Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Three generations unite: Ustad Amjad Ali Khan's legacy shines at Wigmore Hall

The sarod maestro performs alongside his sons and 12-year-old grandsons, carrying forward a legacy that spans eight generations

Three generations unite: Ustad Amjad Ali Khan's legacy shines at Wigmore Hall

TIME is cyclical in Indian classical music. You start from the first count (sama) and, after traversing a 16-, 14-, or seven-beat cycle, you return to the first count. Time is similarly cyclical in Indian philosophy, which is why the concepts of karma and return are deeply embedded in our understanding of life.

This thought was at the forefront of my mind as we watched sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan step onto the iconic Wigmore Hall stage in London last Saturday (27) with his sons and introduce his 12-year-old grandsons to the audience, seeking their blessings. For the maestro, life must have come full circle. Many decades ago, the legendary musician Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan introduced his 12-year-old son to a discerning audience in (then) Calcutta, requesting them to listen to the young boy. The talented youth won the hearts of the most formidable critics. That boy was Amjad Ali Khan, who over the years, grew to become the world-renowned sarod maestro and a towering cultural icon, spanning almost seven decades.


Khan Sahib, as I address him, belongs to a seven-generation family of musicians. His ancestors once marched on horseback from Central Asia, playing the rabab. Over generations, the sarod evolved in design and playing technique. The sarod is a fretless string instrument, tracing its origin to the rabab, a folk instrument of Afghanistan and Persia brought to India. The Bangash family ancestors modified the instrument into its more melodic form, hence called the sarod, which means “melody” in Persian.

He says, “I came to inherit the legacy of five generations of music as naturally as a bird takes to the air. For my father, life was music, and music was life. He knew nothing else. Only true musicians have this Sufi spirit of seeking divinity through music. I live in a world of sound. Only through sound can I experience the presence of God, the supreme being. I wanted to bring the sarod close to the singing voice and to express human emotions. It has been a long journey for the instrument itself, and today the sarod is far more expressive than it was many years ago.” His sarod is distinctively close to the gayaki ang (vocal style) of music.

Over the years, Khan Sahib has trained and introduced his two sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, to the music world. Today, these seventh-generation musicians of this gharana (family) are widely traveled performers, recognised solo artists, and are often heard in a trio with their father.

To mark the 123rd year of the iconic Wigmore Hall in London, a two-day celebration of the sarod had been programmed.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons are Wigmore Associate Artists, renowned exponents of Indian classical music, introducing their invaluable heritage to generations of audiences. Three generations performed in the morning concert.

The concert began with a solo by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan playing a calming Overture of Peace in Raag Ahir Bhairav. This was followed by a sarod duet by Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash playing Raag Anand Bhairav in different taal (time cycles).

The concert culminated with a sarod quintet as the two young boys, Zohaan Ali Bangash and Abeer Ali Bangash, joined their grandfather. They played the 19th-century patriotic song Bande Mataram, written by Bankim Chatterjee and composed by the Indian bard Rabindranath Tagore. Set in Raga Desh, the song celebrates Mahatma Gandhi and the concepts of non-violence and truth. As the notes unfolded, the mantle silently passed on to the eighth-generation musicians. It was at once an emotional and historic moment to see the three generations make music together, reinforcing the cyclical concept of music and life.

During the Covid years, when families were compelled to stay indoors, Ayaan Ali Bangash started music lessons with his twin sons. They recorded their music as a surprise present for their grandfather’s birthday. “It was the greatest birthday present for me,” said Khan Sahib, stressing the role of the teacher or guru. “Teaching music is an incomparable journey where the guru leads you from the visible to the invisible. I am grateful to God that they are interested in music. They need blessings and love to take forward the precious gift of music.”

Amaan Ali Bangash said his nephews are the love of his life, "We feel blessed to see them perform with us. Taking forward a legacy puts a certain kind of pressure on children. I see them enjoy the music, and they are so blessed to receive so much love from music lovers.” Ayaan Ali Bangash added, “They are fortunate to be sitting alongside their grandfather on stage. I really hope they build their own legacy. This is just the beginning, where they seek blessings and hone their craft.”

Backstage, the two smiling boys spoke about training and practice; Zohaan practices for an hour every day, while Abeer plays for two hours. They are both great football lovers and ardent fans of Ronaldo and Messi.

The sarod journey continued in the afternoon session with collaborator and guitar maestro Shaun Shibe. Brief and beautiful compositions Golden Afternoon (in Raag Marwa) and Gentle Sunset (Raag Yaman) were played by Amaan and Ayaan. The maestro took centre stage to play his signature combination of a Tagore composition Ekla Cholo Rey (Raag Bhatiali) fused with a foot-tapping Assamese folk Bihu. Listeners never tire of this composition, now immortal in its lilting beauty, talking of fearlessly walking alone, riding on the magic of recall.

The evening session featured the sarod virtuoso with Britten Sinfonia conducted by David Murphy. Fifteenth-century ragas (Darbari and Mia ki Malhar) were presented along with the composition "Shringar/Adornment," composed by Murphy. The sarod connected with one of the finest chamber orchestras in the country under the leadership of violinist Jacqueline Shave, who has an ongoing relationship with classical music and with Khan Sahib in particular. Throughout the sessions, the tabla player who accompanied the artists and brilliantly wove time cycles and patterns was the young and promising Anubrata Chatterjee, son of Pandit Anindya Chatterjee – one of the best percussionists of our times.

At 78, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan remains curious, open to dialogue, and connected through music. The collaborations bear testimony to that, and the now eight-generation legacy testifies to the contribution of every musician in this impressive heritage of the Bangash family. “Each artist brings the spirit of sharing treasures of their own traditions. This is a meeting point of living musicians across cultures. It is as human beings that we can understand and appreciate each other and thereby heal this divided world, through the joy and spiritual nourishment that music brings.”

At a time when classical music may seem a daunting concept for youngsters, it was a welcome sight to see many children in the hall, accompanying their parents, and being inspired by the young twins debuting on stage and the transgenerational music throughout the day.

More For You

Lubna Kerr Lunchbox

Scottish-Pakistani theatre-maker Lubna Kerr returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with 'Lunchbox'

Instagram/ lubnakerr

Beyond curries and cricket: Lubna Kerr’s 'Lunchbox' challenges stereotypes at Edinburgh Fringe

Acclaimed Scottish-Pakistani theatre-maker Lubna Kerr returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with Lunchbox – the final instalment of her deeply personal and widely praised ‘BOX’ trilogy, following Tickbox and Chatterbox.

Inspired by her own upbringing as a Pakistani immigrant girl in Glasgow, Lunchbox is a powerful one-woman show that tackles themes of identity, race, bullying and belonging through the eyes of two teenagers growing up on the same street but living vastly different lives. With humour, honesty and heart, Kerr brings multiple characters to life, including her younger self and a troubled classmate, as she explores whether we are shaped by our environment or capable of breaking the cycle.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tawseef Khan

Based on Khan’s lifelong proximity to immigration law

Instagram/ itsmetawseef

Tawseef Khan brings together justice and fiction in his powerful debut novel

Tawseef Khan is a qualified immigration solicitor and academic who made his literary debut with the acclaimed non-fiction book Muslim, Actually. His first novel Determination, originally published in 2024 and now available in paperback, brings his legal and creative worlds together in a powerful, emotionally rich story.

Set in a Manchester law firm, Determination follows Jamila, a 29-year-old immigration solicitor juggling frantic client calls, family expectations and her own wellbeing. Based on Khan’s lifelong proximity to immigration law, including his father starting a practice from their living room, the novel explores the human cost of a broken system with compassion, wit and clarity.

Keep ReadingShow less
Iman Qureshi’s play confronts
‘gay shame’ with solidarity

Iman Qureshi

Iman Qureshi’s play confronts ‘gay shame’ with solidarity

A NEW play looks at the cultural divisions in society, especially in the West, and shows how people can still come together and build a community even if they don’t always agree, its playwright has said.

The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs, by Iman Qureshi, follows a group of women, mostly lesbians, who come together to sing in a choir, while sharing their lives, making new friendships, experiencing love, and finding humour during their time spent together. Themes of identity, politics and personal struggles are explored in the story.

Keep ReadingShow less
20 Years of Sarkar: Amitabh Bachchan’s Defining Gangster Role

The 2005 film Sarkar explored power, loyalty, and justice in Mumbai’s underworld

India Glitz

20 years of 'Sarkar': Amitabh Bachchan’s iconic turn in a gangster epic

Dharmesh Patel

There have been many Hindi cinema projects inspired by Hollywood films, and Sarkar ranks among the finest. The brooding political crime drama, which paid tribute to the epic 1972 gangster film The Godfather, became a gritty, homegrown tale of power, loyalty and justice.

Directed by Ram Gopal Varma and set in Mumbai’s morally murky corridors of influence, the film centred on Subhash Nagre – a man feared, respected and mythologised. Played with majestic restraint by Amitabh Bachchan, the story followed Nagre’s control over the underworld, political power centres and a grey zone where justice was delivered through unofficial means. His sons, the hot-headed Vishnu (Kay Kay Menon) and the more composed Shankar (Abhishek Bachchan) – became central to this tale of betrayal, legacy and redemption.

Keep ReadingShow less
Michael jackson

It was part of a global promotional campaign for Jackson's HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I album

Getty Images

From a McDonald's to a nightclub: The strange afterlife of Michael Jackson’s giant statues

Key points

  • Ten giant Michael Jackson statues were built in 1995 to promote his HIStory album
  • The 32ft figures appeared around the world and followed him on tour
  • Some remain visible in places like Switzerland, Italy, and South Africa
  • Others have been removed or stored due to controversy after Jackson’s death and allegations
  • Owners now face challenges selling, relocating or preserving the monuments

A colossal promotion campaign

In June 1995, Londoners witnessed an unusual spectacle: a 32ft statue of Michael Jackson being floated down the River Thames. It was part of a global promotional campaign for Jackson's HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I album. A total of ten fibreglass statues were made, all modelled on the album cover image, and they accompanied the singer on his worldwide tour.

The statues were the product of a transatlantic effort. American sculptor Diana Walczak worked closely with Jackson to design a clay prototype. In the UK, artist Stephen Pyle oversaw the construction of the fibreglass versions, assisted by sculptor Derek Howarth and a team based at Elstree Studios. Built in just four months, the statues bore some differences from the original prototype due to limited access.

Keep ReadingShow less