H. M. Jayawardena

Herath Muidiyanselage Jayawardena (17 March 1950 – 18 April 2019: Sinhala: එච්. එම්. ජයවර්ධන), popularly as H. M. Jayawardena, was a Sri Lankan flutist, musician and composer.[1] One of the most respected musicians in Sri Lanka, Jayawardena started his musical career as a flurist and later became a popular music director and composer.[2]

H. M. Jayawardena
එච්. එම්. ජයවර්ධන
Born
Herath Muidiyanselage Jayawardena

(1950-03-17)17 March 1950
Monaragala, Sri Lanka
Died18 April 2019(2019-04-18) (aged 69)
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Resting placeKanatte Cemetery
NationalitySri Lankan
EducationPassara Maha Vidyalaya
OccupationComposer, musician
Spouse(s)Malani Bulathsinhala (m. 1978)
Children2 including Kasun Kalhara
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentsVocals, flute
Years active1959–2015
Labels
  • HMV
  • Torana

Personal life

Jayawardena was born on 17 March 1950[N 1] in the village Siyambalanduwa, Monaragala, Sri Lanka as the eldest of the family.[3] His father H. M. Wijayasundara was a farmer and his mother D.M. Ranmenika was a housewife. He received his primary education at Siyambalanduwa School. After passing the grade 5 scholarship examination, he entered Passara Maha Vidyalaya for secondary education.[4]

He was married to fellow musician and songstress Malani Bulathsinhala[5] and the wedding was celebrated on 30 December 1978,[6] and was the father of popular musician Kasun Kalhara.[7] His only daughter, Nirmani Chaya died in 1991 at the age of three due to dengue fever.[8][9] Malani was in the United States to perform a concert when she was found dead in the bathroom at the residence of the Sri Lanka consul Tissa Wijeratne on 29 March 2001 at the age of 51.[10] It is believed that her death was caused by anaphylaxis brought on by an allergic reaction to hair dye.[11]

Jayawardena died on 18 April 2019 at the age of 69, while receiving treatments for prolonged kidney failure at Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila.[1] His body was laid at the Jayaratna Respect Reneral Home in Borella and the last rites were performed at the Kanatte Cemetery on Wednesday at 3 pm.[3][12][13]

Career

Jayawardena's ambition to be a musician started at an early age where he learned music under P.A. Subasinghe, who became his mentor. After failing his senior exam in Passara, Jayawardena returned to his village and had to live a very difficult life. He farmed chenas and worked for hire. Then he began to play flute which proved to be the turning point in his musical career. In mid 1960s, Jayawardena applied for a vacancy for a flutist in the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), but failed the test because he could not read the chord charts.[4]

Subsequently, Jayawardena met the Member of Parliament Somapala Seneviratne, who was a close friend and gave Jayawardena the opportunity to stay with him in Shravasthiya instead of returning to Siyambalandu. After recognizing his talent as a flutist, a letter was signed and prepared by 10 MPs which was later handed over to Somadasa Elvitigala, the then head of the music division of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. Unfortunately, Elvitigala threw away the letter signed by the MPs and Jayawardena lost his place again. Then he met maestro W.D. Amaradeva and got the opportunity to learn music and chords. The next day he met Vasantha Obeysekera, the teacher who taught him history at Passara Maha Vidyalaya, before coming on the radio and obtaining a letter. This time, his Elvitigala received his application.[4]

Jayawardena started his musical career as a freelance flutist at SLBC. He was also the flutist in stage plays such as Devlowa Yanakam and Neth Anda Bisaw which were created at that time.[4] His first musical composition was the song Oba Ha Mema sung by T. M. Jayaratne. After the success of the song, Jayawardena composed the song Siyak Aayu Leba to Jayaratne. In 1981, he made his cinema debut composing the soundtrack to the blockbuster Aradhana along with Rohana Weerasinghe.[14] The music of the film received critical acclaim and later won the 1982 Sarasaviya Award for the Best Music Director for the song Sinawakin Puthuige Muwe.[15] In 1985, Jayawardena won the Presidential Award, but refused it, stating that the award should go the fellow musician Premasiri Khemadasa.[3] He said that the music of Khemadasa's Thunweni Yamaya was better than the music of his film Muhudu Lihini.[16]

As a prolific composer, Jayawardena rendered his versatile knowledge to make several popular hits across many genres and for artists including,[17] Sanda Tharu Nihadai by W.D. Amaradeva, Raththaran Neth Dekin, Me Punchi Rate by Jayaratne, Obayi Ramya Sanda Kirana by Nanda Malini, Eya Yanna Giya Makila, Eka Yayaka Mal by Sanath Nandasiri,[18] Miniseku Pita Nagi, Sayurak Nodu Gangulak, Nube Sithata Punsada by Sunil Edirisinghe, Mala Giraviye by Karunarathna Divulgane, Pancha Kalyaniye by Krishantha Erandaka, Eya Yanna Giya by Amarasiri Peiris, Balikaviyan Thaksala Doren, Kirula Muthu Lihin by Janaka Wickramasinghe and Eka Yaye Kaka Wati by Sunil Edirisinghe and Edward Jayakody, Bana Kiyana Ratak by Jayakody.[3][19][20]

Jayawardena also composed some popular songs for his wife Malani, beginning with the solo hit Raja Maduraka Ipadee Sitiyana and continuing with the hits Sanda Ahasa Wage,Himi Sanaramara, Premaye Vil There, Ahasin Tharuwak, Punpoda Sanda, Ma Ekkala Amanapa and Obata Ma Adaraya Kala Bawa. Jayawardena would later be involved in the films Kala Mal, Muhudu Lihini and Mangala Thagga as the composer.[4] Apart from cinema, Jayawardena also worked on the television series: Maheshika and Eka Mawakage Daruwo.[3]

In November 2015, Jayawardena was awarded at Nelum Pokuna in the program Miyasi Theerthaya along with the musician Thissasiri Perera.[21] On 2 February 2018, another felicitation ceremony HM Harasara was held at Maharagama Youth Council.[22]

Filmography
YearFilmRolesRef.
1981AradhanaComposer
1982Kala MalComposer
1983Muhudu LihiniComposer
1983SumithuroFlutist
1984Mala GirawFlutist
1987Mangala TheggaComposer
1998VimukthiComposer
2003Vishma RathriyaComposer
2006Dharma PuthraComposer

References
  1. "Veteran musician H. M. Jayawardena passes away". Ada Derana. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  2. "The veteran musician is no more". lankahelp. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  3. "Composer H.M Jayawardena passes away". Daily News. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  4. "He's gone". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  5. "Accolades for veterans".
  6. "Talk with H. M. Jayawardena". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  7. "A son's musical memories". The Nation. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  8. "On the occasion of the 19th Commemoration of Veteran Singer Malani Bulathsinhala". Divaina. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  9. "Veteran musician H.M. Jayawardena bids farewell". Lankadeepa. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  10. "Remembering Malini Bulathsinhala". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  11. Fernando, Ravindra. "Death of a doctor at cosmetic surgery clinic: What is Anaphylaxis?". Press Reader. Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  12. "Funeral of H.M Jayawardena today". Daily News. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  13. "Final rites of H.M Jayawardena". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  14. "It is a strange pleasure to have the first award, the Sarasavi Award – Musician H. M. Jayawardena". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  15. ""Rohana Sathsara": goes to Sydney Opera House". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  16. "The departure of musician HM Jayawardena: "An unfillable vacuum"". BBC. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  17. "As a songwriter. H. M. Jayawardena is rich". Dinamina. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  18. "You are the rays of the moon". Divaina. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  19. "H.M Jayawardena passes away". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  20. "Veteran musician HM Jayawardena passes away". The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  21. "Accolades for veterans". Daily News. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  22. "Memories of the sweetest songs of a heartfelt musician". Ada. Retrieved 18 December 2020.

Notes
  1. according to his birth certificate he was born on 10 March 1950; but according to Jayawardena, his father had told him that he was actually born on 17 March 1950 and "March 10" was due to a registration error
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