Chamber Music Society to perform ‘The Dawn of Kandula’ and world premiere of ‘River of Shadows’
View(s):The orchestra of the Chamber Music Society of Colombo (CMSC) will present the world premiere of “River of Shadows”, Sri Lankan resident American composer Stephen Allen’s new work for the Chamber Music Society of Colombo at the Lionel Wendt on Thursday, June 15 at 7.30 p.m. A rhapsody for bassoon and string orchestra ‘The River of Shadows’ was conceived as a homage to the 121 Buddhist monks who were beheaded near Sitawaka by King Rajasinha I.
Sri Lankan concertgoers will also have the rare chance of listening to the 10th anniversary performance of a remarkable piece of music, The Dawn of Kandula for mixed orchestra, by Allen, written in 2007 for the Chamber Music Society of Colombo. The Chamber Music Society is led by Lakshman Joseph de Saram and sponsored by Fairway Holdings.
The Dawn of Kandula, re-creates an episode (Mhv.xxv.5-83) as described in the epic Mahavamsa. It stands out as one of the few works of serious music based on a historic fact of Lanka. Allen deserves accolades for his inspiration, indeed, a daunting task to translate a piece of prose into absolute music given the inherent constraints of two entirely different media.
The concert opens with the overture to Gluck’s ‘Iphigeneia in Aulis’, in a colourful orchestration by Richard Wagner. Next is Joseph Haydn’s groundbreaking Symphony no. 49 in F minor (La Passione). And finally – a special treat, Biber’s revolutionary Battaglia a 10 in D major in eight movements, dedicated to Bacchus, God of wine, vegetation and theatre, which uses many innovative musical techniques. It is thought to be a reflection on the Thirty Year War in Europe (1618-1648).
Tickets are available at the Lionel Wendt box office.