Arts

Impressive performance by the Chamber Music Society

By Ranga CHANDRARATHNE

Fast becoming one of the finest classical music organizations in the region, the gleaming and state approved Chamber Music Society of Colombo waltzed into the quaint city of Galle, saw, and conquered the hearts and minds of all before them. The Galle Literary Festival did well in inviting the Society to perform to a sold out concert held at the historic 250-year-old Dutch Reformed Church in the Galle Fort. Generously sponsored by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Sri Lanka, Ambassador Leoni Russell-Cuelenaere remarked on how she was one of the biggest fans of the Society and that she and her embassy were proud to be the sole sponsors of this major event.Lakshman Joseph de Saram, the Artistic Director and Concert Master of the Society, thanked the Festival and the Dutch Embassy for making it all happen, and began the concert by quoting Germany's most famous man of letters, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, "Music begins where the word ends." Very appropriate, since the concert could have been billed as the last significant event of the Literary Festival.

Concert proper

The concert proper began with Johann Christian Bach's overture to his opera Artaserse. J.C. Bach, the eleventh son of the eternal Johann Sebastian Bach, was a composer of the classical era. He is also known as the English Bach, due to the time he spent in the British capital. He is most noted for his influence on Mozart's unique concerto writing style. The opera is based on the Persian king Artaxerxes, and was first performed in London in 1760. The overture in three movements was played with the Society's usual brilliance, and right from the start, it was obvious that the concert was going to be an exciting emotional roller coaster ride.

Mozart's symphony number 18 in F major was written during the family's years of travel. The F major symphony was composed between the second and third journeys to Italy. Scholars regard this work as Mozart's first symphonic masterpiece. Each of the four movements is striking in unique ways. Lakshman Joseph de Saram's interpretation of the symphony was very tense and angst driven. Even the gentle melodically rich slow movement was taken briskly, leaving little room for introspection. So was the Minuet and Trio, much faster than any recording available. The last movement fared better; the musical line was able to withstand the high speeds and the climax was thrilling.

The late great doyen of serious contemporary music in Sri Lanka, Dr. Premasiri Khemadasa, was featured next. His prodigious output included everything from art songs and award winning film scores to politically charged operas and ground-breaking symphonies. To quote the composer on the work performed, "It was only after I left the shores of Sri Lanka that I realised how much I loved my homeland. Beyond Horizons was written in the beautiful city of Prague, where I felt the need to re-connect with that `something' that, until then, I did not know I valued so much." This work was first performed in Sri Lanka by the Society last year at a command performance for President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees.

It is a work of deep significance to Sri Lanka's living culture because it represents the last piece of music of the maestro that speaks in absolute musical terms of a very personal journey, that of his life.

Quiet requiem

Lakshman Joseph de Saram called it a quiet requiem for the master, a very moving tribute that held great resonance to all of us in the audience. American born composer Stephen Allen's Dawn of Kandula was performed right after the intermission. We have written about this topically relevant and stunning piece of contemporary Sri Lankan music in an earlier review, so we will not repeat ourselves here. Although, if we are to make a comparison of the two performances, we preferred the outing at the Russian Cultural Centre last year. It may have had something to do with the environment, one felt the brutal dissonances and violent elephant cries slightly out of place in a church setting. The piece is based on a chapter from the medieval Sri Lankan epic, The Mahavamsa. The story deals with the unification of Lanka after a long bitter battle between two great historical figures, King Elara and Prince Dutugemunu. Stephen Allen uses Prince Dutugemunu's heroic elephant Kandula as the focal point of his stirring orchestral essay. To quote the composer, "this trilogy is my humble tribute to a country and culture that I have grown to love." The Tomaso Albinoni concerto for five instruments was a testament to the Society's wide range of playing styles. One might say that it was the concert's unexpected highlight.

Unashamedly indulgent violin playing from the concertmaster that was ably matched by his counter part the associate. Johann Dreyer's rare Symphony, Le Sacre closed the program. A rousing and fitting ending to a memorable concert. It is good news that the performance was filmed by Cannes award winning Vimukthi Jayasundara for future release on DVD.

Prati Ru 2009 - layers of artistic excellence

Prati Ru 2009, the second exhibition of creations by Shashini Ranasinghe was recently held at National Art Gallery. She was encouraged by the overwhelming response she received for her first solo exhibition held in 2005.

Inspired by 3D art, she began to make her own creations with patience, resulting in true-to-the nature creations with depth. The exhibition Prati Ru 2009 is also marked launching of Shashini's official website at www.shashiu.com. Though she does not want to sell her exhibits, she has decided to sell some of the exhibits and also to launch series of exhibitions titled Vismita Vishkam in diverse parts of the country to raise funds to help artists. The exhibition made up of 70 creations on the 3D decoupage was basically on nature. The complicated process involves meticulous cutting of several prints of a picture and pasting one upon another to make it 3D. Perhaps, Shashini's forte is her innate ability to spot beauty and to make stunning creations out of seemingly not-so-impressive pictures. The two roses was one of the best creations where it would have been extremely difficult to paste one layer upon the other. This alone shows her mastery of the craft.

The creation titled "Marriages are made in heaven" was a creation where the glory of nature manifested in sublime beauty. The two spotted deers stood in the middle of the brook against the backdrop of snow-clad mountains. Given the minutest details, it would have been a daunting task for the artist to make it three dimensions. However, Shashini has done an admirable work with a precision which makes it a one of the best creations displayed at the exhibition. Though one may think that the process would be merely cutting and pasting, it should be stated here that the process involves higher degree of artistic talents and an eye for beauty. The selection of themes for the exhibition is also remarkable in the sense it has not been confined to nature. The collection included some of the magnificent landscapes and historical personality similar to that of Jesus Christ. Apart from her excellent selection of themes for her creations, her ability to make them three dimensional, Prati Ru 2009 has introduced an art form to Sri Lankan art scene. The exhibition among other things, has demonstrated the artist's keen eye for beauty and re-creation. (R.C.)

Diversity art

`Fusion 2009' an exhibition of painting, by Pakistan born Naureen Naqvi and Sri Lanka Michael Anthonisz brings together different styles, cultures, personalities and perceptions.Naureen sees her work as the amalgamation of skills and perception, of a certain conception. She is greatly attracted to the historic and spiritual perspectives of art and the preservation of her cultural and architectural heritage and explores its various dimensions.Michael Anthonisz' early works were largely surrealistic in content and execution although he prefers to think of them as belonging to the visionary genre, stemming from a life-long study and close observation of the movement of athletes - notably swimmers - his work invariably includes the human form, although he has also produced some very interesting portraits as well as abstract watercolour landscapes.He works in a variety of media, ranging from oils to watercolours, pastels, pen and ink and charcoal, and has also produced sculptures out of metal, stone, clay and 'found objects.' Fusion 2009 will be on at the Barefoot Gallery, Colombo 3 from February 12 to 22.