Dancing Union Jack bunting leads you to the little green house, venue for Farewell Zealandia, Forgotten Kiwi Songs of WW1. The Union Jacks are appropriate for this was Britain’s war and New Zealand’s participation was a rally to the call of Empire.
It’s believed a staggering 500 or so songs were composed in New Zealand during WW1 but most of these have not survived. Farewell Zealandia throws the spotlight on 20 of them, now part of the collection of the archive at Musical Heritage New Zealand.
One hundred years on, the songs appear jingoistic and sentimental revealing a naivety strange to jaundiced 21st century ears. But the lyrics are so heartfelt and trusting it’s hard not to feel moved as you walk through the exhibition.
The little house, reflecting those in which many New Zealanders lived at the time, is the perfect backdrop for the songs and careful thought has been put into the setting for each. “Camp Stew” is simmering in the kitchen and an old wheel chair sits beneath “The Red-Cross Nurse”.
Each exhibit includes background information on the composer and lyricist and photographs relating to the lyrics, all contributing to a better appreciation of New Zealand’s war. The collection of songs – so few out of the hundreds composed during the four years of war – reflects the importance of popular music at the time when there was a piano in most homes and new publications were eagerly awaited.
By each exhibit there is a hearing trumpet. The songs were recorded recently by Radio New Zealand and a link is on their website. http://www.radionz.co.nz/collections/farewell-zealandia. A CD of the songs is planned.
The exhibition is a collaboration between Te Manawa Museum of Art, Science and History and Musical Heritage New Zealand. Touring options are being worked on but if you’re able to, I recommend strolling beneath the Union Jacks to the green house in Palmerston North before Farewell Zealandia closes on 30 August 2015.