ROMANCE – ON THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND OF KOH KOOD, THAILAND
Romance, Well actually Romance Anonimo ( Anonymous Romance).
There is no known author that can be attributed to the composition of this piece of music
Yet it is one of the most recognized and loved pieces which is normally played on classical guitar.
I find though, that in a lot of European countries where I play it there is always someone who claims it is from their country
Be it Spain, France, Italy, or Greece.
On a recent visit to Danang in Vietnam, I was sitting in a port cafe and a Vietnamese girl selling marble turtles asked me if she could play something on my guitar.
Expecting some heavy metal or pop song I was surprised to hear her play Romance.
It was probably first made popular by a French film entitled ‘ Les Jeux interdits’ ( The Forbidden Games) A 1952 French war drama where Romance was used as the soundtrack.
While working on a cruise ship contract I was approached by a member of the crew who asked me to play at her renewal of wedding vows ceremony on the beautiful Thai Island of Ko Kood.
The ceremony was to be conducted by the Ships Captain on the beach.
This of course was a very important event and she was quite concerned that everything would be perfect and that we should meet to discuss the music I would play.
However we never really could find the time for this so I told her not to worry and to leave the music to me.
So I find myself installed on the beach while the ceremony was underway and I hadn’t really thought about what I would play but when I looked at the couple who were obviously still very much in love and in the perfect setting , like a soundtrack to a love story, I began to play Romance.
It was probably the perfect choice and I felt as if I was watching a film that I was also performing in… it couldn’t have been more perfect.
During my contract, we had a great guest entertainer magician ( Peter Mehtab ) and he was also a guest at the ceremony and took the perfect picture of me which I ended up using for the Front cover photo of my latest album ‘ Mundo Lindo‘
This piece of music was one of the first I learned on the Spanish guitar and is a standard for students of classical guitar but I never get tired of it and neither do those who listen to it.
Then the romantic couple renew their wedding vows…Maria Fernando Magalhaes and Eduardo Dias Madureira
The romantic couple renewing their wedding vows…Maria Fernando Magalhaes and Eduardo Dias Madureira
Captain Daag congratulating the bride.