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- Music At Sea
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- Amber Edwards
A short history of ocean liner and cruise ship musical entertainment, featuring a rare private recording of the last song heard on the Titanic as she sank. Interviews with maritime historian John Maxtone-Graham, and with the director of Entertainment for the Cunard Line.
Segment first aired on WBGO-Newark in April, 2004, as new QM2 docked in NYC.
SUGGESTED STUDIO LEAD:
The Titanic, the most storied ocean liner of all time, sank 93 years ago on April 15th, 1912. The legends and myths surrounding its tragic end are legion?including the story of how the Titanic?s musicians perished. They were not, as many think, playing a hymn. But those doomed musicians were part of a long and rich history of musical entertainment on ships. From the earliest passenger steamers, to the to the new, lavish and gigantic Queen Mary 2, music at sea has always been a necessary luxury, as Amber Edwards tells us.....
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Piece Description
A short history of ocean liner and cruise ship musical entertainment, featuring a rare private recording of the last song heard on the Titanic as she sank. Interviews with maritime historian John Maxtone-Graham, and with the director of Entertainment for the Cunard Line. Segment first aired on WBGO-Newark in April, 2004, as new QM2 docked in NYC. SUGGESTED STUDIO LEAD: The Titanic, the most storied ocean liner of all time, sank 93 years ago on April 15th, 1912. The legends and myths surrounding its tragic end are legion?including the story of how the Titanic?s musicians perished. They were not, as many think, playing a hymn. But those doomed musicians were part of a long and rich history of musical entertainment on ships. From the earliest passenger steamers, to the to the new, lavish and gigantic Queen Mary 2, music at sea has always been a necessary luxury, as Amber Edwards tells us.....
7 Comments
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Review of Music At SeaWhat a wonderful sound rich piece. Nicely done! I also learned so much listening to this story. The history of ship-board music is something I knew little about. This piece would fit well in a magazine program, either in a local station program or a drop into Day to Day, Weekend Edition or Weekend America. |
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Review of Music At SeaGreat April 15 Anniversary Piece! With the 94th anniversary of the sinking of the Titantic coming up in the days ahead, here's a short segment that very well fits the day with historical facts and voices. I respectfully disagree with an earlier evaluation. I felt the transitions all worked fine for what this piece has to say about the history of the music and the musicians aboard the Titanic's fatal voyage. The interview with the Captain who obviously knew his history well really grabs ear. This one just whet my appetite to hear a little more on this subject. -- a good way to leave an audience (wanting more!). Come again, my dear! |
Broadcast History
Aired April 2004 on the WBGO "Journal". WBGO-FM, Newark, NJ, is an all jazz public radio station that does not air any NPR newsmagazines.
Timing and Cues
Self contained segment (needs studio intro) with long (more than 1 minute) music bed at end, all in the clear. Total running time could range from 6:30 t0 7:30 according to programming desires.
Musical Works
1) ?In the Mood?, Glenn Miller/Joe Garland, 1939, from Original Reunion of the Glenn Miller Band, 1990, GNP Crescendo?00:10 -:51 2) ?Theme from the Love Boat?, by Paul Williams, TV show soundtrack - 1:09 - 1:50 3) ?I Didn?t Know?, W.R. Williams-C.R. Jones, 1924, from The Indispensable Bix Beiderbecke, BMG, 1992 - 2:20 -2:47 4) ?Idolizing? Messenheimer-Abrahamson-West, 1926, from The Indispensable Bix Beiderbecke, BMG, 1992 - 2:47 - 3:16 5) ?Jesus Christ is Risen Today?, traditional hymn, from Library of Congress - 3:16 - 3:31 6) ?Night Time in Little Italy? , 1919, Frisco Jazz Band, Library of Congress - 3:37 - 4:09 7) ?Songe d?Automne? -Archibald Joyce, 1912, Turtle Island String Quartet, private recording - 4:27 - 4:57, 5:30 -7:02
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Aaron Henkin
Posted on August 16, 2006 at 10:25 AM | Permalink
Review of Music At Sea
This short radio history explores a topic as obscure as it is absorbing ? ocean liner and cruise ship musical entertainment. Amber Edwards' story features interviews with a maritime historian and a cruise ship entertainment director, and she decks out the production with a rich array of musical selections that have been played aboard famous ocean liners over the past century.
The history is nice and the music is evocative, but I think my favorite element of this piece is its when it takes a turn to explore a modern-day cruise-ship dilemma: The industry is constantly working to make its cruises seem young and hip and vibrant, but they're not blind to the fact that their clientele tilts more toward the 'senior citizen' end of the spectrum. Edwards' story could have stood on its historical merits without the benefit of this extra avenue of analysis, but it?s these sorts of unexpected moments of insight that make a piece memorable in the long-run.