There comes a time at most funerals when the minister or priest will address those in attendance and say, "We come here not to mourn a death, but to celebrate a life." While such a statement is meant to provide comfort, the reality is that a loved one's death is a tragic event for those left behind.
While expressions of grief are expected and may also serve therapeutic purposes, at any wake or memorial service there should be a soothing influence to help temper the sadness and provide a pleasant reminder of the personality of the departed. One way to accomplish this may be through the playing of music that the deceased had enjoyed. As most funeral homes have sound systems in place that will accept CDs or even MP3 inputs, the technical aspect of playing the music at a wake is not a problem. The question that remains is what type of music is appropriate that best celebrates the unique spirit of the departed?
If the deceased's favorite songs can be recalled, transfer those songs onto the appropriate media and request that the funeral home play the selection either continuously or at a special time. If some of the departed's favorite songs have lyrics that may be questionable for a calling hour setting, try to obtain an instrumental version of the song. If the deceased was a fan of a particular style of music, a search of the internet such as "popular funeral songs" will provide many examples of music ranging from classical to country to rock. With a little research, many popular pieces can be found that will be both tasteful and uplifting at any memorial service
For some families however, a quieter tribute may be desired at the wake. There is a growing trend to use wind chimes to provide soothing music to assist in maintaining the dignity of the setting. The chimes are usually set up on a stand (normally provided by the funeral home) and placed by the casket. A spray of flowers are commonly used to adorn the bottom of the stand. If there is no natural air movement in the area where the chimes are set up, a small fan hidden on the floor will provide chimes the ability to play their music of the breezes.
It was once eloquently stated by Aldous Huxley that "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Whether the deceased was a fan of classical, pop, country, or the simple melodic tones of wind chimes, the playing of the music that they loved at a funeral can be the ideal way to truly celebrate their life.
葬儀 葛飾
There are no comments on this page. [Add comment]