By Richie Lasrado, Resident Editor, Mangalore
with pics by Praveen J A Tauro
Mangalore, Jan 1 (Sunday, 11-50 pm): It was a rare occasion of music, sentimental reminiscences and nostalgia at Kalaangann in Shaktinagar on Sunday, January 1 evening. Mandd Sobhann's monthly theatre ('Moinealli Manchi') featured 'P H Pinto-chi Yaad', dedicated to the memory of the prolific Konkani song-writer from Chikmagalur, whose musical career was cut short by his sudden death ten years ago.
The portrait of P H Pinto given a place of honour with a lamp
Blanche D'Cunha
Sunita Noronha and Blanche
Edith, Elvira, Elsie, Sunita, Blanche and Dion
Music director Roshan D'Souza and others
Although Pinto had managed to bring out just a handful of music albums, he had never compromised on quality. He even brought in a Goan violin wizard Emiliano Da Cruz to embellish the Mangalorean brand of Konkani music in his albums. The talents and voices of the celebrated Machado sisters - not to be mistaken for the earlier Machado sisters, daughters of the legendary Alfred Machado of Mangalore - were utilized by P H Pinto to the maximum.
Melvyn Peris, Babita and the Naach Sobhann troupe
Dion and Blanche
Edith, Zeena, Elsie and Blanche
Elsie and Blanche
The awe and attachment the sisters have had for the composer was proved with their performance. Blanche D'Cunha, one of the sisters who had a lion's share in the vocals in Pinto's musical albums, and her son Dion had flown in from their current domicile, Canada, to create an occasion for a large number of fans and admirers of both Pinto and the Chikmagalur sisters to assemble here in Mangalore to recall and relish P H Pinto's music. The sizeable attendance at the Kalaangann amphitheatre was a true tribute to the maestro.
Elsie, Melvin and Edith
Elsie, Edith, Prakash, Zeena and Babita
Edith, Elsie and Blanche
It was creditable for Blanche to have retained the quality of her haunting voice even after a gap of over a decade. The music sense of the sisters was standing out with their voices blending so well, besides the skill of modulation. Pinto's penchant for waltz numbers was also prominent during his heyday. It was properly represented by a couple of memorable creations of his. Interspersing of his strains with half-notes without giving any scope to jarring effect was his forte.
During their vocal performance, the crooning sisters Blanche, Elsie and Elvira were joined by their another sister Edith D'Souza of Angelore, and other voices from Mangalore - Melvin Peris, Prakash D'Souza, Zeena Almeida-Pereira and Babita, and also Sunita Noronha (Elvira's daughter from Bangalore) and Blanche's son Dion. It was a grand family reunion for the sisters, with also other sisters like Sr Emma joining them in the city. The late P H Pinto's wife Emmy and his sister were also present on the occasion.
'Chear Disanchi Jinni' by Blanche, Edith and Elsie, 'Iego Maria Mhojea Maria' by Prakash D'Souza, 'Dis Te Burgeaponnale' by Blanche, 'Chedde Chedde Nachtat' by Melvin Peris, 'Ieore Moga' by Blanche and Elsie, 'Girest Ani Dubllo' by Zeena with Edith, Elsie and Blanche, 'Kharvi' by Prakash and chorus, 'Johny' by Blanche, 'Jurament Kitle Dil'le' by Blanche and Dion, 'Hanv-go Tuka, Tum-go Mhaka' by Melvin and Babita, 'Iekre Asl'lim Amchi-re Kallzam' by Sunita Noronha and Elvira, 'Yajak Bapa' by Dion, Edith, Elvira, Blanche, Sunita and Elsie, 'Leena' by Prakash D'Souza, 'Mhojo Sundar Bharat Desh Ho' by Blanche and 'Dev Borem Korum' by Melvin Peris - each one of them stole the music-lovers' hearts. (Incidentally, the lyrics of 'Yajak Bapa' had been written by Denis D'Souza, the sisters' maternal uncle and younger brother of Msgr Alexander D'Souza. Denis was headmaster of St Philomena High School, Puttur for many years, and later vice principal of the Indian School in Abu Dhabi.)
Between the songs, Msgr Alexander D'Souza spoke about the quality of P H Pinto's lyrics and catchy tunes that he had created. Eric Ozario also paid rich tributes to Pinto and his melodies. On behalf of the sisters, Elvira spoke about the rich training and opportunities they got from the great composer.
Wilfred Mascarenhas and his team provided entertainment with skits in between the songs. The young Divya D'Souza made her debut as a compere at the musical evening and executed her assignment remarkably well.
Roshan D'Souza, the music director on lead guitar and keyboards, Anil on support keyboard, Sunil Kumar on violin, Derick D'Souza on bass guitar and Sachin on drums gave able accompaniment to ensure the success of the musical evening. Earlier, Mandd Sobhann president Louis J Pinto welcomed Emmy Pinto, wife of the late P H Pinto and Blanche D'Cunha with bouquets.
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