Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan can be described as an
artist who has had the maximum impact on the 20th Century Hindustani
Classical Music scenario. Born in 1902 into a great musical lineage from
Kasur in the Western Punjab, this great savant amalgamated the best of four traditions, his own Patiala – Kasur style, sculpturesque Behram Khani elements of Dhrupad, the intricate gyrations of Jaipur and finally the robust behlavas (embellishments) of Gwalior.
But what actually characterised Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was an
effervescent melodic quality which was concertised in a masterly flow of
ideas which were delivered with a unique sense of alacrity, aided by
one of the most pliable and dextrous voices ever heard in living memory
in this land.
Here is a rare live recording of the maestro in Raga Pahadi :
