Funeral music and media
A funeral or memorial service is often a celebration of life, so it is important to choose funeral music that will evoke memories of the person who has died.
Funeral music that is chosen to say goodbye to our loved ones is often chosen because it evokes memories of that person. We take comfort in the familiarity of the tunes. It can be a revealing process to choose hymns and songs for our departed, as they say so much about the person we are mourning and articulate our loss when our own words fail.
Choosing funeral music
- Songs that help mourners reflect on the deceased, grieve over their passing and celebrate their life.
- Select music that provides comfort and stimulates pleasant memories of the departed person.
- Pick songs that reflect the person’s personality or likes.
- If the song has special relevance to the deceased, consider preparing a short verbal introduction or add a brief explanation in the service sheet so all mourners can understand its significance.
- Ask the family if they have any ideas or special requests, it’s good to involve others.
- Consider instrumental funeral music or even film or TV themes
- Listen to the song completely beforehand, and look over the lyrics to ensure that it is appropriate.
- There are many websites that will list lyrics and let you preview and purchase songs.
- Some ministers may only allow traditional music and hymns in church, some may allow you to provide your own music via download or on CD.
- The crematoria which we regularly attend are Bentley, Chelmsford, South Essex at Upminster, Pitsea, and Forest Park. All of these use a system called Obitus for their Music and Media. Please see below.
- You might consider live music such as an organist, soloist or choir, bagpipes, Spanish guitars, or a Jazz Band.
Crematorium and cemetery media system
As mentioned above most of our local crematoria use obtuse as their media system, it is extremely good with very few issues.
Obitus utilise a modern, accessible web platform – obitus.com – to receive and manage music and media orders from crematoria, chapels, or funeral directors. Simple web forms allow professional bereavement users to order music, media, or webcasts from where the system then automatically updates them via email as the progress of their orders to completion. As well as providing a full audit trail, the system saves crematorium staff time and increases efficiency for all parties involved. Obitus.com is used to manage all media.
Music
Through obitus.com family and friends can listen to music tracks and hymns to establish which is best for them. Many hymns have the option of a choral background for those whose families do not feel comfortable singing. If your preferred song is not on the Obitus site it can be ordered, so long as it is commercially available, this generally excludes YouTube songs. Family members can log onto obitus.com and then use the password ‘emotion’ to access the music library.
Visual tributes
From simply having a photograph on display next to the coffin or on an easel to playing a photo slideshow or video during the service, visual tributes are another way in which to personalise the day. Video tributes can be uploaded from absent family members who may be unable to attend the service.
Many people like the idea of a photo slideshow, this can be prepared and uploaded by the family onto the Obitus platform once we have generated the link for you. Alternatively, you can provide the photos digitally or in hard copy for us to scan and we will put the slide show together for you and provide you with a memory stick to keep. Generally, the slide show is accompanied by a piece of music as a period of reflection during the service, in this way it becomes a focus and not a distraction as may be the case if images were shown throughout the service.
Webcasts
Sometimes it is impossible for family and friends to attend a funeral, therefore the webcasting option becomes invaluable for those who cannot be there in person. Bennetts Funeral Directors will arrange for a unique username and password, this can be given to whoever you wish to enable them to log in to the Obitus platform to view the service privately and securely in real-time via the internet from wherever they are in the world. There is a watch again option and the option for the service to be saved onto a DVD, Blu-ray, or memory stick
Once choices have been made within the family, discussed and agreed with the minister or celebrant Bennetts Funeral Directors’ team can easily manage orders for music, visual tributes, and webcasts. The website is regularly updated to keep all professionals involved fully up to date with the service progress.
Churches
The music facilities available at the church will vary dependent on the church. In most cases, an organist will be arranged and a facility provided in order to play any pre-recorded music you may wish to hear; please agree to all music with your minister as some prefer not to have secular music played in church. Choirs and soloists can be booked via the church or Bennetts Funeral Directors.
If you would like to discuss music and media, or you are having a funeral service in the church and would like to ask about their music facilities, please contact Bennetts Funeral Directors or your minister for assistance.
Call us on 01277 210104 and 01277 627492, We are here to help.