Afaq Hussain Khan, the son of Wajid Hussain, was my teacher and – despite my inherent bias – the greatest player I have ever heard play live. He was widely acknowledged by musicians and connoisseurs as a true master: exceptionally knowledgeable, technically supreme, and inherently musical – a musician's musician! He played with clarity, sweetness, and a refined, balanced sound. Some would say that his approach to sound production was a philosophy in itself. All of his qualities are on display in this extract from a recording made by Jnan Prakash Ghosh in July 1958. These are the opening moments, as Afaq Hussain works his way into a classic peshkar.

For further information, link to my article on the Lucknow gharana.