Music and The War

I remember Sunday 3rd September 1939 very well indeed. As a fairly innocent eleven year old I, along with many thousands of others, listened to those fateful words uttered by the Prime Minister of the day ..”……..consequently, this country is at war with Germany……” I wondered what that really meant…I had already been told I could not go to any more piano lessons because there was likely to be a war …and I was very upset about that..!! I thought that things could not get any worse….So it was but  I was determined to continue my musical studies …..I didn’t think I personally could not do much about the onset of a war though I got hold of as many books about music as I could, particularly on harmony and musical theory and kept up my practice every day. Fortunately our next door neighbours used to like the sound of me practicing ….I was grateful for that . One Sunday newspaper the “News of the World” used to print the complete words and music of a popular song of the day , my mother would cut them out and sew them together on her sewing machine to make me “song books” for practice. Sheet music was comparatively expensive; incidentally the size of the sheets were almost halved to save paper and the publisher was allowed to use only one colour on the cover !! In any event some of the music was unobtainable and that I suppose led me to play much of the music “by ear”. In other words …..”you hum it ….I’ll play it “.

My father had one gramophone record of the old song .”When the Angels Play Their Harps for Me”. But either didn’t have the money or inclination to buy a gramophone so I listened to as much music on the radio as I could . “Music While You Work” was a very popular half hour programme of non stop music in the morning and afternoon. It was also relayed to many factories to help keep up morale. For me I made notes of as many tunes as I could to build up my own repertoire. My friend had a gramophone and records and I managed to listen to some of the big bands playing in the USA plus the fabulous Mills Brothers and the Ink Spots. I am sure other musicians will recall the wonderful way the Mills Brothers imitated the wind instruments on their records.

As I got more experienced I was asked to play in many pubs and clubs (taking my parents with me when playing on licenced premises as I was under age ) I was also busy playing for a number of street parties to celebrate the end of hostilities.

Yes the six years of WW2 were full of all sorts of memories for me. We had to make our own entertainment and now I feel privileged to have played my part, however small, in helping to keep spirits up during some very dark days ……..

We had some good bands and singers over here in the UK …..none more well known that the Forces Sweetheart Vera Lynn (now Dame Vera Lynn). Her most popular song was “We’ll Meet Again “…..guaranteed to bring back so many memories when she sings the first few words of that lovely old song.   ­