Vietnam Diary: Great Bloody Xmas Break
2016 · Wirripang Wirr 074 · Sydney, Australia
- Artist
- Halcyon
- Title
- Vietnam Diary: Great Bloody Xmas Break
- Release
- War Letters: New Music Commemorating WWI
- Year
- 2016
- Label
- Wirripang # Wirr 074
- Format
- CD · Album
- Language
- English
- Country
- Sydney, Australia
- Songwriter
- Diana Blom
- Genre
- Western Classical Music · Chamber Music
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation — Australian & New Zealand Songs
Australian and New Zealand commemoration of World War One, using war letters, and placing them to music, which also contained a reference to the Vietnam War. Recorded on 14 and 15 November 2015 at the Western Sydney University (WSU), the project received funding from the Australian Government's ANZAC Centenary Local Grants Program, with support from WSU. The product notes said: "War Letters commemorates through music, the service and sacrifice of Australian servicemen and women in the First World War during the ANZAC centenary. Four Australian composers, representing four generations, have taken excerpts from original letters written during times of conflict, and set the words to music for singers and ensemble...Sydney-based Diana Blom’s piece features letters from three different wars - WWI, Vietnam and Afghanistan".1 Diana Blom is Associate Professor, Music, in the School of Humanities and Communication Arts, at WSU, born in New Zealand, and currently based in Sydney, Australia. Her section of the album contained the song "Vietnam Diary: Great Bloody Xmas Break" (Wirripang # Wirr 074) which recites a 17 December 1969 letter from Australian soldier David Wilkins, fighting in the…
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Notes
Recorded 14-15 November 2015 at Western Sydney University for the Anzac centenary.
About the artist
Halcyon - Sydney new-music vocal ensemble; this piece by Diana Blom (born New Zealand, Associate Professor of Music at Western Sydney University) sets a letter of 17 December 1969 from the soldier David Wilkins.