Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan (1906 ? 16 July 1993) was an Indian classical vocalist from the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana . He was a disciple and son of Fida Hussain Khan and after a long and illustrious career was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1971. ^[1]

He was the court musician of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III at Baroda and was featured extensively on All India Radio . He was a specialist in Tarana . His most famous disciples are his cousin Ghulam Mustafa Khan and Rashid Khan . ^[2]

Career [ edit ]

Nisar Hussain Khan gave his first performance at age 11 which was considered phenomenal at that time. ^[2] Then he went on to receive a scholarship from the Maharaja of Baroda who also appointed his father as a court musician to further help train his young son Nisar Hussain Khan. By the age of 18, he had gained much more confidence as a singer in Maharaja's court and then Nisar, too, was appointed as a court musician. He remained in that position for nearly three decades. ^[2]

By the 1940s, Nisar Hussain had become a well-known performer on the concert circuit of India and he also was broadcasting for All India Radio . ^[2]

Vocal style [ edit ]

Khansahib inherited a vast repertoire of well-known and obscure melodies from his forebears. His rich, resonant voice was cultivated through decades of training. He embellishes the modal form of the ragas with flashes of gamaks , bol-taans and sargams . As an exponent of the khyal style, he renders taranas with distinction. ^{[2] [3]}

Lineage [ edit ]

Khan's most famous disciple was his grandnephew Rashid Khan. He trained Rashid in the traditional master-apprentice manner, first at his own residence at Badaun , Uttar Pradesh , and subsequently at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Calcutta , where he spent the last years of his life. ^[2]

Khansahib's gharana, the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana , owes its existence to the Senia traditions and has a revered lineage of classical vocalists such as Bahadur Hussain Khan, Inayat Hussain Khan , Fida Hussain Khan and Mushtaq Hussain Khan . ^[2]

Awards [ edit ]

• Padma Bhushan Award by the Government of India in 1971. ^{[1] [2]}
• Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1970. ^{[2] [4]}
• Tansen Award from the Government of Madhya Pradesh . ^[2]

Partial discography [ edit ]

78rpm recordings (HMV: c.  1938 onwards) [ edit ]

• N 15721: Todi, Allah jane; Jaunpuri, tarana
• N 15747: Kedar, kanha re nanda nandana; Bhairavi, tarana
• N 15776: Puriya dhanashri, payaliya jhankar; Desh, tarana
• N 15809: Multani, kangana mundariya; Miya malhar, tarana
• N 15834: Raga Bahar , kaliyan sanga karan; Bahar, koyalia kuk sunawe
• N 88215: Chayanat, jhanana jhanana; Malkauns, tarana
• N 88260: Basant, samana sunawe koyaliya; Pilu thumri, bake aika mori

EP/LP recordings: HMV 1961 [ edit ]

• 7EPE 1202: Gaud Sarang , Bin deke tere; Puriya Dhanashri, tarana ^[5]
• 7EPE 1236: Vrindabani Sarang, Achchhe Peer More; Pancham, Mohe Ataman Kaise
• 7EPE 1242: Alhaiya Bilawal, Sumiran Kar Man; Jhinjhoti, Tarana: Tana Ta Tana Dere ^[5]
• ECLP 2260: Abhogi, Vil. jhaptal: Charan Dhar Ayeri; Tarana: tintal; Gowardhani Todi. Vil. ektal: Tu Ayore Ayo, Drut tintal: Kahe Karat Mose Batiyan

HMV 1972 [ edit ]

• ECSD 2489: Lalit. Tintal: Yaarda; Bhatiyar. Tintal: tarana
• ECSD 2509: Basant. Phagwa Brih Dekhan; Jaijaiwanti. Tintal: tarana

Odeon Records 1990 [ edit ]

• PMLP 3065: Raga Kalyaan Ka Prakar. With Hafeez Ahmed Khan & Sarfaraz Hussain Khan (vocal support), Shakur Khan ( sarangi ) and Prem Ballabh ( tabla )

References [ edit ]