A Tribute to Pandith Amaradeva

                       

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A fitting tribute to the Maestro

SUNDAY TIMES - PLUS - 11th January 1998

Filled with emotion Visharada Amaradeva sat at Sarasavipaya (the good old Elphinstone theatre) on New Year's Eve to hear the best in the land sing, paying tribute to the Great Master. The show titled Mindada Hee Sara ( Songs of Love) was organised by the Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) in recognition of Amaradeva's contribution towards the developments of Sinhala music.

When our foremost songstress Nanda Malini went down on her knees and paid her respects to the Master on her way to the stage, he was visibly moved.

He would not have expected Nanda Malini (who rarely appears on a public show) to go on singing so many numbers. She began with Rasai Kiri Ne Diyaru, Amaradeva's first rendering for the HMV label way back in 1940. The Mohamed Ghouse creation was sung by Nanda Malini with Edward Jayakody, a rare combination.

While many a well known singer joined to pay tribute, the evening turned out to be Nanda Malini's homage to the maestro. With Narada Disasekara she sang the award winning song in the first ever Sarasaviya Awards Galana Gagaki Jevithe from Ranmuthuduwa (1962), for which Amaradeva did the music score. (He won the Best Music award that year for Gamperaliya).

It was a rare treat for the audience to hear her sing Rattaran Duwe, Carlo Fonseka's creation which has become a hit in recent months, with Rohana Weerasinghe.

Another rare appearance was Nanda and Sanath Nandasiri. She sang many a popular number solo and was joined by Ananda Perera and the Siha Shakthi Group to sing yet another song with a difference - Nilambare Taru. The Group's rendering of a medley of Amaradeva songs to open the show saw Amaradeva quietly humming some of his old favourites.

When presenter Nalin Karunaratne invited Amaradeva to the stage, he wasn't quite sure whether he should really go up. Obviously he was not ready to sing. But it was for a presentation - a token of recognition from the SLRC. Then when the other singers gathered to sing Ratnadipa Janmabhumi, homage to the motherland by Mahagama Sekara, Amaradeva too joined in.

All in all, it was a fitting tribute to a man who had devoted many decades to improve our taste for good Sinhala music.

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