ROSY PARLANE

World War II Hall of Memories

View gallery

The names of men and women of the Auckland province lost during World War II are recorded in the marble Hall of Memories. Panels commemorating New Zealand’s loss in Korea, the Malaya-Borneo conflict and Vietnam, are also enshrined here.

Dawn

Track 9 length 6:02

Like Chris Adams, who composed his ‘Echoed Memories’ for the World War I Sanctuary, Rosy Parlane found himself drawn to the bugle call of ‘The Last Post’ when composing his piece for the World War II memorial. Rather than quoting the whole melody, he used just the first two notes, which you might recognise among the layers of guitars, harmonium, keyboards, samples and vinyl crackle in his composition.

Memorial spaces are for the living to remember the dead, yet Parlane didn’t want his piece to be purely an elegy. Being a parent helped him to imagine the loss felt by those who were left behind, as symbolised in the stained-glass images of women, children and the elderly. The grandeur and robustness of the main theme acknowledge their strength and courage. The recordings of birds and natural sounds at the end of the piece signify a new dawn, the return of life and the end of war.

About the Artist 

Rosy Parlane is an experimental electronic musician whose recent recordings have been released by the UK label Touch. His full and intricate soundscapes are comprised of guitars, pianos, samples and digitally manipulated field recordings. He started his musical career in 1993 as drummer for avant-garde rock trio Thela, who released two CDs under indie label Ecstatic Peace!. After the group disbanded in 1997, Parlane moved into abstract electronic-based music and performed with ex-Thela member Dion Workman in their duo Parmentier. He has also collaborated with Austrian musician Christian Fennesz and been involved in experimental film soundtracks and gallery installations, including a 2002 performance at the Tate Modern Gallery in London. He recently performed at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of the Ether Festival 2009.

Rosy Parlane website 

Track Credits

Written and recorded by Rosy Parlane, March/April 2009.
Published by Touch Music (MCPS).