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| Monday, 17 January 2005 |
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Discerning pianism and artistic refinement
Sri Lankan pianist, Harsha Abeyaratne, who has a doctorate in classical music from Ball State University, Indiana and is currently an Assistant professor of Music at Muskingum College, Ohio, gave a magnificent solo recital at the Lionel Wendt on December 19, 2004. The program, which included some seminal works by 20th century composers, was delivered with such verve, finesse and intensity that it held the audience spellbound for almost 90 minutes. Harsha not only has a refined and disciplined technique but a superior artistic and intellectual temperament as well. Here is an artist who bears all the hallmarks of a virtuoso pianist: a remarkably sensitive and perceptive touch, a fluent control of tempo, rhythm and line, a commanding stage presence, and a soul bursting with musicality and creative flair. By beginning the program with Debussy's prelude - Des pas sur la neige - Harsha immediately created an aura of suspense and anticipation with his skilful timing and subtle phrasing. The audience was hooked from the word go. One could almost visualise the bleak, snowy landscape and hear the rhythmic sound of footsteps in those haunting, melancholic passages characteristic of Debussy. Then came the extravagant humour and buffoonery of the second prelude - General lavine - eccentric - with its popular dance suggestions, which he captured with eloquent and sparkling technique. The third prelude - Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest - portrays an impending storm though a series of discordant triads, trills and repeated notes, which he executed with consummate ease. However the image of a stormy background was not entirely captured in his distinctly personalised interpretation of this dense and emotionally complex piece. After the intermission, there were three more items. The first was scheubert's Sonata in a minor, DV 784, which was performed with such emotional clarity and technical finesse that it drew a huge applause from the audience. Harsha's masterful handling of its contrasting themes, dotted rhythms, and daring octaves revealed that he is indeed an artist with an inborn gift for discerning pianism. The second was Brahm's Intermezzo No. 4 in e major from Fantasien, Op. 116, which has a binary form and radiant texture. Strong and dramatic, this composition is immensely popular on account of its lyrical structure and dreamy, ethereal passages. Harsha's incandescent articulation of these passages was at times marked by a heroic degree of sensitivity. It was indeed tragic that a noisy fireworks display began while he was approaching the end. He was forced to stop and start again and did so with rare grace and aplomb. The second time was even better! He concluded the program with a powerful and brilliant exposition of Prokofiev's Toccata, Op. 11. Speed is the essence of this fiendishly meteoric piece with its clanging dissonances and percussive base. Harsha attacked the keyboard with panache and hammered out the Toccata in about four and a half minutes - a fine achievement by any standards. This was a glittering display of bravura combined with technical mastery - a fitting end to one of the best piano recitals seen in Colombo in recent years - S.J. ************** The Jazz Trio 'The Red Zone' from Germany
The Jazz trio consists of Frank Mobus (guitar), Rudi Mahall (bass-clarinet) and Oliver Bernd Steidle (drums). Date: Tuesday, January 25 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre at 7 p.m. Tickets available at the Lionel Wendt Theatre - Tel. 2695794 and Goethe Institut - Tel. 2694562, 4712636. All the proceeds will be donated to the Tsunami Relief Fund. Therefore, we kindly request participation. ************** 'Upanetha 2004'
Black and white and colour photographs by final year students Chamila Karunarathna, Asanga Gunarathna, Vajrasi Lokugalappaththi, Sujani Kumuduni, Kumari Thalpavila will be on display. The exhibition will be declared open by prominent film artiste Thissa Abeysekara and Vice Chancellor Prof. Thilakarathna Kapugamage at 10.00 a.m. on January 18. ************** Post tsunami menu at The Golden Mile The Golden Mile, the popular seafood restaurant by the seaside at Mt. Lavinia escaped miraculously the tsunami waves and is now functioning with a new menu. The chef at The Golden Mile has introduced a new menu leaving out seafood for the time being as guests are skeptic about seafood on account of the tsunami. However the hotel is offering its guests a special dish made of a choice of fish and prawns from their own private farm at Thoduwawa. Now that experts have declared that there is no reason for fear, The Golden Mile restaurant is doing its utmost once again to attract tourists to this popular beach restaurant at Mt. Lavinia, by offering a special menu at an attractive price. |
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Produced by Lake House |
The high quality Jazz-concert will be performed on January 25 at the
Lionel Wendt Theatre, by three of well-known Jazz musicians. The event is
organised by Goethe Institut, Colombo.
'Upanetha 2004', the annual photographic exhibition by Special Degree
Graduates in visual arts of the Kelaniya University will be held from
January 18 to 20 at the University sports auditorium from 9.00 a.m. to
5.00 p.m.
