PM lauds efforts to perpetuate classical music tradition

NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday lauded the efforts of Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan, sons of sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, for perpetuating India’s great classical music traditions.

The prime minister made these remarks when Amjad Ali Khan presented the book, “50 Maestros 50 Recordings: The Best of Indian Classical Music” by Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan (Harper Collins), at his Parliament House office.

He said the book was very timely and lauded the efforts of the two brothers, who have grown up surrounded by music and musicians, for their tribute to the masters of Indian classical music. He said he was “proud of them”.

The book is being formally released by Shashi Tharoor, minister of state for external affairs, at The Ashok on Dec 21. Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan will present a brief recital as a tribute to the 50 music maestros.

The book takes a reader through their encounters with 50 of the greatest musicians of the past 100 years - from Begum Akhtar to Bhimsen Joshi, Enayat Khan to Ravi Shankar, Bismillah Khan to Shiv Kumar Sharma, Semmangudi Iyer to M.S. Subbulakshmi.

Ranging from the traditional gharanas to more recent blends and fusions, instrumental and vocal, they explore the world of both northern and southern Indian music, along with a unique listing of each artiste’s most influential recording. Enriched with personal anecdotes and interspersed with rare photographs from the authors’ private collection.

Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan represent the seventh generation of the Senia Bangash School of music. They have performed at concerts and festivals around the world and have crossed the bridge between pure classical and western fusion with their electronica and lounge albums. The Khan brothers have also written a biography of their father, “Abba: God’s Greatest Gift to Us”.