Lylie’s legacy lives on
The neighbourhood has changed beyond recognition but there has been a ‘constant’ for 55 long years.
Powerful male voices rise in praise of God and thanksgiving for blessings, every Tuesday evening at 207, Allan Avenue, Karagampitiya, a stone’s throw from the Dehiwela Police Station.
Willie guiding the LG Singers. Pix by Indika Handuwala
Music, song, laughter and camaraderie, all in one, can be experienced in the home of Lylie Godridge.
Lylie is no more but his legacy lives on, while his wife, Irma, sits in the hall of their home and their sons continue the good work he started way back in 1962. It is the Lylie Godridge (LG) Singers at their weekly musical meeting, without losing a single beat of a Tuesday.
“Look at the paper, figure it out in your head, listen to when the other parts come in,” says Willie, his eldest son, seated on a revolving chair, waving a sheaf of music around, under the benevolent gaze of a black-and-white painting of Lylie, as we walk in on a rainy evening, while brother Christopher occupies a seat close-by.
Willie has guided the choir, with the members ranging in age from 22 to 84 years, from varied professions such as teaching and computing to marketing, banking and even social service, since his father’s death in 1998.
The “secret” of the “continuing” success of the LG Singers is that we keep on doing what we love most — singing, says Willie, as the others vigorously nod in agreement.
And the beauty of their singing is that they will not waver from the “straight and narrow” pathway which Lylie himself trod like a colossus but oh so gently and with humility, never-ever singing for money.
It is while the practices are on that we are introduced to the ‘elder musician’ of the choir, Uncle Paul, with whom we retire into a corner of the house for a chat, with the singing in the background.
The “oldest” living member of the LG Singers, Paul Herat Bibile turned 84 on February 15. He had joined Lylie, long before the advent of the LG Singers, when he was a fresh-faced teen and the music guru formed the choir of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) based in the Fort.
The YMCA’s 42-voice Choir with a whole lot of boys gained much recognition due to being linked with the name of Lylie who was its conductor, recalls silver-haired Uncle Paul, going down memory lane with a tinge of nostalgia. He pauses awhile as if he still hears the echoes of Lylie’s powerful voice, which could hit not only the down notes but also the up notes, a rare feat for a bass baritone.
The memories of Lylie are poignant even now……….Uncle Paul talks of a humble person who could move with influential people and also easily come down to the level of a child. “Lylie loved all children and was at his best when he was training them, instilling in them too his love of music.”
Music maestro Lylie conducting the choir (in 1962) -- A photo from the family album
When Lylie left the YMCA having performed his duties almost single-handedly, he had written personal letters to a chosen few inviting them to join him in the formation of the LG Quartet and the LG Singers, a 16-voice unaccompanied choir, which blossomed forth from his home off Allan Avenue on May 15, 1962.
Lylie’s vision was simple: There would be no affiliations to anyone except God and they would serve through song.
“We started in this very room,” says Uncle Paul, waving his hand around. They would sit on stools in a ring with Lylie in the centre.
Right throughout it was acapella and it was Lylie’s pitch pipe, now in the possession of Willie, which would give the chord for each and every member to take their cue of the note– tenors or basses, a common combination to bring about the haunting quality of hymns.
They sang and still sing not only Lylie’s own arrangements but also a repertoire of Christian hymns and Negro spirituals as well as classical music that he loved. These range from sacred to secular choral music arranged for four-male voices including spirituals, hymns, carols, psalms and anthems, barbershop songs, plantation songs, folk songs, children’s songs and humorous songs.
Lylie loved harmony, asserts Uncle Paul. His love of music and song was also not restricted to Colombo. He would journey far and wide with his guitar, teaching children in the rural areas, starting with the simplest such as kindergarten songs and slowly moving higher. “The teachers would flock around Lylie,” laughs Uncle Paul.
Lylie would also take the LG Singers around the country to far off places, Matara, Batticaloa, Jaffna and Nuwara Eliya when invited by schools and churches to come perform.
Uncle Paul: Recollecting fond memories
He never charged a fee but sang for causes such as raising funds for a church to buy an organ, says Uncle Paul, recalling a “remarkable incident” when he conducted a 2,000-voice choir of schoolchildren at the Sugathadasa Stadium.
Just by talking to several people, he had got sponsorships to feed the 2,000, with each child getting a bun and a glass of milk.
Soon after, Lylie had got a call from the then Cultural Affairs Minister congratulating him on the success of this performance and seeking to find out what his “budget” had been for it, only to be told by Lylie that there was no budget.
Lylie’s beginnings were humble, says Uncle Paul and it is through news clippings that we piece together his life.
Not to riches was he born on March 4, 1928 but to a family headed by a musician, which was living in Kotahena. There was a saving grace, however, which would lift Lylie from obscurity brought about by lack of money.
It was his gift of singing, which he firmly believed was God-given, and brought in its wake free education at the Cathedral School in exchange for which he sang at all the services of the Cathedral Church.
Recognition came at a very young age, when the then Governor of Ceylon, Sir Andrew Caldecott requested that Lylie, the boy soprano, should sing a solo at his daughter’s wedding service.
There was no turning back thereafter. Later his wonderful stage presence would not only help him to remain popular but also get any audience to sing songs in ‘rounds’, with different sections singing different parts.
Willie talks of his father’s music as well as his treasure trove of records and music books all preserved in this very home, while the choir members say in unison that they have “blocked” out Tuesday to “come here and sing”.
It is a stress-reliever, says one, while another adds that it is a fantastic relaxant. Nearly two hours away from the rat race of life, just being part of enthralling music.
“We are not a commercial outfit,” says Christopher, adding we just sing for fun.
| ‘Join our group’ “Come, join us,” is a plea going out from the LG Singers who are looking for more members to continue music maestro Lylie Godridge’s legacy. Singing only for causes and certainly not for money, this acapella group is seeking like-minded people. The LG Singers are planning to go before the public in August-September to raise funds for their favourite charity, the Colombo Centre for Special Education. Those who wish to be part of this one-of-a-kind group, may e-mail Willie at: weeper11@gmail.com | |