This blog (created in March 2011 by Lucky) is about new entrants to the Colombo Medical Faculty of the University of Ceylon (as it was then known) in June 1962. There were a total of 166 in the batch (included 11 from Peradeniya). Please address all communications to: colmedgrads1962@gmail.com. Header image: Courtesy Prof. Rohan Jayasekara, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo (2011 - 2014). Please use the search bar using a keyword to access what interests you
Wishing all our friends, colleagues and spouses a very happy
Christmas
I hope you enjoy this presentation as much as I did producing it. The powerful lyrics are by my good friend Rasieka Jayatunga, and the music was composed, sung and played on my Yamaha Genos by me. I produced the music and video.
Mahendra Gonsalkorale
December 2024.
Mahen
ReplyDeleteThank you for that lovely piece of choral music. It certainly sounded like a choir singing in 4 part harmony. The song has a Christmassy feel of peace and goodwill to all.
Christmas and Carols bring back many memories of school, the church and family growing up in Sri Lanka. At school it was the Nine Lesson and Carols sung by the school choir. The family gathered in our ancestral home in Kegalle.
It is indeed a time of great joy to give and to receive.
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year
Thank you Speedy. Beautiful meaningful words, melodious singing you harmonising with yourself while also providing the accompaniment. It's a treat ! Captures the true meaning of Christmas.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless you !Suri
Thank you Nihal and Suri for your appreciation. I really enjoyed the challenge and was very happy when Rasieka was delighted with it.
ReplyDeleteMahen, this is beautiful, touching and heartbreaking. (I'm finally able to access the internet and listen to the lyrics and music without being disturbed - I'm in Hamburg now.) You rose to the challenge, by harmonizing with your own voice well. Although I don't think you have spent much time in churches (I could be wrong) this was reminiscent of some of the chanting one hears in the Roman Catholic and Anglican (high) churches. In addition to your singing I'm very impressed with your ability in music production! And Rasieka has expressed the emotions that many of us are feeling right now, when we see and hear of the widespread turmoil, killings of innocents, and even workers who are trying to help in war torn areas. Let's pray for Peace and Sanity in the world. Thank you for posting this on the blog.
ReplyDeleteSrianee, thanks for taking the time to comment in spite of your busy schedule. I am glad you like our effort and I shall pass on your comments to Rasieka. All the best
DeleteRasieka and Mahen , Thank you for this sombre composition with a poignant message. I appreciate your efforts in coordinating it all.
ReplyDeleteI wish all readers a very happy Christmas and a blessed New Year.🎄
Swyrie
ReplyDeleteWell done Speedy. So soothing to listen to
Dhushy Vedavanam
ReplyDeleteOh what a beautiful creation Mahendra. Lyrics so moving and your wonderful singing. I could listen it over and over again. You uplift us all.
Best Wishes
Dhushy
PADMA AND DYD
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Congratulations Rasieka and Mahendra. Happy Christmas and a healthy , peaceful 2025 to all RRRAC friends. Padma and DYD.
ROSHAN PERERA
ReplyDeleteNice work M! Love the tune- really compliments Rasie’s words. Great production altogethe
JILL LIVINGSTONE
ReplyDeleteThat’s lovely, Mahendra and your own composition, too! I love the sound of a church organ - something I was brought up listening too with an organist grandfather.
SHANTA GUNASEKERA
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this beautiful Christmas carol. Guess you did the melody and playing for Rasieka 's excellent lyrics Calming music! Soothing voice!The gentle flowing of the song evokes a peaceful emotional response. Just another one of a kind addition during this festive season
Mahen
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the singing,lyrics and the organ music.An appropriate and strong message, particularly for this time of the year. Brought back memories of the organ music and the choir at STC Mount Lavinia.
So pleased that this video was received well. Most commented on the lyrics, singing and the melody but I would love to know what viewers thought about the visuals. Were they relevant and suitable? Did they add to the message and meaning of the video production? Thank you
ReplyDeleteMahen, since you asked, I watched the video again. The first time, what impressed me were the rolling lyrics and the music - your singing as well as the organ music, which as Nihal, Bora and others have commented, brought. back memories of church services of days gone by. This time I paid more attention to the visuals which were definitely appropriate. The images of Jesus Christ, the turmoil in the world, the Nativity scene, the image of people joining in unity and the figure kneeling in prayer; they all added to the message. May this wish for Peace be realized.
DeleteThanks Srianee. I think we don't always appreciate how our minds work (and can lead to a lot of misunderstandings- not in this case I hastened to add!).
DeleteWhen people watch a YouTube video for example, some miss the title and credits completely, some just listen and don't watch it. Very few read the description at the bottom of the video farme (mine was "It started as poetry for our Christmas edition of RRARC (Read-Rite & Rhyme Collective) and eventually became a video song. We hope you like it. We acknowledge the use of some Royalty-Free photos from the Web" Some just watch the images or just the lyrics scrolling up, some only watch the begining!.
What we see and what we perecive could be so different not only among different people but in the same person depending on the prevailing circumstances.
Sorry to elaborate but I find this area most fascinating!
Finally, I am pleased you found the images relevant. I ask these questions not for self-gratification(as you well know!) but in my quest to improve and do better with honest feedback.
Thank you for enlightening me about RRARC. I didn't know what that was! Also, I know you like honest feedback.
DeleteMahendra
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your music and the video and also the lyrics. Appropriate for the time.
You are great ! Well done. What talent!
Wishing you all the best.
Chira
Thank you Chira. You are definitley a source of strength for the "keep the blog alive" movement!
Delete