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| Sunday, 3 February 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Opening the mouth to breathe a word by Prof.J.Disanayaka We have secrets of all kinds. A secret (rahasak) is something that we do not want to tell others. We like to keep it to ourselves. However some have an urge to share secrets with others. They pass a secret to others with the warning "not to breathe a word about it to anyone". "To breathe a word" in English means 'to say a word'. To say a word, you have to breathe and sounds come out only when you breathe in and out. Sinhalese also love to share some of their secrets with others. But they don't say anything about stopping one's breath. They say instead: "kata arinna epa:" (Don't open your mouth). How can one say anything without opening the mouth? For sounds come out mainly through the passage of the mouth. When such a condition is laid, the listener also gives an undertaking not to pass the secret to others. "I'll give my word of honour" assures the listener. It is called "a word of honour" because it is something that can be ignored only at the risk of sacrificing one's honour. A word is something that binds. The English say "Upon my word" when they swear, because it is so binding. The Sinhalese do not say "Upon my word" when they swear but they also have trust in their words, in particular, the spoken word. In Sinhala, the spoken word is called 'kata vacane' (mouth word) and sometimes certain things such as giving a loan is done simply for the sake of the word of mouth: "kata vacaneta" The spoken word is considered, both by the English and the Sinhalese as binding as any written document, legal or otherwise. A stylish performance by Anoushka De Silva
'If music be the food of love....' then music lovers were treated to a veritable feast on Tuesday January 22 as the Ensemble Resonanz performed at the Grand Ballroom of the Colombo Hilton. Composed of 18 members who are presently on a tour of South East Asia they are young and undoubtedly talented as they displayed a depth, clarity and technique in their playing that was as astonishing as it was pleasurable. The evening's programme was a combination that left most of the audience well sated, with an entree of Bach. Zimmermann proving a nouvelle cuisine experience, Mendelsson as the main course and after an interval to digest the lot a rich and leisurely dessert of Beethoven. That having been said the first piece of the evening Bach's Brandernburg Concerto No. 3 in G. Major was perhaps the only underdone offering of the programme. Unfair comparisons were heard to be made to the performance of this piece by the London Philharmonic (the two are simply not in the same league). However it must be admitted that this piece did not come up to the standard of the rest of the pieces performed during the programme. The shortest of the 6 Brandenburg Concertos and perhaps the least complicated of them containing as it does two movements separated by a brief cadence, the Ensemble pulled off the first movement with aplomb. However the second movement did not quite follow through and live up to the promise of the first (as a twelve year old budding critic was overheard saying "The violin bits in the middle of the second were a bit messy"!). The majority reaction of the audience - fairly disappointed. The Zimmermann Concerto for String Orchestra made up for all of the shortcomings (imaginary and otherwise) of the Bach. Being a modern composer of the 20th century Zimmermann was new to most of the audience. The story goes that the composer once he felt that he had done all that he could do in the way of composition and had no more to offer the world of music promptly committed suicide - this should give the more imaginative reader an indication of what his music is like; abrupt, passionate, edgy with occasional lapse into almost poetic sweetness, artistically and technically challenging and the Ensemble did it full justice. Their obvious enthusiasm and enjoyment effortlessly carried the audience along with them. Mendelssohn's String Symphony No. 10 in B Minor too was a purely enjoyable experience executed with sureness and near flawless technique managing to bring out the lyrical loveliness that is the signature of the composer without descending to saccerine extremes. The rather elegant sonata movement was especially well executed with a deftness of touch and expression. Beethoven's String Quartet C Sharp Minor op. 131 was the most extensive piece in the evening's repertoire. The sequence of 7 movements of alternating tempo requires an immaculate balance to prevent it floundering into a moras of sound all athletic rhythms and intellectual energy with none of the expressive detail. Ensemble Resonanz displayed impressive balance in the unerringly confident sweep and control of the tensions of the piece though one could have wished for a touch more of the whimsical element in the "adagio" of the 6th movement. It was nevertheless a masterly performance. The Ensemble are to be congratulated on the expressive and emotive quality of their music if nothing else, whatever technical hiccups (and to be fair there were very few of note) that cropped up now and then the emotional quotient in their playing was admirable. Surprisingly they seemed unprepared for an encore and so the audience went home without coffee and cigars as it were. However, the unanimous verdict was that the evening was a resounding success and so one can only say Bravo! Ensemble Resonanz and "....play on". Splendid dance recital by Ratha Ramakrishan The Vimalothaya Classical Bharatha Natya Kendra presented a Subashini Pathmanathan gave a virtuoso performance in the Varnam in Raga Sriranjani. Her footwork and facial expressions were splendid. She also excelled in 'Valli Kanavan' in Raga Sensuruti, the 'Thevaram' by Saint Sambandar and in the modern composition Mayavithai". One was able to recognise the influence of the Vazuvoorar School of Dancing. The musicians for the dance were strong in their expressions of the many moods of the music. The chief guest at the recital was Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Head of the Chancery High Commission of India and Director of the Indian Cultural Centre, Colombo. State Drama festival now on The second round of the State Drama Festival -2002, continues till 20th February at the John de Silva Memorial Theatre, Colombo under the aegis of the Department of Cultural Affairs. Out of 51 drama scripts presented to the selection board 23 were selected and 22 of the dramatists had agreed to produce their dramas. The Plays included Api Gevanne Ne by Kapila Kumara Kalinga, Ahas Mandira by Hemasiri Abeywardhana, Oya Dora Arinna by M. Safeer, Gevenneth Ne, Gevennath Be by Mahesh Kumara Perera, Eliya by Cecil Gunasekara, Mavakage Geethaya by Saman Soyza, Mitiyawatha by Premakumar Karunaratna, Muhunata Muhuna by Ruvan Bandara Narasinghe, Veradi Vetaheema by Bhanu Prasanna, Ran Masura by Ishara Wickramasena, Rekawala by Buddhika Damayantha, Muhudu Lihiniya by Viraga Nadun Liyanarachchi, Vandiya by Tissa Gunawardhana, Veeraya Merila by Sagara Rajitha Dissanayaka, Samavenna Veradeemak, by Sunil Chandrasiri, Savithri by D.H.M. Nihal Kumara, Agni Vasanthaya by Mahinda Karunaratna, Avatara by Keerthi Bandara, Veradi Velave Hamuvu Hari Miniha by Janapriya Jaysingha, Hetawath Kawadawath by Asanka Ishan Dayapala and Thuttu Deke Kathavak by Anura Ekanayaka. |
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classical
Bharatha Natya recital to celebrate their tenth anniversary, choreographed
by Subashini Pathmanathan, Directress of the Kendra and the chief dance
instructress. The recital which was held on January 12 also showcased the
students of the school in a presentation of eighteen dances which were
varied and of a high standard.
