[www.keralites.net] Band Played Till End!

The band played the song was Nearer My God to Thee at 2:13 a.m. It was a prayer to everyone. It is thought by some that the band leader, Wallace Hartley, started playing by himself at first and then the rest of the band joined in.

The band knew 352 different songs by heart. They had to be ready for any requests the passengers might make on the trip.

The Band played in first class and second class locations on the ship. They played in these spots: The palm court (which was like a bar) and on the verandah which had fancy restaurants. Also in the lounges, and in dining saloons. They each got paid four pounds a month. They were also charged for expenses. Without passengers' tips the musicians would have to work on privilege (free).

When the ship was sinking captain J. Edward Smith requested songs to keep passengers' spirits up, like Berlin Alexander's, Rag Time Band and Herman Finck's In The Shadows. Also, Nathaniel Davis Ayers and Seymour Brown's, Oh You Beautiful Doll and Songe dAautomme. For inspiration Sir Edward's Elger's, Land of Hope and Glory.

Survivors said that after they played their last song, the water was up to their knees.

During the sinking the band played just outside the first class entranceway. In the newspapers the band was called, "Brave as Birkenhead," which means brave as a bald eagle. The band musicians were heroes.

The band went down with the ship. The three violinists were Jock Hume, Georges Krins and Wallace Hartley. The three cellist were John Woodward, Roger Bricoux and Percy Taylor, who also played the piano. The other pianist was Theodore Brailey. The bass violinist was Frederick Clarke. All together there were eight people in the band. In pictures of the band there is always one person missing. He is Roger Marie Bricoux, a cellist who made his last voyage on the Titanic

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What was the last song played by the Titanic's musicians?

It is widely believed that they played "Nearer my God to Thee". (though there is a controversy that it may have been another song "autumn" - read about the controversy, an excellent article, here http://www.snopes.com/history/titanic/lastsong.asp)

Nearer, My God, to Thee" is a 19th century Christian hymn by Sarah Flower Adams, based loosely on Genesis 28:11–19, the story ofJacob's dream. Genesis 28:11–12 can be translated as follows: "So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it..."

It is most famous as the alleged last song the band on RMS Titanic played before the ship sank.

The lyrics to the hymn are as follows:

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me;

Still all my song shall be nearer, my God, to Thee,

Chorus: Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,

Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;

Yet in my dreams I'd be nearer, my God, to Thee,

Chorus

There let the way appear steps unto heav'n;

All that Thou sendest me in mercy giv'n;

Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee,

Chorus

Then with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,

Out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;

So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee,

Chorus

Or if on joyful wing, cleaving the sky,

Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upwards I fly,

Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee,

A sixth verse was later added to the hymn by Ed­ward H. Bick­er­steth, Jr. as follows:^[2]

There in my Father's home, safe and at rest,

There in my Savior's love, perfectly blest;

Age after age to be, nearer my God to Thee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHn67C5x6A4

I have always been fascinated by the band that played on while titanic went down. I was fascinated by their actions to play on, as a heroic gesture to the indomitability of the human spirit. Their choice of song was particularly haunting. It is widely believed that they played "Nearer my God to Thee". (though there is a controversy that it may have been another song "autumn" - read about the controversy, an excellent article, here http://www.snopes.com/history/titanic/lastsong.asp)

The playing of the song, so fitting for the purpose, was one of the many heroic actions aboard the Titanic. Though there can be no ranking of bravery, the actions of the band led by William Hartley, would surely rank among the top when heroes are counted among men.

Their contribution cannot be summed up better than these words by Eaton and Haas (courtesy of the site whose link i gave above)

"One irrefutable fact, however, remains: the musicians stayed until all hope of rescue was gone. Who can say how many lives their efforts saved? The final moments of how many were cheered or ennobled by their music? 'Songe d'Automne' or 'Autumn.' 'Horbury' or 'Bethany'. What difference? The memory of the bandsmen and their courageous music will never die. "

In my mind, the band on Titanic always serves to remind me of the best of man, the best that man can achieve and triumph, even in the certainty of death.

Courtesy : cheddarbay.com, youtube, snopes, wikipedia,titanicsinks.wordpress.com

http://about.me/prad

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