About six miles from Maastricht, in the Netherlands, lie buried 8,301 soldiers who died in Operation Market Garden in the battles to liberate Holland in the fall and winter of 1944-5. Every one of the men buried in the cemetery has been adopted by a Dutch family who mind the grave, decorate it, and keep alive the memory of the soldier they have adopted. It is even the custom to keep a portrait of their soldier in a place of honor in their home. Annually, on Liberation Day, memorial services are held for the men who died to liberate Holland. The day concludes with a concert. The final piece is always Il Silenzio, a memorial piece commissioned by the Dutch and first played in 1965 on the 20th anniversary of Hollands liberation. It has been the concluding piece of the memorial concert ever since. This year the soloist was a 13-year-old Dutch girl, Melissa Venema, backed by André Rieu and his orchestra (the Royal Orchestra of the Netherlands). This beautiful concert piece is based upon the original version of taps and was composed by Italian composer Nino Rossi.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 23:59:16 +0000