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21st death anniversary

Remembering Sunil Santha

by E. Weerapperuma

The 21st death anniversary of Maestro of Sinhala Music, Sangeetha Visharadha Sunil Santha, was commemorated recently.Sri Lanka will remember Sunil Santha for his life-long service to pave the way for a more meaningful and innovative form of Sinhala Music, his service to popularise the language and literature of Munidasa Cumaratunga and chiefly for living up to his principles. He will also be gratefully remembered for his outstanding service rendered to Musical education. 

Sunil’s son Lanka Santha speaking about his father said that while appreciating the efforts of the organisers to keep the memory and message of his father alive, there is a need to have a music class conducted in his honour, free of charge for the benefit of the poor but talented students.

Sunil, a devoted Catholic, born on April 14th, 1915 at Kepungoda, Pamunugama, was baptised as Joseph John. He was the youngest in the family and his mother died three months after his birth. He had his early education at Kotahena St. Benedict’s, Mount Calvary in Galle and he successfully completed the School Leaving Examination while at Junior School at Dehiyagatha, Ja-Ela.

In 1933 he entered Training School at Maggona and was a school teacher and continued teaching after his return from North India for some time. He came under the influence of Rev. Fr. Moses Perera and was introduced to Music by Suriya Shankar Molligoda and he went to India in 1939. 

Although poor he never went seeking favours and it is said that he accepted the gift of a house by late Ranasinghe Premadasa on condition he would be allowed to pay the due rent.

Sunil was a man of rare calibre and an exceptionally forthright man. He could not tolerate hypocrisy. He upheld what he believed right and stood firm knowing fully well that he had to suffer consequences for the stand he takes. And he did have to face difficulties later in life. He was compelled to live on his sweat by repairing radios, mending shoes and selling dry fish. But he held his head high. 

After his return from Bhathkande and Shanthi Nikethan, he gave a new twist to Sinhala music by composing songs with the Sinhala folk flavour. In 1948, Radio Ceylon recorded his first song Olu Pipeela Wela Lela Denava Sudata Sudai Nango, which had a very distinct change from that of the “nadagam” and “nurthi” songs broadcast by Radio Ceylon at the time. Sunil made a name for himself when he composed music for the lyrics by late Rev. Fr. Marcelline Jayakody OMI to the Rekava film, the first original Sinhala film by Dr. Lester James Peries and then Sandeshaya.

He made his presence felt and his entry marked a beginning of a new chapter in the history of music at a time when our songs were mere words written to suit Indian tunes. “He attempted to create a style of music which had a character of its own and not as an echo of a music of other countries, Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra wrote.Prof. Sunil Ariyaratna who had done an extensive study of the Sinhala songs is of the view that the songs of Sunil recorded by the Radio Ceylon like Kurulu Adare, Nelavee Sanasenne, Ralle Nagenne, Suwanda Rosa Mal Nela had no trace of any influence of the North Indian classical music. 

But he had introduced the western style of chord and harmony into his songs.Although Sunil was a product of the Bhathkande University, he was not a slave of Uttara Bharathiya Raga Dhari Sangeethaya. Once he came under the benign influence of “Hela Haula” of Munidasa Cumaratunga, he spent his time trying to develop a non-hybrid indigenous Sri Lankan’s own style of music, something very unique to Sri Lanka. 

He was continuing the good work begun by Ananda Samarakoon.Sri Lankans will always be greateful for the immortal melodies and vocal artistry of Sunil Santha, the most imaginative musician of the 20th century. He gave a new meaning and life to Sinhala songs and his creations will remain popular among all class of people.Sunil did not want his children to follow in his footsteps. It is said that having heard Ivor Dennis sing, he gave him all that he knew to make him a good vocalist. 

It was said that when Dr. Lester James Peries wanted Sunil to accompany him to India to record songs for Rekawa, he had wanted to send the then Albert Perera (Now Dr. Pandit W.D. Amaradeva) who had worked with Sunil as his understudy in the late 40s and early 50s. The role Sunil played in the formative years of Albert Perera had given Sri Lanka a world renowned maestro of music in the name of W.D. Amaradeva. 

Sunil having recognised the stunning capacity and the outstanding gift young Albert displayed at his debut as a upcoming violinist in 1947, took him under his care and assisted him to enhance his skills. This gesture of Sunil, is yet in the fresh memories of Pandit Amaradeva.Lanka Santha recalling the days of misery his family had to undergo with the Radio Ceylon closing the door on his father who opposed the bringing down of Prof. Ratanjankar from Bhathkande University to audition vocalists in 1952, said that his father’s belief was that Sri Lanka should have her own qualified people to audition others. 

And 15 years later, during the period of Mr. Neville Jayaweera as Director General in 1965, Sunil was invited to chair the audition.Lanka Santha with deep gratitude recalled the advice of his father. “Never think of taking music as your life profession. That is not going to do anything good for you all. Pursue your studies and reach the top in what you can and then if you wish take to music, not as a profession”. 

While admitting that he had no special liking to music or musical instruments, Lanka Santha said, that there was no music played in his house while he was a young boy nor did his father conduct classes. “Yet my brother Jagath Santha who died under tragic circumstances had the knack for music and father had believed that he would someday carry his name. But fate was otherwise. My brother and I studied at the University in the same years and after passing out he worked until he met with tragic death, which made my father sad and that incident quickened the death of my father”, he added. 

Painter markedwith Sri Lankanidentity

by Rajmi Manatunga

It is said that human beings tend to respect what they do not understand. The same philosophy, I guess, came true when I was assigned to cover an exhibition of paintings by a young artist. Standing inside the charming Paradise Road Gallery I felt completely at sea, staring at some canvasses that I didn’t understand. 

Then came Sanjeewa Kumara, the creator of the elusive paintings I mentioned and whom I classed at the end as an outstanding young painter with a talent marked with the Sri Lankan identity.Born in Colombo in 1971 Sanjeewa was brought up in an artistic background under the concerned gaze of a father who was a school art teacher.

 “Those days I would always come in contact with a canvass, a tube of water colours or a coloured chalk at home,” Sanjeewa recollects his childhood with nostalgia, showing us a photograph of ‘those days’ where a toddler is trying to paint on a canvass well above his height. After completing his studies Sanjeewa cast away an opportunity to work as a teacher with a head full of dreams of becoming an artist and was able to graduate from the Sri Lanka College of Aesthetic Studies in 1999.Since then Sanjeewa has treaded a long way in the world of art and grown into a fine contemporary painter with a unique style of his own. 

“Unlike his contemporaries Sanjeewa is not a clone of his mentors but persevered to accomplish his own recognisable signature. His works are full of fantasy and tongue-in-cheek humour. In his current works the influences of contemporary European artists, the current movements in European art and his cultural background from Sri Lanka is evident,” Udayshanth Fernando, the person who introduced Sanjeewa to the world remarks.The young artist is residing at present with his artist wife Sujeewa Kumari in the Netherlands where he is working towards his Masters degree financing himself through the sale of his paintings that are sought after by private collectors, hospitals and medical practices because of their colourful and humoristic presence. 

Sanjeewa has already held five solo exhibitions in Sri Lanka and the Netherlands and won the hearts of thousands of Dutch people through his tactile paintings.At last I stepped out from the gallery, my mind wandering back to those ‘rough’ but realistic paintings while Sanjeewa invites everybody to his latest exhibition that will be held from July 19 to August 2 at Paradise Road Gallery, Alfred House Road, Colombo 3.(Pictures bySudath Nishantha)

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