Hindustani Vocal Music - Agra Gharana - Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan (1895-1962) & Ustad Sharafat Hussain Khan (1930-1985) - Private CD said to be a limited edition published in India in 1992

A very dear friend, a great collector of classical Indian music and a frequent visitor to our blog, was so kind to share with us this recording. It is part of a series. Here what he said about this CD: 

"These were all definitely CDs. They are still in my family's & family friends collection back in India. I have not seen the LPs, but our family friend who was an executive with AIR, and helped us procure these CDs told us that the CDs were LP reissues."

I personally think that this is another of these CDs done by an Indian collector who made out of these recordings from AIR a private CD and created covers for it. This person seems to take a great pleasure in creating covers and to let them look like real ultra rare releases. Which is sort of funny and sympathetic. And looks nice. But can create some confusion amongst music lovers and collectors.

By both of the artists we had posted in the past already quite a number of recordings. See for Vilayat Hussain Khan and for Sharafat Hussain Khan by klicking on the links.

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Note:

As a visitor to our blog was so kind to mention in a comment, the first Raga on this CD should definitly be Raga Lankadhan Sarang.

Sharafat Hussain Khan (1930-1985) - In Memoriam - Cassette published in India in 1987

To close our Dhrupad Series (for now), which became much longer then originally intended, we present here a cassette by the great Ustad Sharafat Hussain Khan, who was, next to his teacher Ustad Faiyaz Khan, amongst the few outstanding singers of the Agra Gharana, who still sang reguarly long Alaps in the Dhrupad style, most times followed by a Khayal compostion. But Ustad Faiyaz Khan sang also Dhrupad compositions, mostly Dhamar. See our post of a cassette by Ustad Faiyaz Khan. 

Sharafat Hussain Khan (1930 - 1985) was amongst the most brilliant Khayal vocalists of the post-independence era. He represented the Agra Gharana (stylistic lineage), and was unanimously regarded as the most illustrious heir to the legacy of his principal mentor, the legendary Ustad Faiyyaz Khan (1886 - 1950).

Here on this cassette the complete Side A is filled with a long Alap in Raga Jaijaiwanti, followed on Side B by a Khayal composition in the same Raga.
In 2011 and 2015 we posted already four recordings by him, partly also with long Alaps. See here.

The Agra Gharana was originally a Dhrupad Gharana. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agra_gharana

https://www.sahapedia.org/the-agra-gharana-of-hindustani-music

Here two pages from the book "Sonic Liturgy: Ritual and Music in Hindu Tradition" by Guy L. Beck, on which some information on the Dhrupad background of the Agra Gharana is given:

from: Google Books

Addition on 25th of may, 2018:

Here a link from Saptak Festival 2018, devoted to Ustad Sharafat Hussain Khan, containing a beautiful  article on the artist and a CD published on that occasion:

http://www.saptakarchives.org/artist-bios/ustad-sharafat-hussain-khan/

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Sharafat Hussain Khan (1930-1985) - 30th anniversary of his death - Part III - Raga Maluha Kedar & Ragas Raysa Kanada & Gara Kanada

Here another set of beautiful radio recordings by the great master.

Sharafat Hussain Khan 3 - CD 1 & Covers:

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Sharafat Hussain Khan 3 - CD 2:

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Many thanks to KF for the recordings and the covers.

Sharafat Hussain Khan (1930-1985) - 30th anniversary of his death - Part II - Raga Todi & Raga Rageshri

Here two other beautiful recordings by the great master. On the first CD we have a wonderful demonstration of his mastery over the Dhrupad format including a long Alap. Sharafat Hussain Khan was the last great singer of the Agra Gharana who reguarly performed long Alaps.

Sharafat Hussain Khan - CD 1 - Todi & covers:

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Sharafat Hussain Khan - CD 2 - Rageshri:

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Many thanks to KF for editing these recordings and creating the beautiful cover.

Sharafat Hussain Khan (1930-1985) - 30th anniversary of his death - AIR memorial broadcast on 14th of july 1985

In honour of the great artist, we admire very much and of whose music we are especially fond, we post here a National Program of Music broadcast by All India Radio on July 14, 1985, one week after his sad and premature passing. His first and only LP we had posted in 2011. See here.

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A big thank you to KF for the recording and the beautiful cover.

Ustad Sharafat Hussain Khan “Prem Rang” (1930 – 1985)

A disciple of Ustad Faiyaz Khan and Ustad Ata Hussain Khan – A great vocalist from Agra Gharana. His approach towards music was always to expand the Raga. Take any Raga-s and Ustad-ji would sing these Raga-s at length. For example Raga Malati Basant, Raga Raisa Kanada, Raga Maluha Kalyan to name a few – He could and would sing them for about an hour plus, on an average. He was always open to greater development of his music and so he was never shy to adopt something from other musicians or their respective styles. And almost always, he was successful in blending those so called foreign elements into the musical structure of Agra Gharana that he used to prefer and perform. And then the concept he would sing would be his own “Khayal”.

He was probably one of the last musicians who performed full-length, full featured Nom-Tom Alap before Khayal. His command on Laya (rhythem) was also great which is visible (audible, I mean) in various pieces that are presented here. He was blessed with a voice which he successfully preserved and cultivated to suite his imagination.

He was never tired of singing because he loved his music. Once a mehfil was organized in Ahmedabad and the organizer requested Ustad-ji to sing without microphone and without Harmonium accompaniment to get the essence of music in untainted form. Ustad-ji agreed. The mehfil eventually turned out to be a whole night concert where Ustad-ji sang Nom-Tom Alap, Vilambit (Traditional Composition) and Drut Khayal (His own composition) in Raga Savani (a variant with Komal Gandhar) followed by Raga Jaijaivanti, Vilambit and Drut, followed by Raga Nat Bihag, Drut Khyal, Raga Sohini, Drut Khayal. As it was about sunrise, He started Raga Ramkali – Vilambit & Drut. In the end he sang a Dadra in Raga Bhairavi. Fortunately this concert was recorded and recently it has been published as a set of 4 CDs by Sangeet Kendra.

from: https://utterjoy.wordpress.com/2007/07/11/ustad-sharafat-hussain-khan-prem-rang-1930-1985-2/

This series of 4 CDs and some other CDs by the artist can be obtained from: info@raga-maqam-dastgah.com

On the artist see further:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharafat_Hussain_Khan

http://www.itcsra.org/celebrated_masters.asp?id=11

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150523/jsp/opinion/story_21521.jsp

Sharafat Hussain Khan (1930-1985) - LP ECSD 2495 (1971) - The Gramophone Company of India

The last great singer of the glorious Agra Gharana

Side 1:

Raga Anandi (20:56)

Side 2:

1. Raga Kamod 6:53)

2. Raga Husaini Kanada (5:12)

3. Raga Bhairavi (Dadra) (7:17)

Download

Sharafat Hussain Khan (1930 - 1985) was amongst the most brilliant Khayal vocalists of the post-independence era. He represented the Agra Gharana (stylistic lineage), and was unanimously regarded as the most illustrious heir to the legacy of his principal mentor, the legendary Ustad Faiyyaz Khan (1886 - 1950).
Sharafat Hussain Khan was born in July, 1930, to Ustad Liaquat Hussain Khan, a court musician in the erstwhile Jaipur State, and Alla Rakhi Beghum. From his father's side, Sharafat was a descendant of Inayet Hussain Khan (1845 - 1936), founder of Atrauli Gharana, and from his mother's side, and of his maternal grandfather Mehboob Khan (Daras Piya), also of the Atrauli Gharana, but whose music was greatly influenced by the Rangile Gharana of his mother's family, founded by Ramzan Khan (1759 - 1806). In early childhood, Sharafat was trained by his father. When Sharafat was only eight years old, his prodigious talent impressed the legendary Faiyyaz Khan during one of his visits to Atrauli. The maestro, without a son despite three marriages, adopted Sharafat, and took him away forthwith to Baroda to groom him as his heir.
Sharafat was a child prodigy, who rose meteorically after his adoption by Faiyyaz Khan. At the age of eight, he made a stunning debut at the influential Matunga Music Circle in Mumbai. This triggered off invitations to perform at the All India Music Conference at Allahabad, and the All Bengal Conference in Kolkata. When he was eleven, he was hailed as the "Rising Sun" of vocalism at the Gaya Conference. By the age of twelve, he has made his first disc with HMV/ EMI, and topped the prestigious Baroda State Music Competition.
Sharafat was only 20, when Faiyyaz Khan died. Thereafter, he started studying with his maternal uncle, Ustad Ata Hussain Khan of the allied Atrauli - Rangile Lineage. Soon thereafter, he acquired a third guide - his scholarly father-in-law, Vilayat Hussain Khan of the Agra Lineage. Thus, like his foster-father, Sharafat Hussain came to represent a magnificent confluence of three intimately connected lineages - Agra, Atrauli, and Rangile.
While still in his 30s, Sharafat became amongst the busiest vocalists in India, and enjoyed a continuous run of sucess for two decades (1965 - 1985). Along with popularity came the honours. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Performing Arts Academy of Uttar Pradesh (Northern Provinces) and decorated with the Padma Shree by the President of India. In 1985, Sangeet Natak Akademi ( The National Performing Arts Academy) held a special ceremony to honour him shortly before he succumbed to lung cancer at the age of 55. He also got a Tansen Award.
from: http://www.purnimasen.com/guru.htm