Critical Analysis

Before the Smoke Falls

    I stand in anticipation aboard a vessel headed toward the beaches of Normandy. It is June 6th, 1944 and I am prepared to defeat the Axis forces in France. Vivid sounds of aircraft fly overhead followed by sirens alerting the attack. The noise is suffocating, but I will not fail my mission - I’m here to bring liberty and freedom to Europe. Adrenaline surges through me as the noises escalate. The day is grey, but filled with patriotism and angst against the Axis powers. We will fight until “the victory is won” and will be “shaken with the violence of war” (Franklin). These images are brought to life in the tributary orchestral composition “D-Day: The Landing” recorded by the British Broadcasting Orchestra (BBC).

    On June 6th, 1944, over 150,000 Allied military personnel embarked on a mission to defeat Axis powers and liberate northern France on the Normandy coastal region (History). This battle has inspired various musical compositions that serve tribute to the day. “D-Day: The Landing” compliles Holst’s “Mars” and speeches by General Dwight Eisenhower and President Franklin Roosevelt which develop the emotions of soldiers and the story of the battle without sung lyrics. In addition, this composition includes electronically placed sounds of battle: heavy machinery, shrapnel flying through the air, grenades blasting, aircraft circling the battle ground, sounds and opinions of the leaders of the attack.

    Consistent with its representative intention, the patriotic tune moves near the pace of a soldier's march (120 beats per minute). In order for a musical composition to be successful in its intention, tempos must match the mood of the piece. The introduction section of “D-Day: The Landing” resembles a very typical march, a steady pulse felt by a consistent snare and bass drum. In the middle of the piece, the tempo slows and suddenly halts - representing a let down in battle. The pause leads into President Roosevelt’s speech, “For the enemy is strong, he may hurl back our forces, success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again” (Franklin). After the monologue, the tempo takes off, along with electronic sounds of planes trifling through the grey sky. The composers, H.B. Hingley and Kenneth Alwyn, articulately displayed the storyline of this battle by adapting the tempo and describing by speech what was occurring.

    Besides the effective use of tempo, the arrangement also utilizes sounds of the band, both dynamically and instrumentally, to create the mood of the song and storyline. When used properly, dynamics enforce the storyline and interest the listener while complimenting the tempo. In “D-Day: The Landing”, french horns and trumpets perform loud brassy accents filled with sforzandos which represent the clashing forces and display the conflict at hand. As he slows down the tempo, the volume of the piece decreases dramatically to a whisper, then slowly crescendos as the intensity of the battle reaches its climax. By utilizing overbearingly low sounds to complement the higher sounds of the ensemble, the excruciatingly loud volume projects the intensity of battle making it clear to the listener that the fight at reached its climax.

    Though tempo and dynamic choices have enhanced this piece, the originality is lacking. While listening to this arrangement, I question why the BBC Orchestra chose to reuse Holst’s “Mars” as the main melody despite its effectiveness. Although the piece presents this war scene, it may have been more impactful as an original composition. Despite employing electronic battle sounds such as aircraft, weapons, and individual voices, it’s obvious to an educated musician that the main motif was the “Mars” melody. This reuse, although effective in showing the eeriness of war, seems unparallelled to its purpose. In my evaluative opinion, the music should have been developed to reconstruct the specific battle and the emotions of the time.

    Musically, “D-Day: The Landing” effectively recreates the emotion, eeriness, and patriotism of one of America’s most celebrated battles. As an orchestra, BBC performed tempos and dynamics to Holst’s “Mars” which developed and exaggerated the storyline established by famous speeches, making it clear this was a story of battle. Those interested in history or orchestral music in general will appreciate this piece for its strategically placed tempo and dynamic changes in addition to its electronic sounds. Despite the lack of originality, this arrangement deserves a four out of five stars because of its impeccable tempo and dynamic choices.   

Works Cited

Dwight D. Eisenhower Launches Operation Overload.” History.com,

A&E Television Networks, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/general-dwight-d-eisenhower-launches-operation-overlord%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0. Accessed: 8 Jan. 2017.                                         

                      

“Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum - Our Documents.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum - Our Documents, docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/odddayp.html. Accessed: 8 Jan. 2017.