Terence Blanchard Funeral Dirge

[averyms]

The beauty and brilliance in this piece gives one a sense of loss and longing. The meaning of what was lost and will never again be fixed. The lives gone, rotting in a festering pool. To remember the smiling faces of loved ones who met their end at the bottom of said pool. I didn't experience a loss in Katrina but I know of loss and the pain in this music is well understood. Thank you for the post.

[Dentry2791]

@ ThisIdig.... Out of all the images you see on that screen you pick out three and yell division. No words were put above the photos. Sounds like guilt to me. We cant move forward as long as we try and misrepresent the past. This event happened. The images are powerful. The elderly lady wrapped in the flag, the dead little girl floating lifeless. This is someones daughter. I dont see division, I see triumph.

[Dentry2791]

Terence, play on my brother. The pain and Triumph of everyone involved put into notes and played with the heart. God Bless You All!!!!!!!!!!!

[nolaeast]

Terence did an outstanding job with this piece.

[Easleytee]

Funeral Dirge is redundant. By definition in a strictly musical context...a dirge is music endemic to a funeral hymn or lamentation at a funeral proceeding.

[axismundi25]

ce mec a été touché par la grâce de dieu!!!!!!!

[ThisIDig]

Its good, but unfortunately delves into political terrain...

Stick with the music, Terence. 

[BMWCubsMan]

@ThisIDig - If you experienced Katrina or the aftermath unfortunatley most of the suffering was due to politics and the lack of urgency on the political front. This song is an emotional tribute to this event, this city and most of all the people. Music comes from an emotional place and for almost everyone in Nola, this event and all the suffering and political impact are intertwined so it is only right to honor it and them with a song such as this. Bravo Terence.

[ThisIDig]

@BMWCubsMan "If you experienced Katrina or the aftermath unfortunatley most of the suffering was due to politics and the lack of urgency on the political front."

I have to strongly disagree. The suffering came from a hurricane and the aftermath - a flood because the levees failed. This has nothing to do with politics. Some point out rightly that the response was disorganized - that is no excuse for the ignorant finger pointing that took place after the disaster.

[ThisIDig]

@BMWCubsMan One could just as well have written a piece about the ice storms in Kentucky or the Gulf oil spill and pin it on Obama. All such behavior is reckless, stupid, and it doesn't get to the heart of the issue. Terence is displaying his ignorance of politics as being reactionary, not leadership that you would expect from an artist. That is why he should stick to his leadership role as a bandleader.

[BMWCubsMan]

@ThisIDig - Clearly you don't live in New Orleans. I'm sure you are safe and sound and never had to deal with a tragedy where family was sent to various parts of the nation and killed due to the days of exposure and days of no medication that was the Federal responses fault. The oil spill and ice storms didn't kill and displace thousands my friend.

[ThisIDig]

@BMWCubsMan Clearly you don't know me from Adam. And lets assume I know quite a bit about tragedy and government failure. So, the litmus test for a tragedy is whether or not your family and friends are involved? I am sorry to hear about your loss, but you sound rather insensitive and close-minded. One more question: Why wasn't a picture of New Orleans' mayor Ray Nagan posted during the performance? Local government had, in my opinion, a larger role in the failure.

[BMWCubsMan]

@ThisIDig - No, I do not know you from Adam and the same can be said of you knowing me. You just admitted the local government (which is politics) played a larger role. So admitting this had political implications contradicts what you have said thus far. I'm going to take the high road and agree to disagree.

[ThisIDig]

@BMWCubsMan point taken...I just wish we could be united and stop pointing fingers (me included)...We are a fallen people.

[doctorj2u2]

@ThisIDig I don't care if the idiot Nagin was included because, if you believe it or not, Katrina was a disaster beyond the belief of the pampered, fat American of today. Yes.  It was that bad. I am a New Orleanian with ancestors that go back before the Battle of New Orleans in1815. I lived in he same neighborhood as Terrance's upbringing. I lived the pain. My country left me for YEARS after Katrina. I LOVE this music. Nothing will ever defeat us, but the pain remains.

[doctorj2u2]

@ThisIDig

He stuck with what we lived. This work is of the soul. I am sorry you cannot see that simple, heart breaking fact.

[ThisIDig]

@doctorj2u2 No doubt, there has been heartbreak and the community continues to heal. The problem I have with Terence's interpretation is that it provokes division instead of promoting unity.  I usually like his work, and if he would have left out the political pics he would have been better off and the piece would have been far more effective.

[Dentry2791]

@ThisIDig You seem to be looking for the division in this piece. Two people look at the same piece and see two different things, i get that. We aren't going to hide what happened during that time for the sake of not wanting to step on toes. This was a painful and shameful time for many. Reality is Reality. We can and have moved on, yet we can not forget. This piece speaks of power and will and how we march on as a nation in spite of it all. Live on New Orleans, Live on Gulf Coast!!!!!!!!!!!

[ThisIDig]

@Dentry2791 I'm not looking for the division, its right there on a jumbo-tron behind Terence while he's on stage! Its quite absurd and I think it takes away from the message Terence is trying to promote. The only ones who are hiding are the people who continue to look for someone to blame. That's why we can't move past things, improve, help one anther. I thought he was above that...

[welcomeonboard1]

Fantastic !

[duafe1975]

As a Katrina survivor, I can truly say that this beautiful piece captures the energy of the city and the spirit of that moment in 2005. The sweeping grace, the wide soaring openness, the intense mournful grief, the loss, and the awe inspired by that faint spark of hope and optimism that is born in response to knowing your life will never be the same but you WILL rise again. In a lot of ways, better than before. God Bless Terence, that great city, and the people of New Orleans far and wide.

[APZRman1]

stumbled upon this randomly, I quite like it!

[walkabou5]

Fantastic music. Blanchard is a seriously underrated composer and musician. I'll be picking up this CD. Thanks for posting.

[pmsmorga]

truly amazing, I admire you soooo much Mr. Blanchard!

[bobsong7]

The most genuinely feeling and musical trumpet players of all the front liners in jazz today. And a wonderful composer. JUst beautiful.

[JeniseGrice]

Wow, nicley done :-(

[Libertarian369]

I was lucky enough to have seen this performed live with the Montreaux jazz allstars, I was totally and utterly choked up it is a gorgeous piece of music!

[RUNRUT]

That is seriously one of the more amazing things I have seen/heard in a long time.

[mk3d50501]

does anyone know where i can find his song wading through?

[mrgrant888]

@mk3d50501 There is a soundtrack album for "When the Levees Broke" called "A Tale of God's Will." It includes this song, along with the rest of the music used in the documentary. Hope this helps :)

[eugeneiv404]

Wow. The beauty of this piece lies in it's simplicity. Rather than trying to show off his chops by running all over the place, he's just telling the story. I love it. Terence Blanchard has got to be one of the most honest composer/musicians of our time.

[neomodernbill]

Anyone know where to get the sheet music? I'm performing it soon and currently transcribing. no easy task. very rich and lush

[zenbassie03]

An incredibly beautiful and moving piece, I can't get over it. So much emotion, pain, and beauty all woven together into such a beautiful piece. Terence is incredible musician and individual

[theburg727]

@zenbassie03 you wrote exactly what I feel about this piece. I couldn't have said it better myself. I would love to hear this live. I can't imagine the emotion you feel hearing it live. I am a forever fan of Terrence Blanchard.

[piscean60]

absolutely beautiful-

could someone upload the ost for

"when the levees broke" if possible

cheers to all

[chalky6227]

The soundtrack to "when the levees broke" is the OST to Spike Lee's "Inside Man". I couldn't find this piece uploaded, but just in case you'd like to have that music for your own.... :)

[piscean60]

thanks chalky6227, yeah, I watched "Inside Man" again recently and there it was-

truthfully, I think it works much better for

"Levees..."

cheers and thanks again- pc60

[hanjomorren]

Heel indrukwekkend. Hoe makkelijk is het niet om bij een dergelijk stuk muziek helemaal" over the hill" te gaan. Door het zo ingetogen te spelen maakt het juist enorm veel indruk TOP

[averyms]

U bent van harte perceptieve. De muziek geeft me rillingen. Sindsdien zag ik de film had ik te horen dat de muziek opnieuw.

[turkeysaw]

@hanjomorren hey what language is this?

[Xavio58]

@turkeysaw

Hello Turkeysaw, this is Dutch. So let me translate my remarks. " Very impressive. It is too easy to go over the hill when playing music like this. His restrained way of playing makes a heavy impact". So all in all, I was very impressed by his playing.