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Mark Plays The Last Post; Watch the video
Topic Started: Wednesday, 29. October 2014, 12:15 (163 Views)
qjamesfloyd
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Mark has been filmed at British Grove Studio's playing The Last Post as a tribute to WW1 Centenary, he is one of many musicians playing The Last Post on different instuments. Apart from being very beautiful, it's great to hear Mark play his gorgeous blue Pensa. You can watch it by clicking the link below:

The Last Post

Also, is Mark wearing a loom band on his right hand? :) My daughter made me one, and I love it.
"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc
Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy"
Mark Knopfler.
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Old Pigweed
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It's interesting for sure..... I've always loved that melody, and speaking of emotional music (because I just commented in that thread a few minutes ago), The Last Post has always been a deeply emotional piece for me, having had family and relatives participate in both the World Wars and having attended dozens of memorials and Remembrance Day ceremonies over the years.

To be honest though, I really feel it would have sounded better played on an acoustic guitar or almost any other less "affected" guitar. In other words, clean. Maybe it's tradition, or maybe the purist in me, but I think The Last Post should always be sounded clear, pure, and unaffected.

The other thing I sensed though, is that Mark rushed that performance a bit. Maybe it was deliberate; maybe not, but given those two issues, I didn't enjoy it at all.
Cheers,
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qjamesfloyd
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I do get what you saying, it was a bit rushed, but I think it's not the point. The point is the tribute, and for that Mark gets :waytogo:
"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc
Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy"
Mark Knopfler.
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Yes. Point taken, QJF.

I was simply expressing my personal opinion of the actual performance. However, in a case like this I would agree that the performance is certainly secondary to the reason behind its creation.

(Having said that though, I still reserve the right to critique the performance....) :uhoh:
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3Pints

"It’s a quiet life from here on in,
You’ve dropped your poisoned cup
The telephone is ringing, but you’re not picking up
"
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qjamesfloyd
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3Pints,Nov 3 2014
03:42 AM
(Having said that though, I still reserve the right to critique the performance....) :uhoh:

I wouldn't expect anything less from you 3Pints alch
"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc
Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy"
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Cheers, QJF! :winky:
Cheers,
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suprlinda
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On the news, I think last night here in the US, they had a story about The Last Post. Unfortunately, they didn't cover the music, but the field of poppies in memory of, I believe, 80,000 soldiers who died during WWI. I didn't catch where, but thought at the Tower of London. It was pretty impressive, as there was also footage from the air, and the poppies really showed up ringed around the Tower. What a sea of red!
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qjamesfloyd
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I think it was 800,000 poppies. They have all been sold to the public too.

On BBC Radio 5Live today they were talking about Mark's performance and asking if The Last Post had the same effect played on instruments different to the Bugle. They played Mark's version which I think sounds better on radio than laptop speakers. A former military Bugle player said he didn't like Mark's version as it should only be played on Bugle.
"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc
Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy"
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800,000 would make sense as that's approximately how many British troops were killed during the First World War. :(
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"It’s a quiet life from here on in,
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qjamesfloyd,Nov 8 2014
09:36 AM
On BBC Radio 5Live today they were talking about Mark's performance and asking if The Last Post had the same effect played on instruments different to the Bugle. They played Mark's version which I think sounds better on radio than laptop speakers. A former military Bugle player said he didn't like Mark's version as it should only  be played on Bugle.

I'm not necessarily a purist, but I do respect and appreciate tradition. So I would agree that "The Last Post" should always be played on a bugle (or trumpet) - at least at formal ceremonies.

However, it can also sound quite beautiful when played on other instruments. I think one of the keys to an effective or emotional performance is having a pure tone with some sustain and a natural decay. So it wouldn't work well on a banjo or mandolin for example, but it could on an acoustic guitar or an unaffected (clean-sounding) electric guitar.

Just my 3Pints worth....

P.S. I listened to it again as I was replying to this, and I think Mark's version is actually quite disappointing. :(
Cheers,
3Pints

"It’s a quiet life from here on in,
You’ve dropped your poisoned cup
The telephone is ringing, but you’re not picking up
"
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qjamesfloyd
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Yes, your right about the sustain and decay aspect.
Although I wouldn't call Mark's version disappointing I agree he could have done it better, but like I said before, over the radio it sounded better, however I think Mike Oldfield would have done a better job with The Last Post. But Mark does have the war connection.
"Yeah, me and my mate like ac-dc
Hot & sweaty, loud & greasy"
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