals perhaps no one has, or can. A beautiful heera (diamond) has gone, but his work will live on.
Mehdi Hassan revolutionised the ghazal and gave it a new aura. After Begum Akhtar, ghazals became restricted to small mehfils, but he infused purity into them and gave them a new status. He brought them into the limelight during the '70s and every big Bollywood star wanted to be present at his concerts.
He kept the classicism of the ghazal and the beauty of the thumri, but gave it new shape. As a human being, he was a very simple person and played childish pranks. He was a musician first and concerned about little else. On stage, he was an imperious king. He had such an aura that by the time he finished his aalap, and came to the first note, listeners would be transfixed, whether they understood him or not. He may be gone, but no one can take away his contribution to the field. What he gave to ghazals perhaps no one has, or can. A beautiful heera (diamond) has gone, but his work will live on.
Mehdi Hassan Khan also famously known as the ‘King of Ghazal’ passed away on Wednesday, 13, June, 2012 after a protracted illness, in a local hospital in Karachi city of Pakistan. The 84 years old Ghazal Singer was suffering from illness for the past 12 years.
Mehdi Hassan Khan also famously known as the ‘King of Ghazal’ passed away on Wednesday, 13, June, 2012 after a protracted illness, in a local hospital in Karachi city of Pakistan. The 84 years old Ghazal Singer was suffering from illness for the past 12 years.
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