Classical Music and Mehdi Hassan.

Classical Music and Mehdi Hassan (1927-2012)

Mehdi Hassan was admitted to Karachi AghaKhan Hospital  for respiratory illness. He was 84.

MERE HUMDAM TUJHE AARZOO
TUJHE PIYAR KARTE KARTE MERA NAAM HAI MOHABBAT 
TERE SIWA DUNIYA SHABANA 
KIS TARAH JAAN-E-WAFA BHAROSA 
TUM MERE HO AMBER 
TERI AANKHON KO JAB MOHABBAT ZINDAGI HAI 
DUNIYA MEIN ZINDAGI KA MOHABBAT EK KAHANI 
SAATH DENA HAI TO AJNABI
MILTE JULTE RAHIYE GA MERA NAAM HAI MOHABBAT 
NAINA RE NAINA TUM ISHQ ISHQ 
BAND AANKHON MEIN SAPNE GANWAR
MAIN JIS DIN BHULA DOON KHUSHBOO
MERA PIYAR TERE JEEVAN PEHCHAN
DUNIYA MEIN WOH TERA GHAM RAHE SALAMAT 
NA GHAR SE NIKALNA SHAMA.

Mehdi Hassan was born in the village of Luna Jaipur. He was the 16th generation of hereditary musicians hailing from Kalawant school.  He received his musical training under his father, Ustad Azeem Khan and his uncle Ustad Ismail Khan. They instructed him in classical music and voice production within the framework of classical forms of Thumri, Dhrupad, Khayal and Dadra.  Mehdi Hassan started to perform with his elder brother Ghulam Qadir Khan who was a court- singer and their first concert of Dhrupad and Khayaal was at Baroda.

After the independence, 20 years old Mehdi Hassan and his family migrated to Pakistan and settled in  Cheecha Watni Sahiwal. He sang in few musical functions in Lahore but could not achieve any success. He also worked at Pancholi Film Studio Lahore and began working in a bicycle shop and later became a car and diesel tractor mechanic. Despite the hardships, his passion for music didn't wither and he kept up the daily routine of practice.

1962 was a lucky year for Mehdi Hassan when his three songs were hit. His all time hit Ghazal Gullon Main Ranga Bharay  Film Farangi (1964) gave him breakthrough as playback singer. His peak period was in the 1970s and after the downfall of Urdu movies in the 1980s, he was ignored by the music directors. Since he mostly sang in private functions. Later due to his illness he completely departed from music.