Titanic mystery over violin 'from band leader who played on'

Telegraph ^ | 1-31-12

[DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis]

An auctioneer has hired experts to try to verify claims by the owner of the century old instrument that it belonged to Wallace Hartley, the leader of the vessel’s eight-man musical ensemble.

If proved, it could become the most valuable Titanic artefact ever to be considered for auction. But the claim is being treated with caution as a result.

Hartley and his fellow musicians earned legendary status for their decision to play on as the ship sank on its maiden voyage on April 15, 1912.

They are said to have played the hymn “Nearer My God to Thee” after the vessel hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic.

Press reports at the time said that when Hartley’s body was recovered from the water his violin was strapped to his chest.

The violin and its case were said at the time to be being sent to the White Star line for forwarding to England.

But mystery has surrounded its fate thereafter.

Now the auctioneer Henry Aldridge & Son of Devizes, Wilts, which has a worldwide reputation for handling Titanic artefacts, has disclosed that he has been shown what he believes could prove to be Wallace’s violin.

[Vigilanteman]

They are said to have played the hymn “Nearer My God to Thee” after the vessel hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic.

said to have?

There were scores of people rescued from the Titanic who witnessed this final heroic act of the band members on that fated vessel. Some of them even gave sworn congressional testimony which was recorded only days after the rescue vessels arrived in New York harbor. The entire transcript of the congressional hearings were released as a book not long after the fictionalized Hollywood version of the film Titanic was released.

Yes, people lie in congressional testimony, but where is the incentive to lie here? And why the skepticism of the media to duly recorded testimony just because it proves that we were a more religious and heroic people then versus now?

[re_nortex]

With the 100th Anniversary approaching, would there be any interest in a Titanic ping list?

There are a number of highly intelligent posters here on Free Republic interested in all aspects of RMS Titanic: the history, the legends, the myths (NOPOPE), the people (Captain Stanley Lord), the books and the films.

[hoosierham]

Because the atheists in the media can’t believe anyone would act other than in selfish self-preservation of one’s own body;if you don’t believe in God then self-sacrifice and piety are insane.

[Bon of Babble]

There is dispute over whether “Near My God to Thee” or “Autumn” was the final song played on the Titanic.

Walter Lord writes in A Night to Remember:

The strains of “Autumn” were buried in a jumble of falling musicians and instruments. The lights went out, flashed on again, went out for good. A single kerosene lantern flickered high in the after mast.

There has never been a mixture like it — 29 boilers...the jeweled copy of the Rubiayat...800 cases of shelled walnuts...15,000 bottles of ale and stout...huge anchor chains (each link weighed 175 pounds)...30 cases of golf clubs and tennis rackets for Spaulding...Eleanor Widener’s trousseau...tons of coal...Major Peuchen’s tin box...30,000 fresh eggs...dozens of potted palms...5 grand pianos...a little mantel clock in B-38...the massive silver duck press.

[the OlLine Rebel]

I loved the Titanic. I got all into it as a child - and within 3 years, it was found. I built/painted a whole model, as well as read everything I could in middle school. I even did a whole long Titanic presentation as a 14yo to my mother’s special-ed emotionally disturbed high school classes (she was in charge of that school, not just teacher). All a year or so prior to the finding.

[Harley]

.....dozens of potted palms...5 grand pianos...a little mantel clock in B-38...the massive silver duck press.

and a partridge in a pear tree.

[Vigilanteman]

I definitely would be interested in such a list. As mentioned in my post #2, I read the entire congressional transcript on the hearings. I've also made it a point to see earlier Hollywood renditions of the Titanic, all of which were far more historically accurate than the late 1990s version.

I'm deeply disturbed by the media cabal's ongoing efforts to erase as much of our religious heritage as possible from accounts of our historical events unless, that is, if it conforms to their anti-religion agenda.

Even the remake of True Grit deleted the hymn singing from the public hanging near the beginning of the film even though it is documented fact from the history of Judge Parker's famous gallows at Ft. Smith.

[IronJack]

why the skepticism of the media to duly recorded testimony

Because other witnesses testified that the band played ragtime airs and other secular music as well during the sinking. It has never been definitively proven that the ensemble played "Nearer My God to Thee."

But I agree that is makes for a much more poignant story.

[IronJack]

should be “IT makes ...”

[Vigilanteman]

I think there is room for dispute as to whether “Near My God to Thee” or “Autumn” was the final song played on the Titanic. People were boarding lifeboats under high stress circumstances. Most of them had no way of knowing whether they were even boarding the last lifeboat, much less hearing the last song which the band played.

What isn't in dispute is that the band performed heroically and these were among the last songs played.

[IronJack]

I loved the Titanic.

As do I. I've been fascinated by shipwrecks since my grade school years and Titanic is the queen mother of them all.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Some say that they actually played “Autumn”, a popular tune at the time.

http://www.snopes.com/history/titanic/lastsong.asp

[Vigilanteman]

See my post #11. Witness memories would naturally reflect which particular songs the band was playing while they were waiting to board the lifeboats. Not necessarily the order of the songs.

I even have a CD from the era which has all the songs the band played as mentioned by Titanic survivors.

The ragtime songs dominate the beginning of the CD though of course there is no way to reconstruct the exact sequence with 100% accuracy.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-—And why the skepticism of the media to duly recorded testimony just because it proves that we were a more religious and heroic people then versus now?-—

This is actually a “God moment” for me, because about a week ago I heard conservative local Boston radio talk show hosts debate this point, prompted by reports from Italy that wealthy passengers on the ill fated Concordia tried to buy seats on life boats with their money and jewelry.

The Catholic host said, “doesn’t this show how far our society has fallen in 100 years. When the Titanic sank, the band played, “Nearer my God to thee.”

The agnostic replied along the lines of, “that’s stupid. Why not grab something to float on.”

I felt like taking a shower, I was so disgusted.

I wonder if this discovery will get enough publicity, so people can make the connection.

[re_nortex]

I definitely would be interested in such a list.

What can we do to make that ping list a reality? For instance, I can see it being useful in a few weeks to remind us when A Night to Remember will likely be shown.

As mentioned in my post #2, I read the entire congressional transcript on the hearings. I'm deeply disturbed by the media cabal's ongoing efforts to erase as much of our religious heritage as possible from accounts of our historical events unless, that is, if it conforms to their anti-religion agenda.

And that's yet another reason why those interested in Titanic could benefit from a ping list. We could learn from each other in the context of a Conservative forum where no apology need be given for our pro-God stance when we explore history.

Perhaps going into the legend or myth category, I long ago read that until Coca Cola became the most widely recognized "brand name" worldwide (in the 1930's), the name Titanic was known in virtually every corner of the earth. In April 1912, mass media was flourishing and the then-new wireless was transmitting communications to hitherto unreached areas of the globe. The Titanic was a very big story, arguably the story that made The New York Times the newspaper of record in that era.

[re_nortex]

The film version of Walter Lord's A Night to Remember Will air on TCM at 10:00 PM Eastern on Saturday, April 14, 2012. I realize this is quite a few weeks away but I wanted to let everyone know about it now since this thread is now active.

Vision: Can you please ping the TCM Classic Movie list when we get closer to the showing?

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

If you ever want to hear a spooky, emotional piece of music, check out "The Sinking of the Titanic" by Gavin Bryars. He takes the idea that sound will travel through water indefinitely and combines it with the music the band was playing as they sank beneath the waves. It's a symphonic piece, recorded in a giant empty water tank to give it a metallic, echo-y sound.

Youtube: The Sinking of the Titanic

Same composer also did a great piece where he took a snippet of a British homeless man singing a couple of lines of the hymn "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet," loops it, and then builds an entire symphonic accompaniment around it.

[Vision]

Sure. Will you remind me that Thursday or Friday?

[seenenuf]

I've come across a new cookbook called: “RMS Titanic, dinner is Served” with menus, recipes and pictures of the food served on the Titanic. Beautiful book...then found out the author (Yvonne Hume)is the great niece the first violinist on the Titanic. Her new book, “The First Violin”, has the history of that musician short life and how the owner of the ship treated the employees and survivers.
Fascinating, if you love history - and the Titanic.