Violin played on Titanic revealed for first time

[HadleyH]

Within minutes of Titanic striking an iceberg on April 14, 1912, the music band was instructed to assemble and play music in order to maintain calm.
The eight musicians gallantly performed on the chilly boat deck of the Titanic while the passengers lined up for the lifeboats.
The band carried on until the bitter end, famously playing a final hymm of 'Nearer, My God, To Thee.'



The violin of Wallace Hartley (pictured) that survived the tragedy in which more than 1500 people lost their lives

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-21806334

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Thanks HH, I saw that on the news last night... just fascinating. -dixon cannon

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Wallace Hartley's birthplace in Colne, Lancashire. He was born in 1878.

Actually there's some debate as to whether the final song played by Wallace Hartley and the band was Nearer My God To Thee or Songe d'Automne. I'm inclined to believe it was the latter.

[video=youtube;g73kOrhAai4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g73kOrhAai4[/video]

 

[HadleyH]

You are welcome Dixon Cannon!

V.C. we might never know exactly which was "the" song ... but the amazing thing is that the Band kept on playing as the doomed ship went down...who knows, may be the tune was a cheerful one? kind of.... well, like trying to put the passengers in a better mood before they go meet their Maker? [huh]

 

[Hercule]

"Nearer my God to Thee" certainly was in the public conscience of the time and Hartley himself claimed to know of no more fitting piece to be played as a ship went down. So I don't think anyone would argue that it was indeed played at some point that night. Whether or not it was THE last piece is open for debate. Also debatable is which of the several versions (different tunes) would have been played. I believe the various movies of the event have used several different versions and, of course, there's one inscribed on Hartley's grave stone. But there's sort of an "urban legend" element about this subject. There are accounts of several Maritime accidents previous to the Titanic sinking that note survivors singing Nearer My God to Thee as the ship went down and they awaited rescue. Kinda makes one wonder if it was the obligatory ship sinking song as it were.

As for THE last piece, my money would be on Autumn which one of the ship's officers (I want to say McBride but I really don't remember) claimed as the last piece the orchestra played as the deck washed over. And there's been question as to which autumn that would be - the hymn tune or a dance piece popular at the time, though consensus seems to have ruled out the former.

An interesting topic to be sure. I sure would be interested to read the report authenticating the violin.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Today is also the 124th anniversary of the birth of Titanic musician Georges Krins.

The Titanic Musicians
Theodore Ronald Brailey -- piano (born October 25, 1887, Walthamstowe, Essex)
Roger Marie Bricoux -- cello (born June 1, 1891, Cosne-sur-Loire, France)
John Frederick Preston Clarke -- bass
Wallace Henry Hartley -- bandmaster, violin (born June 2, 1878, Colne, Lancashire)
John Law Hume -- violin (born August 9, 1890, Dumfries, Scotland)
Georges Alexandre Krins -- violin (born March 18, 1889, Paris, France)
Percy Cornelius Taylor -- cello
John Wesley Woodward -- cello

 

[TomS]

Wow...

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

[video=youtube;iTxxhQjoE6g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTxxhQjoE6g[/video]

 

[imoldfashioned]

Such an amazing and emotional story.

 

[Hercule]

My vote goes for having the violin restored to playing condition the getting it out on tour. I'd pay to hear it.

 

[Picard1138]

My vote goes for having the violin restored to playing condition the getting it out on tour. I'd pay to hear it.

If I recall correctly, without rereading the article, it has cracking due to extensive water damage. I agree, however, it would be amazing to have it restored, and I would travel to hear it being played.

-Max

 

[Edward]

I'd like to see it playable again, but I think whether it should be restored would depend upon how much reworking needs done. If it required a significant level of replacement of material to repair - a whole new top, for instance - then it moves more and more aware from being the instrument that went down with the titanic, which is - to the best of my knowledge - the reason it is of historical importance now.

 

[Hercule]

I'd like to see it playable again, but I think whether itg should be resotred would depend upon how much reworking needs done. If it required a significant levle of replacement of material to repair - a whole new top, for instance - then it moves more and more aware from being the instrument that went down with the titanic, which is - to the best of my knowledge - the reason it is of historical importance now.

Agree. From the photos I've seen the cracking doesn't seem to be too bad, certainly not catastrophic. Cracks in violins, depending on where, to what extent, and how cleanly split, tend to be very repairable, and often relatively easily too. A shattered violin on the other hand... though I've seen violins with some pretty horrific damage repaired back to playing condition by masterful luthiers.

Sure would be amazing to hear it played.

 

[Shangas]

Violins are held together purely by glue and pressure (I heard somewhere that nails etc, affect the sound-quality). After being in the middle of the Atlantic, I reckon it would take a while to get it back to working order. Even if they wanted to do that.