Posted on 06/11/2004 10:52:54 AM PDT by conservativeinferno
Does anyone know the two beautiful songs played while Reagan's casket was being removed from the Washington Cathedral?
Yes, the theme from We Were Soldiers.
Navy Hymn: Eternal Father, Strong to Save
Was that a Movie? Do you know where we can purchase it?
A classic Vietnam film from early 2002 starring/produced/directed by, Mel Gibson. About the first major battle of the Vietnam War. You can buy the DVD or the soundtrack on CD almost anywhere.
wow, your good.
One was "Mansions in the Sky". We sung that at an I Love America celebrations several years ago. A very beautiful song.
bump for later
That's amazing it's from a movie. I'd never heard it but commented that it sounded like a movie soundtrack. Of course, I was thinking more along the Lord of the Rings and thought it odd. But now, knowing it was from that movie, it's fitting.
Oh great! Look what you've done! Went to the site, heard the song and my darn allergies started acting up (blink..blink...) and now my eyes are watering like crazy.(sniff...sniff...)
"You shall not die, but merely sleep as if in a cradle. And when you awake at dawn, it shall be to eternal life." -- Martin Luther to his dying daughter Lene.
You are right. I was thinking of the hymn played at the removal from the Capitol building. Good going!
bump!
I couldn't believe my ears. I was on one of the few business calls I'll take today and heard it in the background off of Fox News. Took me a few seconds.
Is it traditional? I thought it was written for the movie. Any background?
The music was fine but what I really wanted to hear was something from Frank Sinatra.
He did one or two really great songs one of them being "The Country I Live", think thats the title, that would have great. Of course they could have played "My Way" also.
It subsequently has been incorporated into the hymn "Going Home" in the style of a Negro spiritual.
Bad idea, all things considered.
Didn't the congregation sing "Ode to Joy"?
It was written for the film. There is some background HERE
Who was the tenor who sang "Ave Maria"? Beautiful.
Anybody catch that Ronan Tynan was supposed to do "Ave Maria" according to other posts but did "Amazing Grace" instead? That song, haunting however it is performed, was taken to another level, IMO. Combining that with "The Mansions of the Lord" and "We Were Soldiers" theme as the recessional, this has to be the ultimate example of the use of music in a time of grief.
Mr. Tynan did sing Ave Maria. It was at the beginning.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1151544/posts
Thanks for this informative thread..I wondered about the names of the songs. I loved listening to the irish tenor.
bookmarked to read later.
I loved hearing him sing amazing grace..I would love to have his cd..especially with that song on it..
THANKS!
Ronan Tynan
If you all will indulge one more post about "Mansions of the Lord", here is the scoop, as best I know it.
The lyrics were written by Randall Wallace, the director and screenwriter for "We Were Soldiers" (he was also the screenwriter for "Braveheart" and "Pearl Harbor"). The music was written as part of the soundtrack for WWS by Nick Glennie-Smith.
It's wonderful to hear it on the WWS soundtrack, but I must say, if you want the full impact, rent WWS (warning: it's a graphic war movie along the lines of "Saving Private Ryan" - not for the young). As one not normally given to crying at movies, the scene where Mel Gibson's character returns home from Viet Nam got me going, and "Mansions of the Lord" over the end titles REALLY moved me.
A beautiful, majestic tribute to the fallen soldier who now lives in the presence of the Lord God Almighty.
my error...missed the start...thanks
I thought all the music was beautifully done, but was blown away by "Mansions of the Lord". I printed the service out so that I could read the lyrics to the hymns as they were sung. Thanks to those who linked to that information. I will have to buy that movie. I have TIVOed it on my wish list and watched it again. In fact I TIVOed everything about Mel Gibson and have been awash in his movies.
Thanks! I'd forgotten how beautiful that was.
He had a wonderful voice.
Readers interested in downloading a .pdf file of the entire listing of funeral music played at the Washington National Cathedral can do so here:
http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/pdfs/servicemusic040611.pdf
Please be advised that you will need a minimum of the Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to view this file. You can get the free Acrobat Reader here:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html
The document prints out to five pages so I won't try to reproduce it here. It includes lyrics, a timeline of events in the service as well as interesting information like this:
"NOTE:
After the service the Bourdon Bell [Tenor bell] is tolled 40 times, representing President Reagan’s
order among the Presidents of the United States. The 4’ 7” Tenor bell (D) weighs 3,588 pounds.
As the Cortège and Processions leave the church, the Washington Ringing Society now rings a halfmuffled
full peal of Stedman Caters, comprising 5101 changes, on the Ten-Bell Ring of
Washington National Cathedral."
They sure did and it gave me Gods Bumps, all over.
The best music was at the end of the ceremony, when they were carrying Reagan's casket. They were playing this amazing organ music. There replaying the ceremony on Fox and Cspan right now. I got to tape that part.
I dont know but I absolutely bawled my eyes out. I was doing all right until that song was played. I am SO glad you asked this because I have been wondering about it all day.
Thanks, but now I am bawling again.
If anyone watching Cpan now. This is the music I liked.
It subsequently has been incorporated into the hymn "Going Home" in the style of a Negro spiritual.
Thank you for that information. That was another beautiful piece of music that caught my ear today.
Everyone should take note there are two albums that call themselves the "soundtrack" from We Were Soldiers. The music from the funeral is "End Credits" track #17. The other CD is a compilation of various artists like Johnny Cash. If you go to Barnes and Noble, you can hear all the tracks and get the correct CD.
In this case the hymn is "Sing with all the saints in glory." The music is also used in the hymn "Joyful, Joyful, we adore thee."
As the funeral procession moved toward the Capitol, The marching band was playing portions of a military score that seemed to match the cadence. As I listened to it, tips of shining bayonets passed across my screen. Does anyone know
the name of arrangement?
A broader question to raise is why these reverential hymns have been replaced by the very "un-edifying" pop/contemporary "Jesus music" in the fundamentalist churches.
The Army Band/Chorus at the Reagan Library on Friday was very good. There was a black soldier there who sang one of the most beautiful solos I've ever heard.
Ronan Tynan did sing Ave Maria at the very beginning. The best I have heard. Later he sang Amazing Grace. Good, although Amazing grace is overused.
Who was the two-star general who escorted Mrs. Reagan? What is his normal role in the Navy?
I know the officer who presented the flag from the coffin to Mrs. Reagan is the Captain of the USS Ronald Reagan, but I missed his name.
Finally, where will the President be "buried"? Where exactly is the crypt? Somewhere near (or under) the pedestal where the coffin rested at the presidential library at the end of the ceremonies? Anyone know?
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