John Brancy and Peter Dugan (Photo: Michael DiVito)
A program for Memorial Day to honor those whose lives have been forever changed by war, including songs written by composers and poets who were soldiers themselves. Much of the music comes from the WWI-era, when the world was confronted with modern warfare for the very first time. The program is co-hosted and performed by Grammy-winning baritone John Brancy and Peter Dugan, pianist and host of NPR’s From the Top, with testimonials from cultural historians and war veterans.
John Brancy and Peter Dugan perform Gerald Finzi’s Channel Firing.
Playlist
*Indicates a composer who served in WWI
Oley Speaks: “When the Boys Come Home” Ralph Vaughan Williams*: “Youth and Love” from Songs of Travel George Butterworth*: “The Lads in Their Hundreds” from A Shropshire Lad Igor Novello* (arr. Dugan/Brancy): “Keep the Homefires Burning” Walter Donaldson (arr. Dugan/Brancy): “My Buddy” Wilfred Sanderson: “God Be with Our Boys Tonight” Charles Ives: “Tom Sails Away” Leonardo Dugan: “In Flanders Fields” Maurice Ravel*: Toccata from Le Tombeau de Couperin Claude Debussy: “Noel des enfants qui n’ont plus de maisons” Sergei Rachmaninoff: “How fair this spot” Sergei Rachmaninoff: “Spring Waters” Irving Berlin*: “Goodbye France” Trad. (arr. Dugan/Brancy): “Danny Boy”