Military Wives and music’s unifying joy
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/mar/11/military-wives-and-musics-unifying-joy Version 0 of 1. Letter: That there are a huge number of such choirs around the world gives cause for optimism, writes Meirion Bowen Maybe I’m getting old (80 in a month’s time) and a bit sentimental, but I found the film Military Wives rather moving. A variety of flaws are mentioned in Peter Bradshaw’s review (6 March). I would add that it is slightly limited by its main characters being largely well-to-do and middle-class. The music, while performed with enthusiasm and skill, also seemed to me only occasionally compelling. Nevertheless, the film for me asserts the power of music to unite creatively a diversity of people: and its impact on audiences is unifying and conciliatory. The fact there are a huge number of such choirs, not only all over this country but around the world gives cause for optimism. I myself have been engaged for almost the whole of my life in music-making among people of different age-groups, races and cultural backgrounds, amateurs and professionals. I see no reason to change now.Meirion BowenLondon • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters • Do you have a photo you’d like to share with Guardian readers? Click here to upload it and we’ll publish the best submissions in the letters spread of our print edition |