Amaradeva 83

On December 5, 1927 a legend called Amaradeva was born in Ceylon, a country still held in English clutches. It affected the country's music scene too. Ananda Samarakone established music unique to Sri Lanka, with Sunil Santha who followed him fusing Western and folk music for the first time. This was a period when hardly anyone bothered about Ceylonese original music.

Amaradeva belongs to the rare calibre of musicians who can express well. His sophisticated expression betrays his somewhat authoritative knowledge of literature as well as bilingualism. In both Sinhala and English Amaradeva would articulate his thoughts of intellect in a soft cadence. To see him perform with his unique music instrument now and then was familiar in such instances.

Professor Sarachchandra and the then Lankadeepa Editor D B Dhanapala, who distinguished Amaradeva's unsurpassable capacity, were instrumental in sponsoring him to further studies in India by setting up a fund. Amaradeva's baptism took place just before leaving for Bhatkande University, which turned out a touchstone in his life later on.

Ashokamala's music director Mohamed Ghouse Master recognized Amaradeva as the best violinist in his orchestra. Sri Lankan cinema's second talkie Ashokamala is not only Amaradeva's starting point as a cinema musician, but also as an actor. He is the most senior actor of this day, since none of the Kadavunu Poronduva (the first talkie) cast is alive today.

If Ananda Samarakone and Sunil Santha could set the platform for a new consciousness in local music, Amaradeva continued the process. His early music compositions were influenced largely by Ananda Samarakone. This influence was very much useful when Amaradeva joined the Radio Ceylon in the 1960s to moderate a number of innovative programs.

Amaradeva, however, was not confined to oriental forms. He tried his hands on Western harmonies and counter-harmonies and at times he fused it with oriental music forms. His voice has that powerful capacity to breathe life into poetry. Celebrated poems like Ma Mala Pasu and Sinidu Sudu Muthu flourish with life familiar in our realms, when Amaradeva sings in his exceptional voice. Poets such as Mahagama Sekara, Madawala S

Rathnayaka and Sri Chandraratne Manawasinghe could get the best of him.

Even at 82 - he turns 83 in two days - Amaradeva's thoughts are clear and precise. His voice still retains the same slow rhythm in its own weight.

- Sachi