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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

A very special violin


phsvm

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I can't see the great War connection, so I think this has to go to Skindles. if I m issed the GW link, happy to return it.

 

 

Keith

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Keith, he was killed in action on 7th June 1916 serving with 10th Dukes and is buried in Woods Cemetery, Ypres. Please return it.

 

TR

Edited by Terry_Reeves
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It's the story of violin maker Richard Spencer Howard's last instrument, left unfinished when he was killed in action in 1917.

Now completed and played for the first time.

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The CD Made in the Great War is very enjoyable. I was lucky enough to see one of the shows he did about the fiddle and it was a magical evening. A poignant story and a wonderful musician

 

David

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What a great story.  The youtube clip of him playing the violin at the maker's grave is very moving.

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Whoops, sorry, I assumed it was the one about a mislaid strad which I heard on the radio the previous night.. Now restored to the original location, and two topics merged.

 

Keith

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2 hours ago, keithmroberts said:

Whoops, sorry, I assumed it was the one about a mislaid strad which I heard on the radio the previous night.. Now restored to the original location, and two topics merged.

 

Keith

 

You shouldn't have - ahem - fiddled with it.

 

I thengyow.

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  • 1 month later...

some years ago a violin was made from timer salvaged on the Somme. It became a tediously big thing within the WFA - concerts and etc. I wonder what happened to it - anyone know?

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  • 1 year later...

Had the pleasure of visiting his grave during our Wolverhampton WFA Branch Tour in May, and listening to a recording of the violin being played. 

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The programme details have not been updated yet.  Not sure if she is going have someone in the studio playing it or a recording and someone talking about it.  Will check again in about a week.

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I have no idea. Perhaps it was just wood from the area. Whatever, it was a tedious WFA talisman for some time some of us considered.

Edited by David Filsell
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On 28/10/2018 at 16:18, PhilB said:

What kind of timber would one salvage from a Somme battlefield in order to make a violin?

Spruce and maple. Perhaps sycamore would do at a pinch. Bending irons, loads of clamps, rabbit skin glue and ebony for the pegs and chin rest would be harder to find.

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Sounds like even a RE Workshop would be short of the requisite tools? Certainly not a job for the trenches. Of course, the violin could have been made at home from returned wood.

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Full story here: 

 

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This is the programme I heard mentioned.

 

Quote

MUSIC: Cerys Matthews
On: BBC 6 Music    
Date: Sunday 11th November 2018 (starting in 8 days)
Time: 10:00 to 13:00 (3 hours long)

John Man about his book ' Amazons: The Real Warrior Women of the Ancient World'. Plus folk musician Sam Sweeney performs tracks from his new album 'The Unfinished Violin' - music inspired by the First World War.
(Stereo)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marked By: 'Category: Music' marker
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from http://www.getdigiguide.tv/?p=1&r=7346

Copyright (c) GipsyMedia Limited.

 

 

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Just been reported on BBC South Today, including an interview with the soldier’s granddaughter  You should be able to find on iPlayer probably from tomorrow.  

 

Mandy

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