Begum Parveen Sultana... an Assamese.

BEGUM PARVEEN SULTANA

Thanx leoni. let me also add somethng on this wonderful singer. Another fav singer of mine.

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A child prodigy, Begum Parveen Sultana received her early training from her father, Ikramul Majid, then from Acharya Chinmoy Lahiri in Calcutta. She then moved to Bombay and came under the guidance of her Guru and Mentor, Ustad Mohammed Dilshad Khan. With him, she has acquired a new dimension to her singing, giving it the required mastery of ragas and voice culture. Many awards and honours have come her way: the youngest artist to receive the 'Padmashri', a coveted award from the Government of India. The press has been unanimous in proclaiming her the 'Queen of Hindustani Music', the 'Poetess of Music' and 'the Ultimate Soprano', applauding her for both her outstanding musicality and breathtaking virtuosity.

PRESS REVIEWS

"She has risen to be the Queen of Hindustani Music" (Kerala Kaumudi)

"Her voice rings out uninhibited, clear, strong and firm. The audience thunders its applause… the ultimate soprano" (Eve's Weekly, India)

"Her matchless voice ….. held the audience spellbound" (The Times of India)

"Now there is nothing her voice cannot do - the timbre, the sweep, the range soaring higher than even the third octave but remaining as clear and pleasant… her rendering of ragas has acquired a greater depth and variation especially under the guidance of Dilshad Khan" (Indian Express, India)

"Not since Ravi Shankar's music took America by storm has the audience been treated to such a musical feast as Parveen's music… the audience stood up applauding thunderously" (News and Cine India Review, New York, USA)

"Parveen Sultana is among the cognoscenti, the household word… it is the voice that seduces the listener into approval…" (Indian Express, India)

"Breathtaking virtuosity over a range of four to five octaves… European music does not know anything comparable" (Hamburg Abendblatt, Germany)

"Deux grandes voix de l'Inde du Nord" (Festival de Lille, France)

"Begum Parveen Sultana est l'une des plus grandes vocalistes de musique hindoustani". (Paris, France)

"When people communicate by means of genuine art, they hardly need any interpreters. The old truth has been brilliantly confirmed by the triumphal tour of the Soviet Union of Indian popular performers Ustad Dilshad Khan and Begum Parveen Sultana". (USSR Youth Times)

"We forget ourselves in the extraordinary and spiritual and blessed voice of Parveen Sultana. We do not need to think twice about her unrivalled position as one of the greats in terms of purity of voice". (Kerala Kaumudi, India)

"Her voice flowed like a light, soothing breeze and the crowd was swayed by it" (Mathru Bhoomi, India)

"As for her music credentials, they have been compared to that of Enrico Caruso. She makes the difficult art of classical music comprehensive, melodious and delightful" (Tribune, London, UK)

'With a paradoxical mixture of abandon and control, she masterfully expressed those subtleties of human emotion which could only ever find their expression in music". (DJ, London, UK)

"And what an exquisite tunefulness attended her every note charged with feeling… at such superspeed and with such hairline accuracy that one felt (one) had not heard better". (Times of India)

Here's on her famous album Parveen.

Doyen of classical music nurtures young talent
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 14
She became what she is because of her father who made his house a centre for music lovers of Nowgaon in Assam to ignite the love for music in his eldest daughter. Today classical vocal singer Begum Parveen Sultana is returning a part of this legacy back to the music fold by encouraging budding artistes in her own unique way.

She might even have to adopt the experiment she has started with her former Guru and husband Ustad Dilshad Khan with her daughter Shabad, who is all set to follow the path chosen by her parents. "Shabad is in Class XII and is very unhappy at present as she has to leave 'riyaaz' to prepare for her examinations. But she promises to more than make up once the exams are over", says a doting mother who along with her husband has started a music circle.

"Our stress is on presenting promising youngsters before their peers as well as a knowledgeable audience", says Parveen Sultana "as this is how I started my music career". She says unfortunately the stress now is on creating institutions and academies whereas the need of the hour is to give exposure to young artistes. The singer says she alongwith her husband had held shows for youngsters at Mumbai and Pune during which veteran musicians had also been invited. "I even try to get artists from Assam to Mumbai so that they can gain from the exposure", she adds.

Speaking about herself, Parveen Sultana says she gained tremendously by performing in front of her peers. "Those were the days when great musicians used to come to listen to you", she says adding she trembled even now while thinking how she had fearlessly sang in front of people like Bismillah Khan, Krishan Maharaj and Omkar Nath Thakur. Her guiding force was always her father who told her "dat ke gaa" and don't worry about the consequences.

Parveen's father - the late Ikramul Mazid, was also her first guru and started teaching her music from the age of five. "Nowgaon was then a very small town surrounded by greenery and mountains with the Kaziranga National Park being close by. Unfortunately, there wasn't much of a music environment but my father more than made up for it by inviting musicians to his house regularly". The artiste later went to Kolkota to learn music under the guidance of the late Pt. Chinmoy Lahiri and in 1973 became the disciple of Ustad Dilshad Khan of the Kirana Gharana whom she later married.

Music is Parveen's 'bhagwan', 'aradhana' and 'ibadat' and she always goes on the stage with a prayer "Bhagwan meri laaj rakhna". God was definitely by her side at the Quila Mubarak here last evening when she seemed to get into a trance while singing on the second day of the Patiala Heritage Festival with the spell being broken only by the applause from the audience.

He is a man of few words but master of one of the most expressive instruments. In the hands of T.N. Krishnan, the bow becomes a magic wand and the violin gets a voice. He was just six when he made his concert debut. After accompanying stalwarts such as Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Musiri Subramania Iyer and Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar in the initial years of his career, he has come to occupy centre stage and created a space of his own in the world of music. Despite the demands of the changing times, this vidwan refuses to resort to gimmickry and remains a stickler for tradition.

Begum Parveen Sultana is a child prodigy, whose music and looks have retained their youthful charm. Though she hails from an orthodox Muslim family from Assam, her music-loving father encouraged her to pursue the art. Chinmoy Lahiri of Calcutta was her first guru. He introduced Parveen to Ustad Dilshad Khan, who besides being her guru, became her life partner. With rigorous training and determination, she rose to be a celebrated Hindustani vocalist. Whether elaborating a raga, singing a bhajan or crooning a film song (remember Hame tumse pyar kitna, which won her a National award), she gives varied makeovers to the musical notes. When the two artistes met for a Take Two it was music all the way. . Chitra Swaminathan listened in.

Parveen: Sir, it's truly an honour to do this interview with you.

Krishnan: My pleasure too, because you are a remarkable singer. Remember, 25 years ago after a concert, a few musicians, including you and I, went to eat at Woodlands?

Parveen: Who can forget those days? I used to come almost every month to Madras for a concert. The city was like a second home to me. So many great artistes and wonderful rasikas. Now when I go there I miss all that.

Krishnan: But some of the youngsters are doing a good job. They do not stop with learning or appreciating. Unlike in our times, they don't shy away from asking questions, do not follow things blindly and are forthright about their views.

Parveen: I do agree. I never fault youngsters or discourage them. After all they are our future. My 18-year-old daughter is learning both Hindustani and Western classical. But as far as I am concerned, I cannot compromise on my music. Innovation, experimenting, fusion... fashionable terms in the field of arts today, but they don't appeal to me. Most fusion pieces today are noisy and done un-aesthetically. It calls for a good understanding of all genres and styles. For instance, Ravi Shankar and Yehudi Menuhin; Palghat Mani Iyer and Allah Rakha. Fusion is not just about picking up from here and there and putting it together. That is confusion.

Krishnan: Yes, these pieces should be organised and composed meticulously, for a divine effect. Personally, I have never felt the need to go beyond the classical parameters. Wherever I perform, it is only Carnatic music. Our tradition is so vast that even at this stage I feel there is much to learn. My aim is to make listeners experience peace and enjoy some relaxed moments.

Parveen: For that we need just pure soul, pure swar and taal. Isn't it?

Krishnan: True. And sadhana is the only way to discipline mind and music. No short cuts, easy diversions or over-taking, the route to success here is long-winding and arduous.

Parveen: My gurus would not let me skip riyaaz even in sickness. Now each day I thank them for making me do it. Only practice can give you the sustaining power and keep your energy level high.

Krishnan: But one should practise in the right way, or else it could prove detrimental. Choosing a guru is equally important. People generally go by names, and not vidwat.

Parveen: You should be fortunate to get a good guru and the gurus also should be lucky to get sincere sishyas. Teaching is an art by itself, and a difficult one at that. You should have in-depth knowledge, the right temperament and perseverance. I may be a good singer and performer, but need not be a great teacher.

Krishnan: For the past 35 years, I have also been teaching so I know it quite well. You should teach not only the nuances of the art but also presentation. Audience response depends on the way you showcase your talent.

Parveen: Pahle darshan dhari phir gunbichari. Appearance counts first, qualities come next. Right, sir?