A "Gramophone Concert" to commemorate World War I.
Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 4:36 am
As anticipated in a previous topic, I have been asked by the Mayor of Lauriano (Italy) if, by order of the Prefect of Turin, I could organize some events to commemorate the Warld War I centenary. Alas the budget was zero (as it is customary in Italy...) but, knowing that I am officer of an international organization (the Union of the European Historical Military Groups - http://www.uewhg.org), the Mayor hoped that I could come up with something in spite of that.
I tried to suggest, among other things, a "gramophone concert" evening to be held in the Town Hall, a proposal which has been immediately confirmed and also officially patronised by the Town of Lauriano as well as the UEHMG. The "gramophone concert" was named Il Suono Della Grande Guerra, in english the sound of the Great War, a name under which WWI is more often referred to in Europe, and was held the evening of May the 24th 2015, exactly 100 years after Italy went to war against Austro-hungary and Germany by crossing the river Piave.
I proposed a mixed program of period military and fanfare songs, interspersed with less aulic trench songs; in two themed sections, operatic arias sung by preminent period opera singers as well as a selection of typical popular songs of the time were played. I introduced all records with a short foreword in which the battles described in the lyrics or the lives and careers of the singers were recalled.
Although this was a small event in a small town, it has proven to be of resounding success, even receiving press coverage. Compliments and congratulations by those who attended the "concert" are still echoing around, and I have received iterated requests of repeating it (requests which I may indeed accept, perhaps performing it again in other nearby towns of the area).
I must admit that I was a bit skeptical at first, as I was afraid that many people would go back home after 4-5 records or after the coffee break. Fellows on this forum are accustomed to songs of that age and love them, but can a casual listener get in touch so rapidly with a music that is so old? Also, I could bet that - excepting my wife and few others - most people was afraid of assisting to a boring evening with one boring old song after another, played with a crackling, fluttery thin sound at a ridicolous volume, as in the worst TV-comedy clichés. So I decided to revert in my favour the "suprise-effect" of gramophones' sound quality, by purposedly opening with the National Anthem played at the loudest volume that the loudest gramophone could deliver, to make it instantly clear to everyone that a true gramophone is no joke.
Well, it worked: nobody left the hall until the very last record had been played! But perhaps the key was also in the historical forewords: although necessarily sized as quick sketches, they have been greatly appreciated, way more than I thought. The pleasure of being put - with quick informal introductions - in condition to actually understand the message of the song and the music, had the effect of letting the listeners feel in touch with those distant years and those soldiers. It ended up with ladies hugging me while weeping of commotion, and with bonebreaking pats on the shoulders and vise-like handshakes by gentlemen. Success!!! With no doubt the songs have been deeply "felt" and empathysed by the audience!
The evening has also been enriched by the presence of fellow reenactor Gianlorenzo Boano, who kindly accepted to display his WWI Italian officer's uniform replica to the audience.
I think that few words on the selected gramophones are expected here. I carried to the hall an HMV Senior Monarch to play the most emphatic operatic arias or fanfare songs, while a Decca "trench" was used for more humble (but more touchy, in many cases) trench choirs. Finally, a Columbia 112a Viva-Tonal was used to play later recordings of period songs, when a period recording was not available. However, to my surprise, the humble Decca "trench" obscured his bigger brothers and was unanimously elected the mascot of the evening by the audience. Many people came to see it up close and asked details on how it is operated. The fact that that cute little machine actually saw the trenches in the wake of the British allies seemed to struck them particularly.
Once again I strongly encourage all those who own the appropriate machines and records to be enterprising and to organise events like this one. People really love music and history, especially when they're not proposed to them as a boring frontal lesson but as vivid, living things.
Thanks for reading, and please enjoy a selection of pictures taken by fellow photographer and fellow physicist Gianpaolo Filippa!
I tried to suggest, among other things, a "gramophone concert" evening to be held in the Town Hall, a proposal which has been immediately confirmed and also officially patronised by the Town of Lauriano as well as the UEHMG. The "gramophone concert" was named Il Suono Della Grande Guerra, in english the sound of the Great War, a name under which WWI is more often referred to in Europe, and was held the evening of May the 24th 2015, exactly 100 years after Italy went to war against Austro-hungary and Germany by crossing the river Piave.
I proposed a mixed program of period military and fanfare songs, interspersed with less aulic trench songs; in two themed sections, operatic arias sung by preminent period opera singers as well as a selection of typical popular songs of the time were played. I introduced all records with a short foreword in which the battles described in the lyrics or the lives and careers of the singers were recalled.
Although this was a small event in a small town, it has proven to be of resounding success, even receiving press coverage. Compliments and congratulations by those who attended the "concert" are still echoing around, and I have received iterated requests of repeating it (requests which I may indeed accept, perhaps performing it again in other nearby towns of the area).
I must admit that I was a bit skeptical at first, as I was afraid that many people would go back home after 4-5 records or after the coffee break. Fellows on this forum are accustomed to songs of that age and love them, but can a casual listener get in touch so rapidly with a music that is so old? Also, I could bet that - excepting my wife and few others - most people was afraid of assisting to a boring evening with one boring old song after another, played with a crackling, fluttery thin sound at a ridicolous volume, as in the worst TV-comedy clichés. So I decided to revert in my favour the "suprise-effect" of gramophones' sound quality, by purposedly opening with the National Anthem played at the loudest volume that the loudest gramophone could deliver, to make it instantly clear to everyone that a true gramophone is no joke.
Well, it worked: nobody left the hall until the very last record had been played! But perhaps the key was also in the historical forewords: although necessarily sized as quick sketches, they have been greatly appreciated, way more than I thought. The pleasure of being put - with quick informal introductions - in condition to actually understand the message of the song and the music, had the effect of letting the listeners feel in touch with those distant years and those soldiers. It ended up with ladies hugging me while weeping of commotion, and with bonebreaking pats on the shoulders and vise-like handshakes by gentlemen. Success!!! With no doubt the songs have been deeply "felt" and empathysed by the audience!
The evening has also been enriched by the presence of fellow reenactor Gianlorenzo Boano, who kindly accepted to display his WWI Italian officer's uniform replica to the audience.
I think that few words on the selected gramophones are expected here. I carried to the hall an HMV Senior Monarch to play the most emphatic operatic arias or fanfare songs, while a Decca "trench" was used for more humble (but more touchy, in many cases) trench choirs. Finally, a Columbia 112a Viva-Tonal was used to play later recordings of period songs, when a period recording was not available. However, to my surprise, the humble Decca "trench" obscured his bigger brothers and was unanimously elected the mascot of the evening by the audience. Many people came to see it up close and asked details on how it is operated. The fact that that cute little machine actually saw the trenches in the wake of the British allies seemed to struck them particularly.
Once again I strongly encourage all those who own the appropriate machines and records to be enterprising and to organise events like this one. People really love music and history, especially when they're not proposed to them as a boring frontal lesson but as vivid, living things.
Thanks for reading, and please enjoy a selection of pictures taken by fellow photographer and fellow physicist Gianpaolo Filippa!