"I am committed to an individual style of music" --Khandokar Nurul Alam

Nurul Alam (R) explains a composition to Runa Laila (L), while Chashi Nazrul Islam looks on.File Photo

Professor Muhammad Maniruzzaman, a lyricist, shared this secret and appreciated Alam's passion for music. Once Alam asked Maniruzzaman to show him how to compose a song. Maniruzzaman took him to the radio station and wrote a lyric instantly. To Alam's astonishment, the renowned lyricist asked Nurul Alam to compose the song for him. "Out of curiosity", as Alam says, he did so. The song was well rendered and marked the beginning of a remarkable career for the composer.

Born in 1936, Khandokar Nurul Alam got involved with the HMV recording company in 1960 and joined Bangladesh Betar the following year. He was also a lecturer at the National Broadcasting Academy as a music specialist. He has been involved with Bangladesh Television since its launching in 1964.

Alam is the proud recipient of a number of awards, including the National Film Awards and the BACHSHASH Awards three times each, the Film Producers' Association Award and the Asian Broadcasting Union Awards. Alam has composed many popular playback and modern songs since the 1960s. His most popular songs include Chokh je moner kotha boley, Paharer kanna dekhey, Nadir majhi boley, Amar baul moner ektarata, Ei raat dakey and many more.

Alam is not altogether happy about the current musical scene. To quote him, "In our time, we were committed to music composition. Amidst all the restrictions imposed in the Pakistan period, we practised good music and dreamt of composing better music in an independent Bangladesh. But now, after Independence, things have gone from bad to worse. With the irresistible invasion of foreign music, our own music industry is in a vulnerable position now. We are gradually losing our own identity in music."

Alam welcomes the changing trend in music. As he says, "I believe in the saying 'Monotony in music is a crime.' But in the name of bringing changes you cannot distort music; you must create a new style on the basis of the old and traditional one. One must make music artistic, and not treat it as a mere means of entertainment. Lately, young people tend to imitate the foreign music."

According to Alam, "The young artistes do not practice music and they perform without proper rewaz of the classical music. Another reason behind the lack of quality music and good artistes is that there is a dearth of proper coaching."

However, Alam does not give up hope of a brighter future in music. He says, "When a strong wave comes, people cannot face it easily, but they can at least protect themselves from drowning in different ways. Likewise, I am committed to an individual style of music. For I know that when the storm blows over, I will stand once more and prepare for a better future."