I take up the upcoming Ghulam Ali- concert in Dubai as an opportunity to chat with the maestro about his music. After persisting efforts I finally manage to get him on the phone and his heavy bass voice starts to explain his philosophy of music.

 

Right in the middle of our phone conversation, he breaks into the enchanting notes of Hungama Hai Kyun Barpa to show how he uses classical music in his compositions. For a moment, I don’t believe my luck. The maestro goes on without even realizing the impact of this gesture of his. For him it’s a small thing, for me a treasured moment in life.

 

Here are the excerpts of interview.

 

Nowadays we see a constant demand for pacy, beat- driven music by all and sundry. Despite that how have your ghazals managed to retain their musical appeal?

 

The musical tastes have definitely changed for worse but I still feel there is a sizable sensitive audience out there that appreciates the value of good tunes and good words. One thing is for sure, a good thing always remains good and finally everyone has to appreciate its goodness.

 

Secondly, the artist has to passionately love his own art to induce that kind of love from audiences. Every time I am performing on stage, I think as if I am a newcomer and try to do my best. My love for my art shows in the way I sing ghazals and I think, that is the reason people still love to listen to them.

 

You started out by learning classical music but then took exclusively to ghazal singing. How and why did that happen?

 

From childhood, I was training under classical maestros like Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Barkat Ali Khan and Mubarak Ali Khan. Classical singing has its own charm but there the words become secondary to notes. Somehow that never suited my temperament. For me, words – lyrics always held a special appeal. Barkat Ali Khan saab used to sing beautiful ghazals, thumris and dadras and his style influenced me greatly in those impressionable years.

 

I found out that ghazal singing offers me the best of both worlds. There I could use my knowledge of classical music and also, give expression to beautiful lyrics. Listen to my popular ghazal Hungama Hain Kyun Barpa, it is in raga Darbari. Similarly I have used practically every raga in classical music to compose my ghazals.

 

Pure classical music can only be appreciated by few knowledgeable listeners but ghazal singing has a much wider audience.

 

You also sang in film music. How was the experience?

 

I sing film-music only when I am sure there is going to be a special slot for my kind of music. I basically consider myself as a ghazal singer and that’s why I have never ventured headlong into film music which has its own different demands.

 

How do you choose a ghazal for your musical composition?

 

Right from childhood, whenever I visited Lahore