Amazing young musical versatility at the Wendt
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The big stage:The young performers before the audience. Pix by Priyanka Samaraweera
There was a fusion of joy and sorrow for the fortunate few lovers of classical music, who sacrificed holidaying away from Colombo, over the ‘long weekend’ to be entertained on Saturday, August 10, at the Lionel Wendt by an enterprising group of 17 dedicated young classical musicians. Sorrow, because the cosy Wendt was not patronised to capacity; especially so, because this creditable performance was presented by The Lionel Wendt Memorial Fund and as a conscientious body of young enterprising musicians had dedicated much time for serious practice.
This apart, there was the joy of listening to and witnessing an amazing display of musical versatility by the talented youth, who were brave enough to attempt the pinnacle of musical performance.While all 13 performances showed exceptional musical talent, although sometimes with an understandable display of stage nervousness, special mention has to be made of the outstanding exhibition of young musicianship on par with international professionals.
Soulful horn playing: Vidhurinda Samaraweera accompanied by Harith Shihan
Thankfully Samali Liyanage summarised the German theme of Liebesbotschaft, although not one of my favourite Schubert songs, her soft soprano voice delightful in delivery and clarity together with the matching collaboration of Johann Peiris at the Piano. Moszkowski’s popular Spanish Dances Nos. 1 and 4 for four hands were the ideal concert refresher, with accurate lively playing by both pianists Nimshi Wanniarachchi and Sashini Pandithasundera. Kuhlau’s Trio in G for Two Flutes and Piano was played by all three performers with exceptional clarity and precision. Tharish Lanerolle, Sahan Samarakoon and Genisha Dissanayake presented a dynamic well-rehearsed and enjoyable performance. Avishka Wikramanayake’s performance of his own exotic composition ‘Sea of Rainbows’ had overtones of the excellence of Debussy and Ravel with a few signs of excusable nervousness.
The selection of Schubert’s Ave Maria, sung with dedication to the Latin by Ravindu Sanjana, did not reflect the excellence of his baritone voice, however a great effort for the boy from Marawila. Semele’s well-known Where’er You Walk was sung with great intensity and clarity by soprano Sarisha Senanayake. Beethoven’s earliest Piano Trio was a delight to listen to, with all three performers Manoj Wijayawardana on Violin, Amasha Tissera on Cello and Johann Peiris on Piano, delivering the Allegro, with serious attention to detail.
Demintha Fonseka: Singing with great confidence
The second half of the concert commenced with Anagi Gunesekera’s and Tiyanie Sahabandu’s performance of Poulence’s spirited Piano Sonata, a musical treat in virtuosity played with precision to detail and much aplomb; surprising what small hands can achieve with astute practice, discipline and love for music, especially in the triple forte passages. In spite of occasional signs of stage nervousness, Vidhurinda Samaraweera deserved the rousing applause he received for his soulful Horn playing of the Nocturne Op 7 of Strauss with the equally matched sensitivity of the Piano collaboration of Harith Shihan.
It was extremely brave of Shashini Pandithasundera to attempt Liszt’s ‘daredevil’ virtuoso arrangement of Gounod’s stately waltz from Faust; while she brought out amazing spirited dynamics and skill on the Piano, stage nervousness was evident at times. Tenor Demintha Fonseka introduced the theme of Bellini’s Torna, vzzosa Fillide and sang with great confidence. Anagi Gunsekera’s performance of the challenging Rachmaninoff’s Polichinelle was outstanding in virtuosity and clarity.
The multi-talented Tyanie Sahabandu performing the 1st movement of Greig’s demanding Violin Sonata No 3 to near soulful perfection with Johann Peiris’s equally challenging collaboration on the Piano, was the ideal curtain closer.
Finally, a few sincere humble words from an octogenarian, who has gone through the early musical experience of youth. Most of you love your music and cherish your musicianship aiming at perfection in performance, but tackling intricate virtuosity needs hours and hours of arduous repetitive practice which most of you do not have time for because of countless other daily chores. Please carry on giving us the supreme joy of listening by seriously attempting compositions that give you time to express your souls, which all of you did to perfection in your slow movements but sometimes were unable to deliver in the quicker passages.
-Mano Chanmugam