Ghost of the Fitzgerald by David G Weiss

Ghost of the Fitzgerald by David G Weiss
Apropos for Halloween I’m posting, for the first time ever, a very short film I’ve created, “Ghost Of the Fitzgerald”. It recalls the tragic sinking of the SS Fitzgerald in Lake Superior in 1975, and the numerous sightings of a ghost ship of "The Fitz" thereafter.
I wrote and recorded the music about 10 years ago, and have performed it many times, but am only now putting images to the music. This is all public domain footage I found on the internet.
I feel a personal bond to this story: first, as a kid I spent many summers in my mom’s hometown of Duluth Minnesota. The Fitzgerald and many other Great Lakes freighters sailed out of Duluth, and I recall watching them on the lake many times. The tragic story of its sinking and “all hands lost” was not new to me.
However, what was new was learning that one of the crewman of “The Fitz” was also named David Weiss. He is pictured at 2:35 with a cowboy hat and sunglasses. I dedicate this film to him, the 29 men who went down with the Fitz, and to all workers who risk their lives at such dangerous work, often with meager recompense.
No bodies were ever recovered, but many years later, a very dangerous salvage operation was performed at The Fitz’s resting site in 530 feet of water. One of the items recovered was the ship’s bell. That was replaced with a new one, with the names and title of all those lost engraved on the bell, memorializing them and their sacrifice.
I am using very unusual flute techniques to get the sounds, “whistle tones” (recalling a sailor’s bosun whistle), and “wind tones” which recall the terrible winds during the storm that sank the Fitzgerald. C Flutes, Alto Flutes and other Low Flutes.
“Ghost Of The Fitzgerald”
Music composed by David G Weiss 2009
Film realized in 2020
© and ℗ David G. Weiss 2020
All Rights Reserved

[@robertmancuso6398]

I didn’t know this story. Devastating.. thank you for this video and the music

[@CarolruizNlpiano]

Interesting piece! Very mysterious...I can imagine I’m under the sea...Didn’t know the story...sounds like quite a tragedy indeed...

[@DavidGWeissFlutesWoodwinds]

Thank you so much Carol!

[@internationallowflutesfest2822]

Fantastic!!! i have spent time in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and knew of this tragedy. Lake Supeior can be a very scary place!

[@DavidGWeissFlutesWoodwinds]

Thanks for listening and your comments!
My mom was from Duluth and I spent many summers there. I would love to watch the big ships make their way in and out to the big lake. Never saw the big storms though - scary!