Artist query....
WARVIJ
>who
>hails from Rajasthan. I am trying to pick up some more information on his
>background and if he has any recordings.
I have a commercial cassette of him singing thumris and
other light classical forms. I will check, but I
don't think it offered much in the way of bio-data.
WS
S44218
Whatever information you have including the recording information would be
great. Thanks for the response,
Sandip.
WARVIJ
>be
>great.
Here you go, Sandip.
WS
---------------------------------------------------
HMV Classic Masterpieces
STCS 850297
Ut. Afzal Hussain Jaipuri
Side A: Thumri Pilu "Birha ki rain kate na Sajanwa"
Thumri Tilak Kamod "aaja balumwa sawan aaya"
Thumri Pahadi "Main tore sang na baloon"
Side B:
Thumri Khamaj "Tum bin le more kaun khaberiya"
Dadra Gara: "jiya mein laagi aan baan"
Thumri Jogiya: "Jagat jagat rain gujari"
Thumri Bhairavi: "Hamare do naina tumri aur"
Notes:
The name of Ustad Afzal Hussain Jaipuri needs
no introduction to old-time connoisseurs of
thumri who have had the rare privilege of
sharing the delights of his impassioned music.
A measure of his popularity, and the esteem
which he earned during his prime, is reflected
in the fact that he receive unstinted praise from stalwarts of the eminence of
Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
and Amir Khan. The former hailed him as "Rajasthani
Bakkoo," meaning that the Ustad likened him to his younger brother, Barkat Ali
Khan. On the other hand,
Ustad Amir Khan called Ustad Afzal Hussain as
"Shah-en-shah-e-thumri," which means that he was the
"King of Thumri Singers."
Behind such recognition which came naturally to Ustad
Afzal Hussin is not only his distinguished musical
lineage but also his talent and genius and the supreme
dedication with which he carried his precious
inheritance forward with exemplary success.
Born in 1907, in an intensely musical environment,
Ustad Afzal Hussain, like all his forefathers, also
inherited the honour of being a court-musician of the
former state of Jaipur in Rajasthan. He began his
lessons in music under the guidance of his grandfather,
Ustad Mamman Khan, and father, Ustad Fazal Hussain in 1916.
Barely four years later, he had the privilege of giving his very first
performance in the presence of the
Maharaja of Jaipur. Those who heard him eulogized
his talent and genius as a brilliant exponent of the
Jaipur gharana.
But UStad Afzal Hussain was an artiste with a
wide vision and, in his continuied quest for excellence,
he also sought tutelage from eminent maestros of
other leading gharanas. The line-up of his mentors
comprised his uncle, Ustad Mamma Ismail, who
represented the Purab gharana of Uttar Pradesh; Ustad Bashir Khan, of the
Kirana gharana, and Ustad
Barkat Ali Khan of the Punjab (Patiala) gharana. It
would appear that the music of the last-mentioned
maestro made the deepest impact on the young
protege. This is very clearly reflected in the
repertoire enshrined in this cassette.
A man of many parts, Ustad Afzal Hussain made his
mark as a composer of distinction, with many
'shairis' to his credit. He carried out many innovations
in thumri, dadra and ghazal genres. In the process,
he evolved a style and approach which were
inalienably his own. These rare virtues are so brilliantly
reflected in the repertoire heard from this cassette.
Accompanists:
Ut. Hidayat Khan - tabla
Mohammed Hussain - Harmonium
Liyaqat Khan - sarangi
Vilas Pednekar & Vishaal - tambouras
---------------------------------------------------------------
S44218
Thank you so, so, much for your post. The reason I asked was because his
children are the ghazal singers Ahmed and Mohammed Hussain and I have been
trying to get a handle on their musical lineage. Your information was great !!!
T hanks again.
Yours,
Sandip.