New star
shines with ‘Kuda Devika’
Story and pix by Dunstan Wickremaratne
A super star was born in a remote
village called Talpe during the British era. This village
was in the outskirts of Unawatuna Galle which became
a tourist paradise in the latter stages.
Edmund Wickremasekara a young talented
boy started his musical career dating back to his school
days St. Aloysius' College Galle.
He launched his new CD Kuda Devika
last week at the BMICH.
At the launch of the CD ‘Kuda
Devika’, the guest of honour Kalasuri Arisen Ahubudhu
and his wife Sandha were received at the entrance with
betel by Edmund Wickremasekara along with Victor Ratnayake,
Professor Sunanda Mahendra, Asoka Malimage Secretary
to the Ministry of Indegenous Medicine, actor Palitha
Silva and the relatives.
All those who addressed the occasion
emphasized on the great values of music, lyrics, songs
and composing, and blamed some of the present musicians.
Lyric writers, vocalists and composers saying it is
bottomless, meaningless, songs entangled with rythemic
beats which rouse the feelings of the present day younger
generations, who participated in socials, social dancing
and public performances.
They blamed present day TV for disregarding
the great men the pioneers of Sri Lankan music who toiled
to put Sri Lankan music and culture on the world map.
The Story of "Kuda Devika"
"Kuda Devika" is only a
title given to the stero disc, sung by Edmund Wickremasekera.
The lyric writer of this song professor Sunanda Mahendra
got this idea of Kuda Devika when he was in London.
He saw a little girl gazing at the colourful flowers
shedded from a tree during an autum evening. The flowers
covered the entire area and the professor made use of
this to produce a title to the disc.
Edmund is the singer and producer
of the first Sinhala stereo record "Kuda Devika",
released in London in 1972 under the serenditione label.
Edmund had performed in a number of
ballets and Concerts among which were "Navayugaya"
in Sri Lanka and "Sinhala Sandesaya" a concert
presented by Professor Sunanda Mahendra for BBC, Bush
House in London. The Sri Lankans in London used to gather
together in a pub installed near Russels Square, in
the late night.
They were taken by surprise when a
foreigner walked in and dropped a coin into the juke
box and stood there and listened to his favourite "Kuda
Devika". The Broadcast on BBC had some how or other
slipped into the tracks of a C.D. and there to the pubs
in London. Where "Kuda Devika" became popular
in Britain.
Edmund Wickremasekar's granddaughter
Pumudu Vihara, sang this number to the audience when
an audio visual was shown in the wide screen.
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