If classical music disappears, all good music will vanish: Ustad Fateh Ali Khan

In what is essentially a fickle world of fame, few singers have commanded the kind of respect that Ustad Fateh Ali Khan has for over thirty years. Heir to a very rich tradition of classical vocalisation, Fateh Ali Khan is the foremost exponent of the Patiala gharana of singing in the subcontinent.

Incomparable for his fast and breezy flights, superb rhythmic artistry and a perfect intonation of notes. Fateh Ali Khan's songs embody all the characteristic qualities of the Patiala gharana's singing and also those of quite a few other schools. In his interview with the Herald the Ustad talks about his music, his life and his ideas and discusses the various steps which he thinks should be taken for the popularisation and promotion of classical music.

Herald: You have returned to Pakistan after a very long tour of Europe. Do you see any changes in the cultural atmosphere now that democracy has been restored?

Khan: l am very happy to see an elected government in Pakistan. Benazir comes from a family of seasoned politicians and has faced more hardships than any ordinary woman. I am glad that such a remarkable woman is our prime minister today, and I hope that, among other things. a lot of changes will soon be made to preserve Pakistan's cultural heritage.

Herald: What changes do you anticipate?

Khan: Changes which would ensure the proper projection of Pakistan's true cultural heritage by television, radio and the press, and which would guarantee a promotion of the arts. I would like to see television programmes which portray our traditions and culture honestly; nothing like this display of vulgarity called Music '89 which was aired recently. I don't know what the producer of the programme thinks, but no one can prove that what was passed off as music in the programme had anything to do with our culture. Did Amir Khusro listen to this kind of music? Did Baba Bulleh Shah write such verse? Did our ancestors sing something like this? If someone can prove these things, then I would be the first one to give up singing and start promoting this new breed of, shall l say, so-called music?

Herald: Then you do not believe in light music?

Khan: I believe that light music is important, but only if it has its roots in folk or classical music. We have Farida Khanum, Ghulam Ali and Mehdi Hasan, all of whom sing light songs very well, but they hardly appear on television.

Herald: Are you fond of Mehdi Hasan, Farida Khanum and Ghulam Ali?

Khan: Immensely. I think they are very talented singers. So is Iqbal Bano.

Herald: And Noor Jehan?

Khan: She belongs to another class. I can say with certainty and authority that a singer of her calibre will never be born again. Her voice has a unique, soothing quality and there is a strange sadness in her music. I've been listening to her songs ever since she sang for Yamla Jut and I am impressed by the way she has preserved her voice. Her voice has not deteriorated with time and is as good as ever. Hundreds of girls try to copy her, but Noor Jehan is inimitable.

Few people know this, but she is very well versed in classical forms like khayal and thumri and knows the basics well. One can sing only if one knows the basics. An initial training in classical music is necessary even if you are to become a ghazal or a geet singer eventually.

The fact that we hardly have any good singers coming up is because there is no longer much emphasis placed on training in classical music. Nothing is done for its promotion. This is a frightening state of affairs because if classical music disappears, all good music, be it ghazal or geet, will vanish as well.

Herald: In your opinion, what should be done for the promotion of classical music?

Khan: There are a number of steps which should be taken. Academies should be set up where eminent ustads should be engaged to teach music. These academies should have hostels so that foreigners who are interested in our music can come to Pakistan, live here comfortably and study our music. I wish to set up an academy in the name of my brother, Amanat Ali Khan. I have spent years and years talking to ministers and government officials about my plans for it, but no one listens.

Secondly, I think that singers should be decorated only if they display extraordinary talent. What value do awards have if they are given to every Tom, Dick and Harry? None at all. When we were awarded the Pride of Performance award it was a big honour, but look at those who received it subsequently. The award has come to mean nothing. The television awards are given on a regional basis. If this year Punjab wins, then it's got to be Sindh the next year and Baluchistan after that, and so the rotation goes on. Awards should be conferred strictly on the basis of merit.

The arts councils have done nothing at all for musicians, not even for those of exceptional standing. Our tours abroad are always sponsored by private organisations. The government never sends us. Someone should stand up and question the arts councils about their performance. Millions of rupees have been granted to these institutions and yet they've failed to do anything. In so many years. they have not produced a single artist having, say, even a little talent. Classes are held in airconditioned halls, but no singers ever come out. I wonder why the deeds of the arts councils are not accountable.

Herald: Are you happy with Pakistani television and radio?

Khan: I think that in its own small way, Radio Pakistan has done a lot for classical music. But as far as television is concerned, they have done nothing. All they are interested in isgood looking face - no matter how poor 'the singing is. They want to put good faces on the screen - not good music. A board should be set up to decide, purely on the basis of talent. whether or not a particular singer should appear on television. In music programmes only the songs should be projected. Nothing else.

Herald: Do you think that the average Pakistani is interested enough in classical music to justify such promotion?

Khan: People are very interested. It is wrong to think otherwise. I have had countless well-attended concerts where everyone has enjoyed my songs. It may appear unbelievable, but a lot of today's jean-clad youngsters like my singing.

Herald: Do you think that classical dance is as important as classical music?

Khan: There is a saying - Utham gana, madham bajana, nikhad nachna. Song is the highest of all art forms, accompaniment comes next, and dancing is the least important one.

I accept the fact that classical dance is a major art form, but dancers are at their peak only in their youth, while singers go on singing for a long time. In addition, classical dance has nothing whatsoever to do with our culture or with our religion.

Herald: And classical music is not un-lslamic?

Khan: Of course not. I am a singer myself and say in all honesty that nothing brings me as close to God as singing does. Who has done more for music than Amir Khusro? Was he not a Muslim? Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai was fond of music. His taanpuras exist even today. Baba Farid and Baba Bulleh Shah listened to music. Were they non-Muslims? If somebody claims that singing is un-lslamic then he is only displaying his ignorance.

Herald: You belong to the Patiala gharana of classical vocalists. What are the qualities peculiar to the followers of this school of singing?

Khan: The Paliala gharana was founded by 'Jarnail' Ali Bakhsh Khan and 'Karnail' Fateh Ali Khan, who combined, and further refined, the knowledge they had gained from their study with major representatives of four of the ancient schools of music. There were Mian Taan Ras Khan of the Delhi gharana, Mubarak Ali Khan of Riva, Haddu Hassoo Khan of Gwalior and Behram Khan of the Jaipur gharana. The singing of Patiala, therefore, embodies the qualities of four different schools of music and is comparable in excellence.

An important quality of our singing is that we always maintain the purity of the raga we're singing, and, therefore, our renditions are paradigms of the ragas in their purest form. Our durrat khayal is remarkable. We place great emphasis on the correct sounding of notes. The notes are not merely touched, rather, they are examined and felt deeply. In addition, we remember some of the most appealing and beautiful asthaees and antaraas being sung in the subcontinent.

Herald: But it is rarely that you sing the entire text of a song, singing only the asthaee and almost never the antaraa. Why do you guard your knowledge so jealously?

Khan: It is true that I usually do not sing the entire text of a song, but I am fully justified in doing so. My asthaees are being copied everywhere. I was making a mistake when I was singing rare asthaees and antaraas of my gharana in front of lesser singers, who later copied these compositions.

Herald: Is there much harm in that?

Khan: Yes, there is. They pass off these songs as being those of their own fathers and never give credit to Fateh Ali Khan or to other singers of the Patiala gharana. I can't tolerate that.

Herald: Don't you think that . if all singers become so wary of being copied, then a time will come when there will be no one left who remembers these songs?

Khan: No, this is not likely to happen. I have many students whom I teach with complete sincerity and from whom I hold back nothing if they are serious and show promise. I sing rare songs, songs which only Fateh Ali Khan remembers, in private mehfils.

Herald: The singing of khayal is divided into two portions - the vilambit khayal in slow tempo and the durrat khayal in fast tempo. Each is equally important. You, however, seem to place very little emphasis on the vilambit khayal by winding it up quickly and switching to the durrat khayal rather soon. Why is it so?

Khan: The vilambit khayal deals with the gradual exposition of a raga. In it, various aspects of the raga are unfolded one by one and the mood of the raga is established. The tempo is very slow and today's listener, who has little patience, finds it hard to concentrate and enjoy the songs. I, therefore, shift to durrat, after a short vilambit in ordinary concerts, but when l have a knowledgeable audience, I give vilambit the importance it deserves.

Herald: One aspect of your singing is that you always use very simple talas (rhythmic cycles), confining your songs almost always to teentala and ektala. Why is it that we never hear something in, say, farodust or sulphakta or pancham savaari?

Khan: Teentala and ekmla are the most commonly used rajas in our music and most listeners are familiar with them. They know where the sam is, where the khali is and where the taali is. So, when we sing in these cycles, the listener finds it easy to enjoy and understand the song. lf we used rare talas then the listener would get confused and his attention would get divided between melody and rhythm. I do not want that and, therefore, use simple cycles. Otherwise. I remember many a bandish in rare talas, and anyone who has doubts can come and test the facility with which I handle them.

Herald: In recent years, classical vocalists have started indulging in rhythmic dialogues, which they call sawaal jawaab, with the percussionists, during the course of the song. One never hears such interplays with rhythm in the recording of the songs of senior musicians and this seems to be a recent addition. Is it a valid one?

Khan: I agree that this is a relatively new trend, but nevertheless, a valid one. Laykaari, the expert handling of rhythm, is a very important aspect of classical singing. A dialogue between the singer and the tabla-nawaz is a good display of the singer's laykaari and the percussionist's prowess and it makes the song more interesting.

Herald: Classical and semi-classical music has many genres, like dhurpad, khayal, thumri, kajri, tappa etc., but you restrict your songs to only a few of these. Why don't you sing dhurpad, tappa and kajri?

Khan: I do not sing Dhurpad because it is a dead genre, and listeners are not interested in it any longer. Tappa is a rare song which cannot be classified as a semi-classical song, because it contains too many taans, nor can it be called a classical song because it is a light form of music. Thus, there are very few people who want to listen to it . I remember a few tappas and know kajri as well, but there has never been a request for them. The fact is that I get the chance to sing very rarely and, therefore, do not sing these less popular songs. I am called to sing on television once every three months and it is only natural that I like to use the opportunity to sing what I know and like best, which is khayal and thumri.

Herald: Concerts of classical music are always held in the evening, and when a request is made for a raga like jaunpuri or desi todi, singers decline it, saying that they cannot sing ragas that are meant to be sung in the daytime at night. How, then, does one listen to daytime ragas?

Khan: In the daytime. Different ragas are meant to be sung at different times and listeners can listen to all of them if concerts are held in the mornings, afternoons and evenings. I will not sing a raga at the wrong time. In fact, no good singer will. On the television, one is always restricted to singing evening ragas because Raag Rang is aired late at night. I do hope that a programme of classical music is started in the morning transmission so that we can sing daytime ragas on television.

Herald: Do you really think that the Pakistani listener is knowledgeable enough about bow the notes used in ragas change with the time of the day, to be conscious of the time of performance?

Khan: It is not a question of how knowledgeable the audience is. It is just not right to sing a raga at the wrong time; and then we have some very good listeners anyway.

Herald: And quite a few who just come to flaunt what they deem to be their cultural superiority?

Khan: Yes. Quite a lot of those who come just for the sake of fashion.

Herald: Are you uneasy singing in front of them?

Khan: No. It is my responsibility to sing well and in a manner appropriate enough to motivate the untrained listener to learn more about classical music.

Herald: Where is it that you find your best audience?

Khan: Pakistan has very good listeners. The Indians are knowledgeable. In Bangladesh, people listen well, but the best audience is that of Afghanistan. My brother and I represented Pakistan, two years in a row, at the Jashn-e-Kabul which used to be organised in the days of King Zahir Shah. We never found a better audience than the one at the jashn.

Herald: When you sang with your brother, it appeared that the two of you had divided various portions of the khayal amongst yourselves. Amanat Ali Khan would establish the basic mood of the raag and you would embellish the rendition with your fast and intricate taans. He would concentrate on the behlavaa and aakar while you would demonstrate your tayyari. So when your brother died, did you find it difficult to handle the whole of the khayal alone?

Khan: When our father, Ustad Akhtar Ali Khan, taught the two of us, he saw to it that we emphasised different parts of the khayal. He wanted us to be dependent on each other because he deemed such dependence to be a guarantee of fraternal unity. He did not anticipate that one of the brothers would die leaving the other one alone. When Amanat Ali Khan died, I was forced to sing the whole of the khayal alone, but managed quite well because all along I had known the whole of the khayal even though I concentrated on a few portions only.

Herald: You've mentioned that your father trained you in classical music. Your singing, however, seems to be more influenced by your uncle, Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan. Why is that so?

Khan: I am greatly impressed by Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan's singing and it has always affected my music. My singing is influenced by his songs, but my father was my only formal ustad. Very few recordings of my father are available and that is why people are unable to gauge the extent to which I have adopted his style.

Herald: You have visited India many times since partition. What do you think of Indian singers?

Khan: India has a lot of classical vocalists, many more than we do here in Pakistan, but there arevery, very few who are really good.

Herald: Such as?

Khan: Pandit Jasraj and Bhimsen Joshi.

Herald: How do Indian vocalists compare with those of Pakistan?

Khan: India has a lot of quantity, but very little quality. Ustad Salamat Ali Khan is one of the very best ustads in the subcontinent. A lot of Pakistani vocalists are as good, if not better , than Indian ones. Ghulam Hussain Shaggan is good. So are the duos, Akhtar Ali - Fakir Ali Khan and Hameed Ali - Fateh Ali Khan.

Herald: And you, yourself? What do you think of your own singing?

Khan: A lot has been said and written about it.

Herald: But what do you think?

Khan: I think that I am very good. I have worked very hard and am a scion of the most popular gharana of classical music. I've had the good fortune of having listened to the songs of the stalwarts of classical music. Other singers have just heard about them, but I have listened for hours on end to Pandit Omkarnath Thakur, Narayan Rao Vyas, D.V. Paluskar, Patwardan and the likes, all singing right in front of me. I've listened to Ashiq Ali Khan's songs, and to those of the young Bade Ghulam Ali Khan at great length. I have studied the music of these maestros and have their singing in my mind. All of it. No other singer can make such a claim.

Herald: You've spent the whole of your life singing in a country where music has neither the respect it deserves nor the financial benefits associated with other professions. Has it been worthwhile?

Khan: I am grateful for having been born in a family of singers. There has not been a single moment in my entire life when I've thought that I would have been better off, had I been born to millionaires. Singing gives me too much by way of fulfillment and satisfaction. Nothing gives me as much pleasure as singing does. I enjoy my own music. When I perform, there are two Fateh Ali Khans present: one who sings and the other who listens. I sing for myself and love my singing.

This article was published in the Herald's April 1989 issue. To read more subscribe to the Herald in print.