Remembrance Day Playlist

[Petrushka]

It turned out to be Bruckner's Mass in D minor - the Dona nobis pacem ending very appropriate.

I avoided the "official" parades (something about "officialdom" preening themselves on these occasions rather distracts me from the proper thoughts and feelings I would prefer to have) but went up to the village War Memorial at 2:00. The local dignitaries had spent no expense on getting the cheapest, plastic Poppy wreathes, which, three hours after the ceremony, had blown down and scattered around the foot of the Memorial. I gathered them up and laid them flat at the base, so that there would be less chance that they'd get blown away again.

Last year, in the Village Hall, there'd been an exhibition of letters and artefacts from the young men who enlisted and their families - so many teenagers and lads in their early twenties; so many women widowed at an age when I was still at University; so many kids growing up never remembering what their father looked like; it seems so criminally ungrateful that their memorial day should be treated so perfunctorily.

A fascinating (and huge) book has been published locally detailing the lives of every single one of those who fell in the First World War from our town. 15 men, whose names are on our war memorial, died on one day alone in the Battle of Loos (Oct 13 1915) which must have made a huge impact on a town then relatively small.

Our local war memorial has hooks on which the wreathes (plastic poppies it is true, but they stand the elements well) are placed and will still be there a year hence.

Not sorted out my playlist yet.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes - the poppies being plastic doesn't cause any problems; it's the flimsy (and hookless) plastic wreathes that need weighing down.

[ahinton]

It turned out to be Bruckner's Mass in D minor - the Dona nobis pacem ending very appropriate.

I avoided the "official" parades (something about "officialdom" preening themselves on these occasions rather distracts me from the proper thoughts and feelings I would prefer to have) but went up to the village War Memorial at 2:00. The local dignitaries had spent no expense on getting the cheapest, plastic Poppy wreathes, which, three hours after the ceremony, had blown down and scattered around the foot of the Memorial. I gathered them up and laid them flat at the base, so that there would be less chance that they'd get blown away again.

Last year, in the Village Hall, there'd been an exhibition of letters and artefacts from the young men who enlisted and their families - so many teenagers and lads in their early twenties; so many women widowed at an age when I was still at University; so many kids growing up never remembering what their father looked like; it seems so criminally ungrateful that their memorial day should be treated so perfunctorily.

Words fail me - in the best sense; I could not have written anything as moving and apposite as that - at least not in words...

[Pulcinella]

Perhaps I should be posting on Pedants' Paradise instead, but some goood ideas here to listen to on Remembrance Day itself, when, unlike those of you who are part of hard-working families who have to go out to work, I have only some volunteer work at a local school to do, so might find some listening time. Finzi's Requiem da camera might feature here.

Odd that, when I lived in Canada, 11 November was (and presumably still is) a national holiday: it ALWAYS used to snow for the first time too. Why did we move to a Sunday?

[gurnemanz]

Brahms Req about to start on R3:

My playlist today was not specific to the day but worked quite well. It was the music from the soundtrack of the odd but compelling film Lobster which we saw yesterday.

Beethoven: String Quartet in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1; II Adagio Affetuoso Ed Appasionato
Stravinsky: Three Movements for String Quartet, Third Movement
Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8, Op. 110 - IV. Largo

Poppy news: we now have a very big, quite stylish marble one here in Royal Wootton Bassett

[Pulcinella]

Poppy news: we now have a very big, quite stylish marble one here in Royal Wootton Bassett

Shock horror to some, perhaps (not to me!): it's white!

[Mary Chambers]

Shock horror to some, perhaps (not to me!): it's white!

I wonder if the significance of that has dawned on anyone there yet? How long before it's vandalised or objected to?

[subcontrabass]

Why did we move to a Sunday?

The two-minute silence was moved to a Sunday in 1939 to avoid interfering with wartime production. The rest of the ceremonies followed in 1945.

[Lat-Literal]

Hi Lat.

George Lloyd is an appropriate composer for remembrance day.

I'd suggest the 4th Symphony which is a reaction to his harrowing times on HMS Trinidad

http://www.exroyalmarinesbandsmen.net/lambert/trinidadI.htm

The quote about the returned scores from the BBC always makes me angry

I completely agree - and that is a very good article!

It turned out to be Bruckner's Mass in D minor - the Dona nobis pacem ending very appropriate.

I avoided the "official" parades (something about "officialdom" preening themselves on these occasions rather distracts me from the proper thoughts and feelings I would prefer to have) but went up to the village War Memorial at 2:00. The local dignitaries had spent no expense on getting the cheapest, plastic Poppy wreathes, which, three hours after the ceremony, had blown down and scattered around the foot of the Memorial. I gathered them up and laid them flat at the base, so that there would be less chance that they'd get blown away again.

Last year, in the Village Hall, there'd been an exhibition of letters and artefacts from the young men who enlisted and their families - so many teenagers and lads in their early twenties; so many women widowed at an age when I was still at University; so many kids growing up never remembering what their father looked like; it seems so criminally ungrateful that their memorial day should be treated so perfunctorily.

And those are very good comments too.

When a friend arrived this morning with a poppy in lapel, I admit to having had mixed feelings at not having bought one. There are a lot of elements to the day I can respect and support. First, the broadcasting of it by the BBC is always impressive and deeply moving. Secondly, not exactly the greatest enthusiast of the Royal Family, I do consider that Elizabeth has as an individual been diligent, committed in the long term and often extraordinary in her role. This, I believe, has contributed in several positive ways to a sense of national cohesion. Thirdly, I have quite a lot of time for the armed services. They have a job to do. The ones I met professionally were always competent and courteous. There were a couple who personally showed me especial kindness in a way that was rarely apparent in modern senior management. Such things counteracted questions about whether there was any "need" for WW1 and feelings that a bit more could have been done to address economic inequality between 1945 and 2000, whatever the advances.

What really shifted matters in my mind was Iraq and to a lesser extent Afghanistan and then Libya and more recently American approaches to Russia which, for better or worse, would sensibly be kept on side. It seems now for a long time to have been war, war and more war without any genuine regret. Also, inequality grew and was seen suddenly to be a part of a good thing - plus, of course, the personal fallout from cuts which were an attack on those of us who weren't to blame for crisis. So, yes, it is political and with a considerable emphasis on the role of officials. I am not sure that officialdom in the 21st Century has any true sense of alignment with ordinary individuals, the BBC, the armed services or even The Queen. It seems, ironically, to be the fly in the ointment when it comes to national cohesion and indeed respect for anyone or anything much at all.

[Tony Halstead]

I completely agree - and that is a very good article!


And those are very good comments too.

When a friend arrived this morning with a poppy in lapel, I admit to having had mixed feelings at not having bought one. There are a lot of elements to the day I can respect and support. First, the broadcasting of it by the BBC is always impressive and deeply moving. Secondly, not exactly the greatest enthusiast of the Royal Family, I do consider that Elizabeth has as an individual been diligent, committed in the long term and often extraordinary in her role. This, I believe, has contributed in several positive ways to a sense of national cohesion. Thirdly, I have quite a lot of time for the armed services. They have a job to do. The ones I met professionally were always competent and courteous. There were a couple who personally showed me especial kindness in a way that was rarely apparent in modern senior management. Such things counteracted questions about whether there was any "need" for WW1 and feelings that a bit more could have been done to address economic inequality between 1945 and 2000, whatever the advances.

What really shifted matters in my mind was Iraq and to a lesser extent Afghanistan and then Libya and more recently American approaches to Russia which, for better or worse, would sensibly be kept on side. It seems now for a long time to have been war, war and more war without any genuine regret. Also, inequality grew and was seen suddenly to be a part of a good thing - plus, of course, the personal fallout from cuts which were an attack on those of us who weren't to blame for crisis. So, yes, it is political and with a considerable emphasis on the role of officials. I am not sure that officialdom in the 21st Century has any true sense of alignment with ordinary individuals, the BBC, the armed services or even The Queen. It seems, ironically, to be the fly in the ointment when it comes to national cohesion and indeed respect for anyone or anything much at all.

Many thanks for a wonderful post, L-L!

[oddoneout]

I wonder why Mahler was put on after the Act of Remembrance this morning, instead of something more in keeping with the occasion?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I wonder why Mahler was put on after the Act of Remembrance this morning, instead of something more in keeping with the occasion?

Singularly successfully, I thought. (And the drum strokes which start the movement that was played was inspired by the funeral drums at a service for a fireman who had given his life saving others, so not entirely out of keeping for the occasion.)

[ahinton]

Singularly successfully, I thought. (And the drum strokes which start the movement that was played was inspired by the funeral drums at a service for a fireman who had given his life saving others, so not entirely out of keeping for the occasion.)

And with the Last Post nick from Mahler 2 I'd have thought the appropriateness even more marked, actually...

[Serial_Apologist]

When a friend arrived this morning with a poppy in lapel, I admit to having had mixed feelings at not having bought one.

That's OK - lots more people probably do than are prepared openly to admit it, Lat. I only get the thing because at least the Legion are doing something on behalf of squaddies where the state is failing disgracefully at taking care of them.

Such things counteracted questions about whether there was any "need" for WW1 and feelings that a bit more could have been done to address economic inequality between 1945 and 2000, whatever the advances.

What really shifted matters in my mind was Iraq and to a lesser extent Afghanistan and then Libya and more recently American approaches to Russia which, for better or worse, would sensibly be kept on side. It seems now for a long time to have been war, war and more war without any genuine regret. Also, inequality grew and was seen suddenly to be a part of a good thing - plus, of course, the personal fallout from cuts which were an attack on those of us who weren't to blame for crisis. So, yes, it is political and with a considerable emphasis on the role of officials. I am not sure that officialdom in the 21st Century has any true sense of alignment with ordinary individuals, the BBC, the armed services or even The Queen. It seems, ironically, to be the fly in the ointment when it comes to national cohesion and indeed respect for anyone or anything much at all.

By the time you came on the receiving end the problems had been long entrenched, however. Right now I'm re-watching the wonderful TV series of 1996 "Our Friends in the North", which I would recommend anyone to to help refresh memories of what had been going on in high places since the 1960s at least, giving the accurate picture of the ways in which it all unfolded and the corrupted structures and people, though fictionalised, involved.

[oddoneout]

Thank you both for explaining, it makes more sense now - my comment arose from puzzlement not anti-Mahler.