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Ataturk Memorial

for SATB choir and organ or keyboard, or a cappella, by A Ritchie, Opus191b

This moving chorus comes from Gallipoli to the Somme and sets words by the great Turkish leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, taken from the Anzac war memorial in Canberra. This healing text is the emotional climax of the work, and a reflection of the tragedy that was World War I.

The chorus is at the end of this Dunedin performance
or an unaccompanied version at 55:42 of thisWhānau Voices of Aotearoa, far from home performance.
video link

This chorus was arranged by the composer for organ from the original orchestral version - Ritchie's Gallipoli to the Somme Opus 191
Those heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives, you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side in this country of ours. You, the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears, your sons are now lying in our bosoms and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they become our sons as well.

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