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| Wednesday, 24 December 2003 |
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Lyricist with country roots by E.M.G. Edirisinghe Essentially of rural upbringing both in emotion and thoughts, Vasantha Kumara Kobawaka, faithful to his ancestral roots is one of our foremost lyricists imbibed in the essence of rural life that infused vivacity into his lyrical compositions strung in precise verbal combinations impregnated with delicate connotations. His first-ever lyrical creation was in 1975. That was as a school boy to Radio Ceylon. And, for several years since 1978, he composed lyrics for radio programmes conducted by Sunil Edirisinghe. He moved on to cinema and teledrama where he was recognized with national honours coming from the Presidential film awards, Sumathi Tele-awards and the Sarasaviya Film Festival for his outstanding lyrical compositions. His lyrical journey from radio to cinema and to teledrama during the pat several decades, is stamped with full-flavoured compositions sung by a galaxy of vocalists for which musical scores too, were set up by equally elite maestroes in the local music scene.
An analytical study of his lyrics leads one to identify some distinct characteristics which institute him as a unique lyric-writer in his own way. In his string of lyrics composed for the electronic media, he hardly touched on devotional formations or spiritual prayers. He is not attuned to making them appealing to faith and devotion which naturally tend to overlook intellectual application of the listener. Coming from the backwoods of the country, and aesthetically and emotionally heartened by the beauty it offered, he was at home with its environment and the simple way of life it offered; it gave him the ideal impetus for his lyrical works. For him, the farmers on their way to farmland or the lases carrying green leaves on their heads were fascinating scenes verbally malleable in his imagination in inspiring the blithe rural life into songs. He viewed the customary observance of religious precepts and practices by the villagers with no intellectual backing and conviction with contempt, and it evoked some sarcastic allusions ingrained in his compositions. Kiyana bana boya asana bana boya Sermons lot of it is preached and listened to None within seven hamlets appears to observe it. Disdain He perceives with disdain some of those who openly preach one thing and breach it in secrecy. However, most of his compositions exude sentiments yearning for love and love in separation. Kola numbe ruvata lole Eagerly for your itching figure I longed Vasantha excelled in mellifluous expression of feelings implicit in love in separation which were abound with a sense of frustration and disillusionment that affect the soul of love; lovers love-lorn in internalised pain have found themselves in his multiple expressions of their sensibilities in continuous flow of words in varying sequences to synthesise its effect on the listener. Inna nove miydenna hithai mata Methinks not to live but to die Folk idiom In this instance using the folk idiom in esoteric language which is sentimentally strong and impregnated with feelings is expressed in refined tender sensitivity. Disappointment caused by the departure of one's lover takes a vivid impelling expression in the following twin lines. Yahane nehe nindak No sleep in the couch It is miserable; desperate and angry he is engulfed in a blaze in the very bed he is to rest and embrace the bliss of sleep. Uhula ganu hekiveda oba unusuma How am I to cherish your warmth These two bars extracted from one of his lyric transmits in delicate words depict the grief and pain that could cause one who is to suffer in solitude being deprived of the intimacy of one's lover. Lyrical inventions Wasantha had been inspired by folklore as well to enrich his lyrical inventions. He laments over the malign effect of adverse social transformation. His lyrical vision endowed by folklore and folk idiom bring this social realism to light. Veralu gediya hari atakata kapagena The veralu fruit sliced into eight portions Thus he cites the example of a folklore to show how the people then lived in harmony sharing whatever they get. His vision of life is influenced by a realistic approach to events which are beyond one's sphere of control. Ignominy Below is how a mother laments over the unexpected ignominy which the son had brought to her dashing all her dreams about a fruitful future for her son. Dasa masa ditimi sihinaya ma oba labana For ten long months dream of your descent Wasantha has got the versatility to move smoothly from the plane of love to rural environment of virgin beauty. Similarly, he is objective and sees things as they are (yathabhutha) as one who is well disciplined in the Dhamma. He writes - Ethide ethi setiyen dakina minissu Those who see things as they are He bemoans the gradual decline in the number of those in the genre of people who are an asset to the community. On the other hand, the fluctuating life patterns have driven women away from home forcing them to seek employment away, which finally ends up with them being sexually and emotionally exploited. Pahasa soya nova ahara soya giya It was a journey not seeking pleasure Unique Among the brilliant peerless vocalists who breathed life and soul into his lyrics with their euphonic voices are Amaradeva, Nanda Malinie, Sunil Edirisinghe, Edward Jayakody, Victor Ratnayake, Gunadasa Kapuge and Malainie Bulathsinghala. Rendition of these singers who excel in our local music scene are unique and were able to internalise the feelings and vision of his lyrical inventions more absorbing and melodious and fill them with emotions. Among his melody-makers who figure prominently are such greats as Rohana Weerasinghe, Amaradeva, Victor Ratnayake and Nawarathne Gamage who have composed delectable music for his lyrics. Their contribution has elevated the taste of music-lovers and enhanced the impact they aroused in the listeners. Wasantha hardly wrote for mere popularity. With his art songs dominating the spectrum of his works, he stands out as a sedate profound lyric writer in the Sinhala music scene. Main inspiration for his work flowed from the rural culture and the sentiments of love providing vitality to the lyrical inventions. Sometimes, he had effectively used rhyming to heighten the effect of combined verbal lines which had never risked the meaning to exalt the rhyming. The simple words whether short or long, in syntax and imagery spawned an abundance of meaning with apt rendition and fitting orchestral accompaniment which carried the song to a stirring height. He had the discipline of a poet, the flexibility of a linguist and the precision of a musician all of which held together by a clear vision which made his lyrical bars to come emotionally and intellectually alive in the vocal chords of the singer and the appreciation of the listener. |
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