An Anti-War Song Probably Not Like One You've Heard Before

"Dulce et Decorum Est pro Patria Mori" translates from Latin into "How Sweet it is to Die for One's Country".

This poem was written by the famous British poet Wilfred Owen and gives a soldier's perspective as to how corrupting damaging to the soul warfare is. Mr. Owen served in the British Army in WWI, was injured and recovered in a hospital. He went back to the front line and was killed in action.

This song is harsh, just as war is. The opening section and the closing sections are written in dodecaphonic style, using a 12-tone matrix to generate the primary melodic line.  After the line "And floundering like a man in fire or lime.", when the Germans attack the British with poison gas, the music goes into a kind of dream-state, in a G-minor mode and ultimately moving back into atonality finally resolving into a C-minor chord.

Dale Tracy is the tenor, produced in Sonar using various orchestral and vocal libraries.

This track appears on my 2004 CD release "In Praise of Poets"  (Ottava 04-008)

I've included the poem and the score for those that are interested.


www.jerrygerber.com/dulceetdecorumest.htm


My CDs are available at:
http://www.jerrygerber.com/store.htm


Jerry
www.jerrygerber.com

Hahahahah!

Message: Another satirical opera on filling the places with dead bodies.  Lyrics are a bit 'complex' and self-destructive ... for my Alabama cravings.  I'm certain there is a target audience for this genre though. 

Production: EWQL libraries have become quite the orchestral breed in the hands of the Sonarite.  I was tricked into thinking this was a live recording as usual ... LOL!

Awesome!

What a production!  Nice work man.

Wow...this definitely took me by surprise. Clearly an experienced and talented performer. While I've been exposed to very small snippets of this genre in movies and the like, I don't think I've ever intently listened before. Having the lyrics available was a definite bonus and pulled me in for a full sitting. Loved that transition at the floundering like a man part. I can't really comment on the composition because its just so foreign to me...but I am well glad that you exposed me to it. All I can say is the mix sounded real good, the vocal delivery was of a trained professional...and the story interesting.

thalweg said it well for me...Modern warfare is pretty horrifying for sure. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks everyone for the comments.  I had assumed this work would not be received well due to its high level of dissonance and inflammatory lyrics so I am pleasantly surprised.

Jerry
www.jerrygerber.com