Pran Nath

The traditional music of Northern India was preserved and promoted by Pakistan-born vocalist and teacher Pandit Faquir Pran Nath. Faithful to the authentic sounds of traditional ragas, Nath was a major influence on Indian singers, including Nazarat and Salamat Ali Kahn, and Western musicians and artists, including minimalist composers La Monte Young and Terry Riley, jazz players including Don Cherry and Lee Konitz, and calligraphic light artist Marian Zazeela. In an article for the Village Voice, Young claimed that "(Nath's) incredible intonation and his remarkable sense of melody soon convinced me that his singing was the most beautiful I had ever heard." Rolling Stone took a similar view, writing, "the tonal quality of Nath's voice is uniquely compelling, and his repetition of certain intervals over the basic drone produces a trance-like state among his listeners, or, as one put it, 'a natural high'." A native of Lahore, Pakistan, Nath grew up surrounded by music. Each evening, his family home played host to musicians who were invited to perform by his grandfather. Singing by the age of six, Nath's desire to pursue a career in music was severely discouraged by his mother. Leaving home at the age of 13, he spent two decades studying with Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan Christi Sabri, a master of the Kirana gharana, or Krishna, style of singing that originated in the 14th century. Nath's talents were obvious. At the age of 19, he made his debut appearance on All-India Radio. He retreated from a musical career, however, and moved into a cave in Tapkeshwar, the site of the oldest Shiva temple in India, and sang only in prayer for five years. Upon his return, it was obvious that he had grown as a performer. He now had complete control of his voice and possessed an incredibly...