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I had an aunt called Raji who was a plump and jovial character. Wherever she was, laughter and high spirits abounded. She also sang and played the piano with great aplomb. One of the songs she played often was ‘Moonlight and Roses’. I stood near the piano and listened to her avidly. And she pinched my cheek and made faces at me as she breezily tinkled the piano keys and crooned, “Moonlight and roses bring wonderful memories of you/ My heart reposes with beautiful thoughts so true”.

Well, when the choir started singing ‘Moonlight and Roses’ I had goosebumps all over and tears in my eyes, for the song had brought back wonderful memories of my aunt Raji.

Then there was the song ‘Scarlet Ribbons’ very beautifully sung by Lydia Sugunaraj. I had heard this in the early 1950’s. It was still very moving. ‘Over the Rainbow’ was featured in the film, ‘The Wizard of Oz’. And the moment the choir started singing this song, I could visualize the young Judy Garland singing it with great earnestness – a good song from a memorable film. “Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue/ And the dreams that I dare to dream really come true”. “Somewhere over the rainbow blue birds fly/ If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, Oh why can’t I?”

‘You are my sunshine’ is another song that my aunt Raji used to sing. ‘Home on the Range’ used to be sung and whistled by my uncle Bhaskar, who was a great fan of cowboy films. I tried to imitate his baritone and his whistling technique much to the amusement of everyone in the house.

‘Blowing in the Wind’ is a soulful song written and popularized by Bob Dylan. I had used it in one of my plays I put for the Curtain Club. It was sung just before the final curtain. The singer was J.Rajasekhar. “How many times must a man look up/ Before he can see the sky?/ How many ears must one man have/ Before he can hear people cry?/ The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind,/ The answer is blowing in the wind”. The main singers of this stirring song were Jone Dorothy and Sanil Joseph.

The song ‘la Paloma’ brought back memories of a different kind. It was used in the old Gemini Studio films like ‘Mangamma Sabatham’(1946) and ‘Chandralekha’(1948). Vasundhara Devi(Vyjayanthimala’s mother) sang a version of this in the former film, and N.S.Krishnan another version in the latter.

One of the most appealing features in these choral concerts is the zestful conducting of the choir by Christopher Sherwood. He has a verve and panache that appeals immediately to the audience. And the choristers looked at him with adoration as they sang. His enthusiasm seemed to be contagious. And the members of the audience had a suppressed inclination to get up and match his movements in a dance. He is alo a gifted pianist and organist. And when he plays the piano it is difficult for one to keep one’s feet still.

In the recent concert he sang a few solo numbers too, including a Spanish verse of ‘la Paloma’. A few days before the concert Sherwood had an accident while riding his scooter, and had fractured his right forearm. So he had to manage with his left arm for conducting, and there was not a jot less of his enthusiasm.

Obviously music can keep one going.

(E-MAIL: JVASANTHAN@SANCHARNET .IN)

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