| ID | 126028 |
| Title Proper | Music in a time of war |
| Other Title Information | a gaon family's life in Japanese occupied Burma |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | D'Souza, Gerald |
| Publication | 2011. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | My grandfather, Alex De Souza, from the Goan village of Sangolda, was a typical early emigrant to Burma. At his parish school, he had studied Portuguese, Konkani, Christian doctrine and sacred music. He went to Rangoon in the first decade of the 20th century. This was an era of silent movies, when live musicians with excellent sight-reading skills were needed to provide the background music to the films being screened, from printed scores provided by the producers. Musicians were also needed for the orchestras that played in hotels and clubs, and in British military bands. Talented Goan musicians found ready opportunities in the large cities of British India, of which Burma was then a part. In Rangoon, living in a 'chummery' (bachelor lodgings) to begin with, Alex joined a string quartet of violins, viola and cello, playing light chamber music such as Strauss waltzes, Hungarian dances, Gypsy airs, Italian ballads (cancions), Iberian tangos and the like for formal luncheons and dinners at the Strand Hotel and Pegu Club. |
| `In' analytical Note | Himal Vol.24, No.12; December 2011: p.58-61 |
| Journal Source | Himal Vol.24, No.12; December 2011: p.58-61 |
| Key Words | War ; Music in War ; History ; World War - II ; Cold War ; Vietnam War ; Burma ; Japan ; Japanese Occupied Burma - JOB ; Christian Doctrine ; Sacred Music ; 20th Century ; Italian Ballads ; Portuguese ; Konkani ; Parish School |