THE RENOWNED GOAN
MUSICIAN PETER RODRIGUES FROM CANDOLIM.
Seen above is Peter Rodrigues with his Saxophone
The village Candolim
was known to produce some of the finest musicians in Goa, they learnt this
skill of playing music from the Parochial (Church) school starting from the Church Choir Master Agostinho D’Souza who was the Professor of my father,
Alexinho de Candolim, Dioginho Vaz, Gonsales Bostiao and many more of that era. In one of his songs in praise of his
Professor Agostinho D’Souza, his renowned student Alexinho de Candolim sings
thus:
Konnuch volkonastana
aschenant bhavani hangasor
Agostinho de Souza
Candolim igorjecho Professor
Mistirpon tanne
choloilem vorsam Cheallis bhor
Bharkaen tachem jivit
ami niallun pollet tor
Bharikuch aslo khoro
pun xinkop tachem chodd vhodd
Tachea hathan kitle xinkon
zalet Band Mastor
Kantorist sadoitat
Stage ani Igorzanche Kor
Derrepent melo babddo
Saiba Sorg taka favo khor.
That was the great
eulogy the great Tiatrist Alexinho de Candolim made of his Teacher. The words
are so measured and so appropriate that I, doubt any other Tiatrist could
compose such a beautiful song. That was the greatness of Alexinho de Candolim
on whom the great educationist of Goa and also the great Principal of St.
Joseph’s High School Arpora, Fr. Philiph Neri Mendonca passed a remark thus:
“Oh my goodness ! What Alexinho de Candolim !!
If this man had a little more educational background he would be a
genius”.
Peter is seen above playing his Saxophone
Overwhelming majority
of Candolim Musicians were the products of local Parochial School which was
closed somewhere in mid Sixties and thus came the end of producing Solfist
Musicians from Candolim Church School and thus losing the earlier beauty and
grandeur the Church Choir had under the Choir Masters. Now there is no Church Mestiri to teach how
to sing in the Church nor to teach Solfas thus among Candoikars producing NO
SOLFIST MUSICIANS. Some of the beautiful
musical works of the Church recorded with Solfas are no more in existence now
for our current and future generations.
This is how the beautiful Motets are gone into extinction from our
Churches. I hope our Church authority at Altinho, Panjim will do something to
revive the old system in our local Churches. This should be done with the employment
of a Mistiri for every Church in Goa and
with the help of his knowledge of Solfas he will surely give a bright look for our
Church Choir. Money should not be a
problem, every Sunday every village Church is collecting so many thousands of
rupees from where a portion can be allocated as salary for the Mistiri.
The last topmost Solfist
Musician Trumpeter of Candolim was the late Andre Cursino a powerful member of
the “Merry Makers” Band while the late Maestro
Isidore the father of Tiatrist Young Menezes rattled Goa with his top
efficiency in playing music on Solfas. His favourite instrument was Doublebass.
Peter is seen at extreme left
However, in Candolim
now the lone top solfist musician who carry forward the tradition of Candoicars
as the best musician is none other than Peter Rodrigues from Pintos Vaddo, who by
being a member of Chris Perry’s troupe playing the important instrument
Saxophone for the Musical Show (Tiatro) “Nouro Mhozo Devchar” written, composed and directed by Chris Perry, created a strong impact of his musical prowess
when Chris Perry with Lorna and others staged the said Tiatro in Bombay and in
Goa in April, 1971. Our Candoicar musician was the strong member of Chris’
troupe playing with Chris the most important instrument Saxophone. However,
much before this Tiatro, Peter Rodrigues was already a member of Chris Perry’s
Band playing at various occasions at various places in Bombay.
Peter
Rodrigues learnt to play music at an early age under the guidance of his
musician father who was during those days one of the best musicians in
Bombay. Peter Rodrigues attained the
perfection in playing Violin at the age of 10 in Bombay where he developed his musical skill under his father
who took lot of care to train his son appropriately well. Some of the members
in the family of Peter Rodrigues were very good musicians including his father
the late Joaquim Luis Rodrigues who got great distinction of playing in the
Orchestra of Zubin Mehta and in Bollywood Films. Being a humble man, his father
never aspired for self glory and pompousness of his profession. Being a strict
disciplinarian, his father never touched the Drinks but unlike many in the profession
remained Teetotaler throughout his life.
Though music was his
first love yet Peter took it as a hobby and never survived on music to earn his daily
bread. This daily bread he earned thru
his permanent job elsewhere as a professional in Bombay. After a few years in Bombay he was recruited
to Bahrain and returned to Bombay in
1975 and till 1976 continued playing with various groups in Bombay. Later
he left Bombay on 20th Nov.
1976 with Chris’ Band for Jumairah Hotel, Dubai. He came to Goa for good in
1977. In Goa he never remained idle but
joined groups that played for Hotels –
Resorts – 5 Star Hotels including the Taj at Sinquerim and earned laurels for
him. In 2015 he started training the
youngsters in music with Solfas and thus he trained so many students who with
their knowledge of playing music with Solfas are happy. This knowledge of music with Solfas is like
the knowledge of international language which
can be used anywhere in the world.
Where Esperanto failed – the language of Solfas succeeded.
Having considerable
knowledge of three instruments, namely Saxophone – Violin – Organ he still maintains
the mastery over Saxophone which according to him fetched him monetarily as
well as social gains.
When questioned him,
why we Goans now mainly the Catholics and especially the Candoicars inspite of
having a great tradition of music are become orphans and so poor in this field,
replied he “because our current generation is not ready to take pains to do the
hard work and learn Solfas. The present music trend is not Solfas but
sequencing (including miming and noise).
Music without Solfas is like a man without eyes”.
A.Veronica Fernandes.
