Sustaining ageless classics
Ishara Jayawardane
|
Pradeep Wickramasinghe |
He walked into a small modest room. On the walls were old pictures of
Jesus and wooden crosses. He looked around the room and his eyes rested
on his albums. Old records. They were his old lovers. And a sense of
pride welled up in his heart. There were so many records, more than he
could estimate. He sat down and played a record on his old gramophone
and he summoned Jothipala into his room.
Old masters
He is Pradeep Wickramasinghe, and he belongs to a rare breed. He has
moved silently down through the years collecting priceless records
struggling to preserve the songs sung by the old masters. Pradeep has
virtually created a sanctuary for old records at his home located in
Nugegoda.
This man is a veritable encyclopaedia of old Sinhala songs. An
information bank of old records. He is an oasis of old songs in a world
where the old Sinhala songs are fast disappearing.
I have been collecting records for almost 21 years now. The songs
just aren't coming out any more.
|
Pradeep
Wickramasinghe |
| * Has been collecting
records for almost 21 years
* Possesses 10,000 songs
* Songs available in Hindi, Tamil and Sinhala
* Equipped with knowledge of cultural origins
of songs
* Doesn't make any profit
* Emphasises the need of a library to preserve |
These timeless songs just aren't available in the market any longer.
Right now I have a collection of 8,000 - 10,000 Hindi, Tamil and Sinhala
songs. I am technologically savvy so I can make repairs but I must add
that I am not making a single cent in profit, said Pradeep.
Preserving classics
|
Gramophone |
Pradeep is not the only collector of Sinhala records. There are
others, and one must concede that it is due to his type that these
ageless classical songs have survived.
It is unfortunate that students are unaware about these songs since
the teachers are young and themselves unaware of these songs or even the
mechanism of a gramophone, stated Pradeep.
Pradeep laments over the loss of these records and the danger of it
passing away from human memory. He stresses the need to create a library
somewhere in Colombo or Hambantota and convert the songs into CD and
preserve them for this generation and the generations to come.
If a place like Nelum Pokuna has been made, surely can't the same be
done for a library? There is no point in people like us making a fuss.
People like Lester James Peries should come forward, said Pradeep.
In addition to possessing old songs, Pradeep has an extraordinary
knowledge of cultural ties connected to the songs such as their origins.
Anyone interested on these records can contact Pradeep on 0711380656.
The collection is a lifetime investment for a music lover.
It was his money and the sweat of his brow. |
