Notre Dame de Rouen. The façade of the Gothic Church in France. Photographer: Hippo1947. Licence: SHUTTERSTOCK.

Wednesday 26 March 2014

London Pride. Noël Coward.



File:Saxifraga x urbium.JPG

English: "London Pride".
Latin: Saxifraga x urbium ‘Variegatum’.
Latvian: Lietuvių: dekoratyvinė apvalialapė uolaskėlė.
Photo: 2007.06.02.
Source: Own work.
Author: Hugo.arg.
(Wikimedia Commons)


Fr Timothy Finigan ("His Hermeneuticalness") has previously Posted a very witty, funny, and extremely "British", Post on his Blog, THE HERMENEUTIC OF CONTINUITY, entitled "Weather almost reaches "Rather Tiring" level". Here it is: The hermeneutic of continuity: Weather almost reaches "Rather Tiring" level

Fr's Post put Zephyrinus in mind of this Noël Coward 1941 composition, "London Pride", which can be found on YouTube and was uploaded by hostroute on 13 November 2008.

To listen, please CLICK, here.


See if you agree whether the two things match up.


File:Noel Coward Allan warren edit 1.jpg

Portrait for Noël Coward's last Christmas Card.
Photograph by Allan Warren.
Date: 1972.
Source: Own work / allanwarren.com
Author: Allan Warren.
(Wikimedia Commons)


Coward wrote "London Pride" in the Spring of 1941, during the Blitz. According to his own account, he was sitting on a seat on a platform of a damaged railway station in London, and was "overwhelmed by a wave of sentimental pride". The song started in his head, there and then, and was finished in a few days.

The song compares the pride of wartime Londoners to the flower "London Pride" which can grow anywhere and was often found growing on bomb sites.

Coward gave many morale boosting broadcasts to people in wartime London, via the BBC.


4 comments:

  1. A great posting, if I might say so. I viewed the blog (left a comment) then listened to Noel Coward.

    Which was best? I don't think it matters... both uplifting.

    With Best Wishes for a Happy and joyful Easter - in case we don't speak before then.

    I've taken up painting - did you notice? :0)

    ReplyDelete
  2. As always, thanks, John.

    Pleased you like the Post.

    May I reciprocate your most welcome Easter wishes. A very Happy, Holy and Peaceful Easter to you and yours.

    Good news about the painting. I have been monitoring your progress. Do you take commissions for kitchens and bathrooms ?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you; no bathroom commissions but some in the pipeline :0)

    Just spotted some more cloister hereabouts: The Cloisters at the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi, John.

    Those pesky Cloisters are spreading !!!

    Indeed, the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano does have superb examples.

    Enjoy your Painting over the Easter Holiday (I look forward to your first Exhibition) and may all your Easter Liturgy be awesome.

    in Domino.

    ReplyDelete

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