This Friday marked the 75th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, a celebration of the peace in Europe that followed the end of World War 2 and brought an end to the tragic loss of life and the suffering that was endured by so many.
Despite the restrictions on public celebrations, it was lovely to see people engage virtually with this historic moment in different ways. From acknowledging the 2 minutes silence at 11am, to organising a “safe-distanced” street parties with bunting and sweet treats to share.
George and I wanted to remember loved ones whose lives were changed immeasurably by the events of World War 2. To celebrate the freedom, we are so lucky to have and the lasting peace we so gratefully enjoy, all thanks to the courage of many by singing three songs that we felt caught the atmosphere of the day.
We’ll gather Lilacs, Danny Boy and We’ll Meet Again.
We combined these three songs with one of our favourite English Songs, Love’s Philosophy. Fun Fact – this poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley will feature as part of our delayed wedding favours.
We decided to finish with a flourish of Operetta, Art is Calling for Me and we hope that you enjoy our programme.
What a lovely tribute! God Bless us <3
Hello Annette, I am glad that you enjoyed our musical sharing to commemorate VE Day. Thank you for your words of positivity through your Angel Messages. They never cease to bring a smile to my face.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Beautiful George and Charlotte. We’ll Meet Again was perfect for this day. Thank you again for the lovely music.
Hello John, it was lovely to sing “we’ll meet again”. It is a powerful song and I think the message is just as poignant at the moment.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
I always imagine a couple during WWII getting strength from the song even as they are separated.
Wow. Another great performance. A slight twist on classic songs with a beautiful opera voice mixed in. Well done to you both.
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the performance Mart. Thank you for your kind words of support.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
looking forward to the next one too.
Charlotte, we watched this live and loved all of it. Danny Boy never fails to move me and you sang it beautifully, thank you. The aria Art is Calling For Me was an inspired closing song. One of the things that works so well is your communication with George, which is warm, yet light and easy — and beautiful playing too.
How wonderful that you joined us live from your home – I thought of you when we performed Danny Boy. Thank you for the suggestion – it is a gorgeous song. It is always a treat to perform alongside George and it is nice in this performance setting to be able watch him play and send a couple of smiles his way.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Lovely video! So glad I took the time to listen! Thank you so much!
It brings me a great deal of joy, that you enjoyed the concert. Thank you for listening Alisa. It is a highlight of our week and we will keep singing whilst we all navigate these strange times.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Happy VE Day. My dad was stationed in England during WWII. We never had Spam when I was growing up because my dad hated Spam after eating so much of it in England during the war. Monty Python’s Spam skit holds a special place in my heart because it reminds me of my dad’s stories from WWII and his complaints about Spam spam spam spam. That was a little off subject, wasn’t it?
That was a wonderful balcony concert. George’s poke at the end of your drawn-out finale was hilarious. That is a lovely dress you were wearing. I like George’s shirt, also. Have a great week.
Your memories of SPAM made me chuckle as I know the Monty Python skit well from my spending Saturdays at my Grandad’s home. I am glad you enjoyed our lighter moments in the concert too! We thought we would end with a giggle.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Vous êtes super tous les deux !!! Je suis impatient que le restriction soi levées et que l’on puisse se revoir tous les trois !!!! Meilleurs pensées !!!! (la guirlande de chouettes va bien sur le balcon 🙂 )
Absolument ! Ce sera un plaisir de vous voir bientôt et d’entendre parler tes idées créatives.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Great Photos of You and George…
VE Day! Congrats…..DArlene
Thank you, Darlene! Stay strong and healthy!
Best Wishes
Charlotte
I enjoyed your wonderful concert immensely!
Thank you for listening and for letting me know you enjoyed it! Your comment fills me with energy to plan the next concert, so that we can continue to experience live music together.
Best wishes
Charlotte
My daughter has also delayed her wedding, congratulations to you both, and the choices you’ve made. L’chaim!
I am sorry to hear that your daughter has also postponed her wedding. It is a very difficult decision but the extra time allows for more time to enjoy the details and build up excitement for when it is safe to share a beautiful day with friends and family. I send you and your family extra strength and love!
Best Wishes
Charlotte
What a powerful celebration of VE Day! So much to remember and be thankful for.
Stay safe!
We have so much to be thankful for! So many fought hard to enable the freedoms in life that we often take advantage of today. Thank you, Sheila for joining me in celebrating their efforts.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Good morning my dear Hoather have a nice day
Hello Amritpal, may you continue to shine and spread positivity to others.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Lovely Charlotte. Your singing and George’s piano were so uplifting and just what I needed to lift me out of the isolation of, so far, 7 weeks. It brought more than one tear. Together with the pavement art by my little friend over the road from our bedroom window (so I can chat to her) and Katherine Jenkins’s performance from the Albert Hall, a perfect celebration of VE day, but it’s yours and George’s I will listen to whenever I feel a bit down.
As a matter of interest, the first VE Day was a few days before my 5th birthday; I remember that birthday well but for another reason.
Thank you both so much xxx
Sending you a virtual hug! I am glad that you could enjoy our music making and Katherine Jenkins from the Albert Hall – a touching performance! I thought some of the songs were very close to home at the moment whilst many of us are staying in. Thank you for sharing your pavement art story with me. I love how people are coming together at the moment and showing little moments of care.
I hope that you also had a lovely birthday!
Best Wishes
Charlotte
It is outstanding that V-E Day is still celebrated as much as it is. You two did a marvelous job of commemorating the era and helping your neighbors to join in despite the isolation.
I so appreciate you making the video for the rest of us to enjoy!
I am over the moon that you can join us. When we first stepped out onto our balcony in the first week, I didn’t imagine it could become a weekly affair and enable me to stay connected with my friends, such as your wonderful self, all over the world. It is a joy to do my bit.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Lovely tribute, Charlotte. I will let you know how hold I am – I was born on the day Hemingway ‘liberated’ the bar at the Ritz Carleton in Paris in August of 1944! So I missed the war, but not by much!
How amazing to be born during a moment of international liberation! You are a special lady Noelle, but I already knew this! I look forward to our collaboration together.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte,
Very powerful, heartfelt and a high performance.
The words you have chosen to describe this performance are so beautiful. Thank you! I will endeavour to continue to share music with you to my highest standard and I am thankful that you can listen.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
A beautiful performance 🙂 I tried to hit it live, but got delayed and so jumped on about 10 minutes after you had finished. I was still bale to listen, if not exactly live 🙂
VE Day is such an important day to celebrate. Doing it in song is a fantastic way to celebrate 🙂
Thank you for trying Trent! The great thing about YouTube is that it makes the video accessible with little editing needed. I am glad that you were able to still hear us.
I was glad that I could do my bit to celebrate this special occasion. My friends from Cheshire had baked and organised safe – distanced street parties. It was so beautiful to see people coming together safely.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
I only had a chance to listen to the first song from this week’s concert, but I’ll be back! Yes, YouTube does make it easy. The safe-distanced street party sounds good. We all do need special occasions.
I thoroughly enjoyed your concert, Charlotte and George. It was a lovely tribute to VE day, and made my morning today!
Hello Lavina, thank you for listening! I am glad that you enjoyed our contribution to the celebrations. Stay safe and healthy my friend.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
I’ve been enjoying your balcony concerts very much.
Celebrating VE Day here in the USA doesn’t happen much here. I don’t know if it’s because we’ve lost so much of their generation, and so few are still living.
BTW, Elizabeth has her next singing gig lined up when the restrictions come to an end. The restaurant where we did New Year’s Eve have asked if we can do opening night when they reopen. Of course, that’ll depend which night it is since she is a medical student.
Continued best wishes to you and George.
🙂
Hello David, thank you for joining us on this wild journey. It is lovely to stay connected through music at this time. How fantastic that your daughter has her first post-covid19 booking! I wish her the best of luck and I hope she has a magnificent time!
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Such a beautiful to commemorate a great day. The choice of songs!
A long time ago but I was seven and I remember the excitement, the sirens and bells.
You and George are bringing such joy to a lot of people.
Stay Safe, you both have a lot to look forward to.
How wonderful to have that memory Don! I love the idea of experiencing the sheer joy shared between a lot of people! Thank you for joining us week in week out, it means a lot to me.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Thank you for the wonderful concert. I’ll play it again later today. “Danny Boy” made my eyes all red. Must be my allergy…
My best friend Dave Kenney is a vet, now recuperating from a hip transplant. He served at Station Victor in Hurley, 1944, then in China, as close as 10 miles to the Japanese lines, until VJ Day.
I remember VE Day clearly. My mother was in the kitchen by the now-silent radio; my sister and I were doing watercolors in the breakfast room. My mother said, “They said to stand by, but nothing is happening.” A minute or two later, the announcement came that Germany had surrendered. My sister and I went outside and banged on cookware. My mother stayed inside and cried.
The headlines on the evening L.A. Daily News read: “SO SORRY, WAR NOT OVER YET.”
Thank you for sharing with me your memory of VE Day. I was sorry to read that for you and your family, VE Day did not mean that the world was over for you. I will continue to send my thanks across the seas, and I am grateful to all those who continued long after this date to ensure worldwide peace.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
So beautiful Charlotte and George! What a touching and fitting tribute. Geoffrey and I watched WWII movies all day on VE Day, here. It always puts us in such a reflective mood. I wish Geoff played the piano (only wind instruments and very rusty). I am not sure our neighbors would be receptive to a concert but I think it is wonderful. Hugs to you both. Stay safe and well. xo
Hello Beth and Geoffrey, I am glad that you enjoyed our tribute to VE Day. I think how you celebrated sounds like a wonderful idea to me. It is lovely to be able to reflect and take moments to be grateful.
Sending you a virtual squeeze!
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Another wonderful concert, Charlotte and George with a thoughtful choice of music.
Take care,both of you! xx
Stay safe and healthy Clare! Thank you for tuning in and sharing a historical moment with us.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
My pleasure, Charlotte. xx
Thank you!
It is our pleasure! Thank you for listening.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
What a gift to the neighbours, Charlotte. Thanks for sharing with cyber-neighbours. I thought you might add in a Scottish song or two.
Hello Simon, thank you for listening and becoming one of my cyber-neighbours. I love that phrase.
What a great idea to include some Scottish Songs. I shall look through my sheet music and find one of those beauties to share.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
My pleasure, Charlotte. I thought you would enjoy singing about your Bonnie Scotland!
How wonderful you do this. I’m so happy the weather is so lovely right now too.
Keep your fingers crossed Alex it stays nice to help us get through this, my Mum said it was a shame she wasn’t closer she’d love to sit in the courtyard and listen and she could loan me her garden umbrella hehe.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Your mum sounds as warm and friendly
As you
Always enjoy tuning into your weekly concerts, thanks. Hope you are ok? x
Thank you, Christine, that makes them all the more worthwhile. I wondered if with a relaxing of the lockdown rules a little the numbers out on their balcony would disappear but there still is a good turnout and it really helps me to keep up performance skills because the build-up on the day is the same as usual and the adrenaline rush is fabulous.
Best wishes
Charlotte
👏👏👏🎼👏👏👏
I love it when you sing Danny Boy and We’ll Meet Again. It’s the best I’ve ever heard.
Terrific tribute, and thank you to both of you!
Lovely!
Thank you again. (Merci) for this powerful work. Reminded me of my father who was in the French Air Force never had a chance to fight before France folded in June 40, but his cousins on our English side did fight in the war. I met them when I was a child. Funny conversations, all were bilingual started a phrase in French followed up in English. How come you speak French? Oh. Comes with the territory I guess. Probably speak Italian too.
De toutes façons merci encore.