For most of our us, our remembrance won't be complete without hearing the classic poem, In Flanders Fields. In our new Infinitely More tradition, we sing it, set to Gerald's evocative music. I asked him to share this very profound writing experience:
In Flanders Fields has always been the poem that, like everyone, I would hear every Remembrance Day. It was meant to be honoured and there was always that gulf of silence that ensued afterwards that made more sense the older I became. Two years ago when I felt the approach of Remembrance Day it struck me to write a musical setting for a worship service, but I didn’t give it much thought beyond that. I woke up on the Friday morning however and for some inexplicable reason I felt a deeper compulsion to get it done. I felt a burning need to somehow touch these words if I could. Call it patriotism or if you will and more accurately, call it a haunting. I got up that day and in a very short period of time I transcribed a piece of music that I felt had been given to me. The prosody worked. The weight of the music seemed to match the poem. There was that ache and hope that only history can give. Since then it has become a regular staple in our repertoire around this time of year. And as always, it is dedicated to the men and women who have given their lives in the hope that the better angels of this world would hold tightly to its momentum…and of course to John McCrae who first penned the words…
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow,
between the crosses row on row.
In Flanders Fields. Words, John McCrae. Music, Gerald Flemming.
We give thanks.
We remember....
You are welcome to use this video in your church this Sunday.
Please just let us know so we have some sense of where our music is traveling!
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