Remember
This week we observe Memorial Day and honor those who have died in the nation’s wars. These fallen have given all to preserve our way of life. Those of whom can be said, “Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue”. This Uncommon Valor has afforded the rest of us the privilege of playing the music we love in relative safety and security. Please remember them with gratitude as you play and practice this week.
I’m teaching my students the music of the Civil War these few weeks: most have NEVER heard the tunes that were pretty common for our generation even before the Ken Burns series brought them back. I’m showing them a glimpse of one time (of so many eras) when people wrote and sung their convictions in songs like “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Dixie,” “The Battle Cry of Freedom,” and ”When Johnny Comes Marching Home” (I’m afraid that all they heard in THAT one was ‘ants go marching…’ but at least they recognized it.). ;-). I’m playing instrumentals while they work on their projects, nothing like repetition to plant memories for them to draw on for next Memorial Day.
Love that you’re teaching them these tunes and that there is music in your school! I’m not surprised that your student’s haven’t heard them – there is so much music in the world that it is challenging to get around to all of it (and this genre doesn’t seem to make it to the top of the list any more). I bet you’ll hear some spontaneous eruptions next year!
my dad served in WWII- paratrooper. jumped out of perfectly good airplanes!
young men do crazy stuff…
i know Korea and ‘Nam vets… several of my high school friends went to ‘Nam. most returned.
Thanks for sharing that, especially for those who don’t know anyone who served can see that they are not that far removed from them. And we can celebrate in November for Veteran’s Day!