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"Taps" the long version during my Christmas Light Show.


Archer

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 Every year we select a local person in need and ask for donations to support our cause. Every year our donations have increased. Granted that we have only been collecting for 4 yrs but we are very encouraged by the response the community gives us. Keep in mind that the closest store to buy milk and bread is a 10 mile round trip.....we are rural. People have to go out of their way to see our show. This year our cause is a family that lost their husbsnd/father in a trucking accident. Among other things he was in the Army National Guard. This man was red, white and blue from sunrise to sunset. I run my show different than anybody I have see so far on the net. I pick 6-8 songs and between each song I tell 20-30 seconds about the person selected giving the viewers a more personal relationship as to why they are giving. Our largest single donation last year was $1,000.00 and it came by mail 1 week after the show stopped. This year, since our person was military head to toe, we are going to include "Taps" (the long version) as played by a 12 yr old girl....this version (4 min long) really makes you stop and think.

BTW....there will be nothing associated with only Christmas in this sequence and it will be all red, white and blue.

Has anybody played Taps in their Christmas Light show?

kevinkolak.com  to view last year and see how my format runs.

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I already talked to the wife about it and she thought her husband would have been honored to have it played, but I do appreciate your comment 

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What i am sequencing is not really "Taps" as it is played at a military funeral but rather "Il Silenzio". 

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You may already know this, but this is what I found on Wikipedia about the song Il Silenzio.

Quote

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Il Silenzio (The Silence) is an instrumental piece, with a small spoken Italian lyric, notable for its trumpet theme. It was written in 1965 (see "Origin" below) by trumpet player Nini Rosso and Guglielmo Brezza,[1] its thematic melody being an extension of the same Italian Cavalry bugle call used by the Russian composer Tchaikovsky to open his Capriccio Italien (often mistaken for the U.S. military bugle call "Taps").

Origin
"Il Silenzio" is a memorial piece commissioned by the Dutch and first played in 1965 on the 20th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands.

Cover versions

In 2008 the soloist was a 13-year-old Dutch girl, Melissa Venema, backed by André Rieu and the Royal Orchestra of the Netherlands.

 

I am assuming the 12/(13) year old girl you are referring to is Melissa Venema. If so, she did an awesome job with the that song. The video clip of her playing the song was forwarded to me a long time ago and I thought it was a modified version of Taps until I looked it up.

Although this song is not Taps, without an explanation people may think it is. If this the song you have chosen to honor this gentleman with, then you should absolutely do it. It sounds like your shows are very closely tied to your community and it makes sense to me for you to use your talents as a lighting enthusiast to put this song to lights for his family and your community.

I would suggest trying to end the show with something up beat, so your audience doesn't leave feeling like they just attended a memorial service. (unless that's your intent)

The shows I do are in the summer (when the weathers nicer :) and the songs I sequence are all over the radar. I bought my lights to entertain and be creative with. We all do this hobby for different reasons. Your show for this year is dedicated to a fallen solder, husband and father, that is a very noble gesture on your part. Please post a video, when all is said and done.


Alan...

Is this the version of the song you are going to do?

 

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Thanks for the info you sent, I really like your input. Yes I knew much of what you posted but from a different source. The youtube clip you attached IS what I copied and am sequencing. I used Audacity to edit out the cheering at the end and introductions but wow, it makes you stop and think.....very sobering. Exactly where in the show is up for grabs but I like your suggesting it not being the last song.

kevinkolak.com 

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I really like the idea..

I am also thinking of downloading edit and working on it. I may have it done in time to add to my Halloween display as I always include the military in all my shows, Halloween, Christmas, New years, Independence day etc.

I would love to see your seq for it.

I am thinking of having Red/White and Blue lights on my Flag and Flag pole as it plays.

I do fly my Flags, USA and POW lite 24 hrs a day. I have never heard that before and being in a military minded city I think it will fit be well accepted here as we are the home of many of the military planes and the Space Shuttle etc. here in Lancaster/Palmdale Ca. home of Air Force Plant 42. and others.

 

The Spoken Words which are in Italian in it translates to

Amor te ne vai 
E tanto triste e tu lo sai 
Che giorni inutili 
Vivrò pensando a te. 
Darei la vita per averti 
Sempre qui vicino a me 
Come una voce 
Che ormai conosco già, 
Questo silenzio 
Di te mi parlerà, 
Nulla potrebbe cambiar 
Anche se devo aspettar. 

Come una voce che ormai conosco già, 
Questo silenzio di te mi parlerà. 
Amor te ne vai, ma tornerai ancor 
Buona notte amore 
Ti vedro nei miei sogni 
Buona notte a te che sei lontano 

Translation in English : 

My love you go away 
it's so sad and you know that 
What useless days 
I will live by thinking of you 
I'll give my life to have you always 
close to me 
Like a voice that by now 
I know already, 
this silence will speak to you of me 
nothing could change 
even if I must wait 

Like a voice that by now 
I know alrteady 
this silence will speak to you of me 
My love, you go away , 
but you'll return again 
Good night my love 
I'll see you in my dreams 
Good night to you 
who are distant
Edited by Old Sarge
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Sarge......I made this tribute more about the song than the lights. It is very very basic when compared to my whole display. The viewers will be able to focus in 1 direction for the synchronizing as the cross in the other direction will change colors 21 times. My light show will run 42 days and I was thinking that I may just have this tribute play on the even calander days which means it would be played on 21 days. Both 21's would be my silent 21 gun salute. 

kevinkolak.com 

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