Wednesday, November 05, 2008

"Born of a Dream, Died of a Dream."

The words are those of Wang Jinyao, on Communism in China.

Communism is an evil system, but when it began it embodied the hopes of many.

There is no more moving national anthem than that of the former Soviet Union. The lyrics that accompany the version below were those in effect until the downfall of Communism. This epic melody has been retained by Russia, but the original lyrics convey the supreme hope embodied in the Communist experiment in the U.S.S.R., and in its founder, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.

One can celebrate the death of a system while still feeling the sorrow for those who believed in it so completely.

This is the most compelling of the video accompaniments to the anthem. It crests at :50, 1:57, and 3:07. "Oh Party of Lenin!" is both shouted and wailed by the Red Army Choir as the videographer juxtaposes dramatic images of Lenin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yDrtNEr_5M&feature=related