SRI LANKAN MUSIC:

TRADITION, CREATIVITY,
MODERNITY
By W.D. AMARAVEDA
2001 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for
Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
Presented at the 43rd Ramon Magsaysay Awards Lecture Series
28 August 2001, Manila, Philippines

According to well-known musicologists, there are only three Great

Traditions of music in world. They are Indian, European and Southeast
Asian, which comprises of China, Indonesia, Mongolia, Thailand, Korea
and the Gamalan music of Java Sumatra.
Geographically, the closest subcontinent of Sri Lanka, which is an island,
is India. We have inherited language and Buddhism from India. In
creating a national idiom of Sri Lankan music, I feel it is quite judicious
to assimilate the Indian Great Tradition. At the same time, through the
inflections of language, which I hope to explain in detail in the latter part
of my speech, we retain our identity and the indigenous idiom in our
music. Although Bengali music is also based on the Indian ragadhari
tradition, Rabindra Sangeet has its own distinctive idiom,
Our music is predominantly melodic as is many other Asian traditions.
We express our feelings through melody.
We have to assume in the word tradition, the idea of communication
from generation to generation.

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In all creative activities, I believe, the creative genius always thinks of the
presence of an ideal Rasika. There is no accurate word, equivalent to the
word Rasika. As I think, it means, in the case of music, the ideal listener
in the words of Professor Sarathchandra, Abhishta Rasika:
No doubt, an individual composer can create music for his own
enjoyment, but always an idea of one or more listeners is hidden
somewhere in his mind. In the activity of creation, therefore, we can see
an element of communication.
To prove this fact, I would like to quote Tolstoy- on the definition of Art:
Art is a human activity, having for its purpose, the transmission to
others of the highest and the best feelings to which man has risen.
Let me now quote Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore from his essay, Art
and Tradition:
The sign of the greatness in Great Genius is his enormous capacity
to borrow, very often without their knowing it. He has unlimited
credit in the world market of culture. It is the mediocre who is afraid
and ashamed of borrowing for he cannot pay them back in his own
coin.
Since music is basically a language of emotions, it has universal appeal.
Every human being, even at a minimal level, responds to music.
However, human emotions have been clearly associated with the spoken
language of a nation as well, as have been the musical sounds. I think the
most accurate word for sound is Nada, which we can see in the classical
texts of Indian music such as Sangeet Ratnakara of Sarangadev, or
Sangeet Makaranda or Sangeet Parijatha of well known Indian
musicologists. Furthermore it is sometimes referred to as Nada Brahma
(Supreme Sound). We can next infer, therefore, that the inflections of a
language are closely reflected in the music of that nation. This concept

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has nowhere been as precisely described as in the words of Joseph

Machlis, Associate Professor of Music, Queens College of the City of
New York. I quote :
The melodic line follows the natural inflections of the language. For
this reason, vocal music reflects the speech pattern of a nation and
is rooted in the native soil. It is this that makes Debussys vocal line
seem so French, Brahms, so German, Stephen Fosters, so
American.
I would like to add to this my own list of names: Pandith Ravi Shankar,
Sachin Dev Burman, Naushad Ali and Shalil Chaudary are so Indian.
Similarly, I quote respectfully the names of the late musicians, Ananda
Samarakoon and Sunil Shantha, pioneers of creative Sinhala music, as
being so Sri Lankan.
If I may quote from the well-known linguist, J.B. Dissanayakas book,
Sinhala: A Unique Indo-Aryan Language:
Sinhala is a unique language, spoken by the Sinhalese who
constitute 75% of the islands population. The language is called
Sinhala because the people who speak it are also called Sinhala.
The word Sinhala, borrowed from Sanskrit, the classical language
of India, reminds us of the myth of origin of the Sinhalese who claim
that they are descendants of a lion, a sinha. (p.2)
Professor J.B. Dissanayaka, analysing further the uniqueness of Sinhala,
says,
The geographical separation of Sinhala from the rest of the IndoAryan languages, by a strong belt of Dravidian languages; the
exposure of Sinhala to the influences of other language families in
South East Asia; and the influence of the languages of the original
inhabitants of the island before Aryanization, would have all

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contributed to the evolution of Sinhala as unique member of the

Indo-Aryan family. (p.29)

From here, I would like to come back to my own compositions. Needless

to say, whatever musical traditions that are prevalent in our country, will
be naturally linked with the language patterns of our people.
1. Ranvan Karal Salai
I made a special study of the folk music of Sri Lanka and with
these melodic patterns as the base, evolved my music
compositions. Some of these I utilized in a series of song programs
called Jana Gayana. These melodies are based on folk tradition ,
as the very name suggests. I devoted special care to free the folk
song pattern of its limitations. My aim was to arrive at song proper
by these means. As illustration of these experiments, I wish to play
the song Ranvan Karal Salai which is based on the melodic
structure of the folk song Thuranga Vannama, which was meant,
in its folk original, to portray the gallop of a horse. In developing
this basic melody, I have applied the improvisation techniques of
Indian Ragadhari music.
2. Irata Muwaven
The melodic structure of this song is based on the low country bali
kavi. I have tried to elaborate the melodic pattern of the folk song to
suit the modern composition. I took the best possible care to see that
the final product did not lose its indigenous identity. Nor is there in
this, I believe, any recognizable adherence to an Indian pattern.

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3.! Pile Padura

The melody of this song originated from another folk song which is
sung while harvesting in the paddy fields. Again I developed this
simple but beautiful melody pattern into a complete melody which
involves two octaves. In fact, without even my knowledge, the
influence of raga Thilak Kamod has crept into this melody.
4.! Bamareku Avai
I have based this song on a rhythmic pattern of ritualistic of the
southern part of Sri Lanka.
5.! Bindu Bindu Ran
6.! Sasara Vasana Thuru
I have drawn musical patterns from ancient Sri Lankan chants
known as prashasthi which were sung at royal courts in praise of
kings.
7.! Sannaliyane Sannaliyane
This is one instance where I have assimilated one enchanting raga
known as Charukeshi in a free and creative manner.
!Siripa Piyume
I have drawn inspiration from the chants which are sung by the
pilgrims who go to worship Adams peak. They are known as Thun
sarane kavi.
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