Ustad Bismillah Khan passed away today morning.I heard about his illness in a news bulletin two days ago.The picture of him singing inspite of medical attachments is fresh in my mind.There's another picture of him in my mind. And i.e. of being helped to get onto the stage in a concert of his that I attended months ago. His frail health made you make a special note of it. But it used to be soon overshadowed by his enthusiasm and effortlessness with the shehnai.
Once he went to perform in a Spic Macay performance at Pant Nagar University.The mannerisms and the shoutings of the audience very strongly conveyed "Classical-music-is-a-pain" sentiment to him and the organisers. Leaving the ragas aside, he started playing filmi-tunes on the shehnai.Gradually, he moved on to classical compositions. He carried the audience from what they were familiar with to what he wanted them to get familiar with.
There's not much that I know about him and his shehnai. But I'll never forget howsoever little I know of him.Long live his music.
Monday, August 21, 2006
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