People and events
View(s):Chamber Music Society of Colombo to perform Mozart’s piano quartet
Soundarie David Rodrigo (piano), Lakshman Joseph de Saram (violin), Othman Hassan Majid (violin), Avanti Perera (viola) and Peter O’Reilly (cello) will be the principal performers when the Chamber Music Society of Colombo and the Goethe Institute present Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s piano quartet in G minor and Johann Christian Bach’s piano concerto (quartet version) in E flat major. The concert will be on Monday, September 30 at 7.30 p.m. at the Goethe Institute, Colombo 7.
The first, and more popular of the two piano quartets was in fact intended to be part of a set of three commissioned by the publisher Franz Anton Hoffmeister. The balance was cancelled by him on receipt of this quartet because it was “too difficult to perform by amateurs” (a recurring problem with Mozart), and therefore “unsellable”. However, Mozart did compose his second (K. 493) nine months later. Mozart dated this work as complete in his catalogue on October 16, 1785, and it is roughly contemporary to the vocal quartet “Dite almeno in che manchai”, K. 479. Brahms would write his First Piano Quartet, Op. 25 (1856-61), in the same key. Its influence on many Romantic composers’ contributions to the form, in terms of temperament, thematic dialogue, instrument balance and character is notable.
Johann Christian, the eleventh child of Johann Sebastian, was called the “English” Bach, due to the time he spent in London (1762-1782). He would later meet Mozart in Paris (1778), who had a few years earlier arranged sonatas (Op. 5 nos. 2 to 4) by him, as un-numbered concerti (K. 107, also 1770). In terms of keyboard style and orchestration, his musical influence can be heard in many of that younger master’s early works, as well as Wolfgang’s letters expressing “love and respect” for the man in letters to his father Leopold, dated 27 August 1778.
In this edition of the piano concerto (it is scored for piano, two violins and cello), the intricacy of the piano writing is heard to its advantage with this one-to-a-part approach. As one of the earliest works composed for a piano as a soloist with a string ensemble without a viola, it already hints at that indefinable “pianistic” style. The outer movements are grand with a sense of pre-classical dignity, as befitting its royal dedication, to Queen Charlotta, the consort of King George III. In contrast, the gentle meanderings of the Andante in the relative G minor point towards the ‘emotional school’ of the classical era.
The concert is presented in association with Rikskonsertene (Concerts Norway) and the Embassy of Norway with Fairway Holdings Ltd as the premier sponsor. Tickets are available at the Goethe Institute.
Sri Lanka-Pakistan Friendship Association re-launches website
The Sri Lanka Pakistan Friendship Association re-launches its website (www.slpfa.org) at 5 p.m. on Monday, September 30, at the High Commission premises. At the invitation of Ifthikhar Aziz, President of the Association, High Commissioner Qasim Qureshi will launch the website.
The website is extremely user friendly and interactive and is an additional tool to further promote friendship, cultural relations, bilateral trade, tourism between our two friendly countries and is also a reliable source of information for the peoples of Sri Lanka and Pakistan and others.
Needy women to receive intra-ocular lenses
Founder of the Pragna Pradeepa concept and Western Provincial Councillor Jayantha de Silva has arranged for the distribution of intra-ocular lenses to needy women of the Borella electorate. Here he is seen handing over the documentation to the women.
Maha Bodhi Society AGM
The 116th Annual General Meeting of the Maha Bodhi Society of India was held on September 7 and the following office bearers were elected for 2013 to 2016:
President: Prasanna Jayasuriya
Vice-Presidents: Ven. Akuratiye Nanda Nayaka Thera, Ven. Dr. Varasambodhi Thera, Ven. Dr. Bodagama Chandima Thera, Justice Arunabha Barua, Pasong Namgyal, Shri Hemendu Bikash Chowdhury, Rekha Talukdar, Shri Ugen Chencho Lama, Prof. P.G. Jyotikar, Dasho Passang Dorji and Dr. Bimalendu Mohanty
General Secretary: Ven. Dr. D. Rewatha Thera
Joint Secretaries: Ven. P. Seewalee Thera, Ven. E. Uparathana Thera
Treasurer: Shri Dipak Kumar Chowdhury
‘Eleven Decades’: Dinner-dance marks milestone year for HFC
Get you glamorous outfits ready and join the Past Pupils’ Association (PPA) of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya, at ‘Eleven Decades’, the dinner-dance to be held next Saturday (September 28) at the Hilton Colombo from 8.30 p.m. onwards.
‘Eleven Decades’ being organised to coincide with HFC reaching the milestone of 110 years, will feature the bands, Misty & Doctor, while the compere will be Clifford Richards. The proceeds of the dinner-dance will be for development projects of the school and PPA projects.
The print media sponsor of the event is the Sunday Times and the Daily Mirror of Wijeya Newspapers Ltd., while the electronic media sponsors are Hiru TV and Gold FM. The platinum sponsor is Nawaloka Constructions, the gold sponsor Star Garments, the silver sponsor Lalitha Jewellers and the bronze sponsors Browns – Exide, Shore to Shore, CIC Feeds (Pvt) Ltd., Victoria Group and Commercial Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Ltd.
Tickets priced at Rs. 8,000 per person are available with PPA Committee Members and at the school office (on Mondays & Thursdays). Please contact Valerie on 0777772206 for reservations.
Lecture on indigenous freshwater fish and their export trade
Samanatha Gunasekera will talk on ‘Indigenous freshwater species and their export trade’ when he delivers the 55th monthly lecture of the National Trust – Sri Lanka at the HNB Auditorium, 22nd Floor, HNB Towers, 479 T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10 at 6.30 p.m. on Thursday, September 26.
Day’s Killi Fish
Deputy Director of Customs attached to Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Division, Mr. Gunasekara has been with the Sri Lanka Department of Customs as a law enforcement oficer for over three decades. He is founder and Officer-in-Charge of the Biodiversity Protection Unit and Biodiversity Protection Task Force of Sri Lanka Customs, established in 1993.
According to published sources, a total of 113 scientifically described species of fish, belonging to 38 families occur in freshwater habitats of Sri Lanka. This presentation is based on Mr. Gunasekera’s post-graduate research at the University of Andalucia in Spain on the trade and export of indigenous freshwater fish. It is the first post graduate research in Sri Lanka related to the ornamental trade of indigenous fish. The data has been extracted from 5, 313 Customs Goods Declaration Forms (Customs 53) submitted to the Customs Department at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Sri Lanka by ornamental fish exporters between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2006.
The National Trust lectures are open to members and the public at a nominal fee. Further information can be obtained from the Trust Office at the Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology, 407, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. Tel 2682730.
‘Athi Vishesha Kiripiti: Poshana Vidyawada? Poshana Mithyawada?’ | Book launch
‘Athi Vishesha Kiripiti: Poshana Vidyawada? Poshana Mithyawada?’, a book by Dr. Palitha Saman Jayakody will be launched next Friday, September 27, at 2 p.m. at the Gampaha Municipal Council Auditorium.
The book is a publication of Suwadiwa Publishers.
Musical evening at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi
‘How Great Is Our God’ is a powerful experience of worship created by Steve Moore and David T. Clydesdale which reflects on, celebrates and affirms the eternal hope that Christians have in Jesus. This worship musical presentation, interspersed with congregational worship will be presented on Saturday, September 28 at 6 p.m. at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Mount Lavinia.
The choir of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi has for the last twelve years, presented many musicals for the glory of God and these have been held in different churches in Colombo and Kandy.
The musical includes familiar songs such as “Blessed Be Your Name,” “How Great Is Our God,” “How Great thou Art” and Christian contemporary hits such as “Through the Fire”, “Majesty” and “Who Am I”.
All are welcome- entrance is free.
Irrigation Department Ex-Officers AGM and get-together
The 11th Annual General Meeting and get-together of the Irrigation Department Ex-Officers Association will be held on Sunday, September 29 at Randiya Hotel, Koralawella, Moratuwa from 10 a.m. The award of a scholarship to a deserving child of a member of the irrigation fraternity who gains entry to an engineering faculty will also be made at this event.
‘Eleven Decades’: Dinner-dance marks milestone year for HFC
Get you glamorous outfits ready and join the Past Pupils’ Association (PPA) of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya, at ‘Eleven Decades’, the dinner-dance to be held next Saturday (September 28) at the Hilton Colombo from 8.30 p.m. onwards.
‘Eleven Decades’ being organised to coincide with HFC reaching the milestone of 110 years, will feature the bands, Misty & Doctor, while the compere will be Clifford Richards. The proceeds of the dinner-dance will be for development projects of the school and PPA projects.
The print media sponsor of the event is the Sunday Times and the Daily Mirror of Wijeya Newspapers Ltd., while the electronic media sponsors are Hiru TV and Gold FM. The platinum sponsor is Nawaloka Constructions, the gold sponsor Star Garments, the silver sponsor Lalitha Jewellers and the bronze sponsors Browns – Exide, Shore to Shore, CIC Feeds (Pvt) Ltd., Victoria Group and Commercial Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Ltd.
Tickets priced at Rs. 8,000 per person are available with PPA Committee Members and at the school office (on Mondays & Thursdays). Please contact Valerie on 0777772206 for reservations.
London Buddhist Vihara marks 149th birth anniversary of the Anagarika Dharmapala
Dr. Desmond Biddulph. Pix by Tissa Madawela courtesy Sri Express
The 149th birth anniversary of the Anagarika Dharmapala was commemorated at the London Buddhist Vihara which he established in 1926 as the first Theravada Buddhist temple in Europe. Dr. Desmond Biddulph, President of the British Buddhist Society, gave the Memorial Lecture titled, “The Dhamma Comes West”.
Amongst those present at the Lecture were the Ven. (Dr.) Bellanwila Wimalaratana, Chancellor of the Sri Jayawardhanapura University, Ven. Bogoda Seelawimala, Head Monk of the London Buddhist Vihara and Chief Sangha Nayake of the United Kingdom and a large gathering of monks and laity.
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