Amaradeva:

Felicitating a golden voice

By Kalakeerthi Edwin Ariyadasa

“Music is well said to be the speech of angels.” -
Thomas Carlyle 1795-1881
(British Pandit)

“Music, the greatest good that mortals know, and all of heaven we have below.”
- Joseph Addison 1672-1719

(English poet)

At the time Amaradeva was born, way back in 1927, in all probability, the planets themselves were at a merry-making gala, singing in full swing, their immortal ditties. The incipient traces of the echoes of those celestial chants would have found their way into the tiny soul of infant Albert Perera (who eventually grew up into Amaradeva) mingled with the eternal rhythms of the sea, that formed the backdrop to Amaradeva's childhood.

One cannot, but help introduce this divine element into the equation, since, there is hardly any other way, in which Amaradeva's early fascination for music and musical instruments, could be logically explained.

His father was a carpenter. He repaired musical instruments, as the best part of his professional practice. If one were to construe that, the routine presence of musical instruments, awaiting repair, in his father's workshop prodded young Amaradeva into being a child musical prodigy, a serious question invariably arises. How is it, that those others, who were constantly in and out of that workshop, did not turn out to be equally exceptional musical geniuses?

Whatever may have triggered off, his exceptional mastery over music, today, at 85+, Amaradeva is a widely acclaimed genius, with hardly a parallel around. The quintessential urge of the written and spoken words, that punctuated the proceedings of the Amaradeva felicitation meeting held recently, was that cumulatively the total contribution made by Amaradeva throughout his distinguished career peaks up to a classical stature.

The felicitation meeting was made up of two segments – each wholesomely complementing the other. The spoken and sung section of the get-together, was entertainingly characterised by heart warming reminiscences, presented by his colleagues, friends and his students. The dominant flavour of these episodic memories was human leading to an evening of relaxed joy.

There were moving renderings of some of Amaradeva's well-loved vocalisations.

Anthology

The other segment was the felicitation volume which offered the reader an enriching anthology of written tributes to Amaradeva, who according to the subtitle of the publication, is the ‘Golden Voice of the Nation'.

Before I proceed any further, I must register my felicitation sentiments towards all those who are responsible for this esteemed publication. The work is quite effectively balanced. It accommodates sophisticated assessments, analytical essays, historical descriptions scholarly musings and even juicy nuggets of gossip.

In the two opening articles, the joint-editors Samantha Herath and Praneeth Abeysundara, set the tone of the total volume. Samantha Herath establishes the prestige of the central character, enumerating the honours and accolades received by Amaradeva.

In his forty-page essay, joint-editor Praneeth Abayasundara traces the evolution of the central character, presenting a comprehensive picture of the person called Amaradeva. The effort is so thoughtfully put other, that it will benefit many, if it can be brought out as an independent publications.

Praneeth Abhayasundra focuses on those groups, who went over to India for higher aesthetic studies. He categorises the into two streams, the Bhathkhande School and the Shantiniketan School. The detail be musters about the aesthetic progress of Amaradeva is quite impressive.

Creative writing

The felicitation volume anthologises 36 literary efforts. These include five pieces of creative writing.

When objectively viewed, the felicitation volume stands out vividly among hundreds of those that have appeared in recent times. The specific wok profiles Amaradeva, projecting a three- Dimage – as it were of Pandit Amaradeva. Amaradeva's personality extends like a golden thread, through the recent aesthetic history of Sri Lanka.

The colossal presence of Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra who dominated the post 1956 cultural landscape ushering in a quiet revolutionary transformation in the mass-perception of indigenous theatricals, extended his sheltering patronage to Amaradeva nudging him into a new phase of musical evolution.

Amaradeva's musical presence was manifest, in all areas of Sri Lankan entertainment. Early in the history of Sri Lankan cinema Amaradeva was quite actively associated with that new medium.

Though it is not extensively known, Amaradeva was partly responsible for engendering a love for indigenous music, in the undergraduates of the first University of Sri Lanka (Then Ceylon). He and Sunil Shantha held periodical Meals at he University in Colombo, with “Samson's Bungalow” as the venue. The building has now disappeared totally, yielding place to the computer centre. Among the prominent pioneers in the movement to popularise indigenous music among the undergraduate population was Vinnie Vitharana (Prof. Vinnie Vitharana). He would travel to Koralawella, Moratuwa, to fetch W.D. Albert Perera (Amaradeva).

From those early days up to now, one staple personality – trait has remained unchanged in his psyche – that is his built-in sense of humility.

At the felicitation meeting, when he was being overwhelmed by the tributes, accolades and encomiums, he responded to all those, with a childish glee.

But, I have came upon an incident, from the days of his early youth, where he reacted with something of a resentment.Once, an acquaintance of Pandit Amaradeva, needed him to entertain his frauds at a party. Wanting to be polite, he asked Pandit Amaradeva to come home for dinner, and added as a kind of after-thought, that the Pandit should come with his violin. Seeing through his perfidy, Pandit Amaradeva retorted “My violin does not take dinner”.As things are, Amaradeva would not even think of such a response today.

The felicitation volume, describes him as “The Golden Voice of the Nation.” But, in the current stage of of his evolution he has turned out to be a “Golden personality of the Nation.”

For years to come, his cadenced voice and musically nuanced tones, will continue to tintinnabulate from heart to heart, to the serene joy and emotion of the people of this land.