Here’s music for Armistice Day, specifically 9 Composers Touched By The Great War. As it notes, “It was supposed to be the ‘war to end all wars,’ but of course, it wasn’t. An estimated 9 million service members and another 7 million civilians died in the bloodbath of World War I. Included in the ranks were many leading artists of the day — poets, musicians, and composers.”
For instance, “War steals the greatest treasures of the living. It did when English composer George Butterworth died at the age of 31 in 1916 from sniper fire during the Battle of the Somme.”
The article actually lists ten pieces of music, including a second one by Maurice Ravel. “Here’s one more that grew from Ravel’s experiences in World War I. Saddened by death and brutality he witnessed, and his mother’s passing at the end of the war, Ravel composed this tribute to one of France’s greatest composers, Francois Couperin (1668-1733). Ravel named each of the six movements after artist friends who died in the war.
“There is nothing somber about the sound of the piece, which became a point of criticism for Ravel, who responded: “The dead are sad enough, in their eternal silence.” — Karla Walker”
Le trombeau de Couperin-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Jaime Martín
And, just because, Armistice Day – Paul Simon
Best & Worst Veterans Charity Ratings
From Charity Watch, November 8, 2026:
As Veterans Day approaches, many Americans will honor those who have served our country by donating to nonprofits that promise to help veterans and their families. But not all veterans charities are equally deserving of your support.
While some organizations use donations efficiently to provide meaningful assistance to veterans, others spend far too much on fundraising and overhead, leaving comparatively little for the programs donors intend to support.
If you receive a direct mail letter with sad photos of injured vets, encounter a pushy telemarketer who won’t take no for an answer, or come across an emotionally evocative video on social media, it’s important to separate the marketing from the reality of how your donations will actually be used.
Top-Rated organizations generally spend at least 75% of their cash budgets on programs and no more than $25 to raise each $100 in public support. Unlike rating systems that rely primarily on charities’ self-reported financial information, CharityWatch conducts in-depth analyses of audited financial statements, IRS tax filings, and other documents, making adjustments when necessary to provide donors with a more accurate picture of how efficiently their contributions are raised and spent.
