Lest we forget—A Memorial Day Playlist

by Collette Cook

A day celebrated since the 1800s, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance of those who have died in service to our country. We generally observe it by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, and participating in parades to honor those who have passed on before us.

 There is also an entire genre of music dedicated to honoring the dead—the Requiem. Originally, requiems were performed in liturgical services and were set to strictly religious text, but over time, they began to appeal to composers to an extent that the requiem became a genre of its own. They are now often used as commemorations to those lost in wars or tragedies.