I don't know enough other countries' national anthems to compare, but I love the "Star Spangled Banner". People bash it, maybe because it requires a broad range (an octave and a fifth, I think), but I think it is really stirring. Especially towards the end, chills sometimes run down my spine at "the land of the free". Unfortunately, many singers overinterpret the song (in my opinion) instead of sticking to the notes and their time values (which works best in this song, in my opinion), and ruin it.
Someone else mentioned La Marseillaise, which I also find quite stirring. Especially when it is performed in the film Casablanca, in which I think it is supposed to represent French nationalism and defiance against the Nazis. I never heard the whole song until at least my twenties. I had heard the Beatles' "All You Need is Love" many times, and I cannot listen to La Marseillaise without thinking of the Beatles song.
The best national anthem is the one that belongs to your particular nationality. If you said any differently, I might be tempted to accuse you of anti-patriotic treason.
Most people know their own national anthem & it stirs patriotic emotions; but surely we can prefer another anthem musically, if we have come to know it? But far be it from me to tempt you, Celloman.
In Britain, 'God Save The Queen' gets a lot of stick, on the grounds that it is boring, or narrow with its monarchical references, or irrelevant with its religious theme. This opinion is so widespread as almost to be conventional; which is why I gave GSTQ a plug, to show that I am a rebel against fashion & always have been.
First vote here for the Welsh National Anthem which is probably less known abroad (in non rugby playing nations) due to it's non-inclusion in sports which use team GB.
I'm not Welsh but I did live there for 4 glorious years. I often watched the BBC close of day because they always used to play the national anthem before stopping broadcasting for the night. Difficult to believe less than 20 years later with our 24 hour culture.
For me this piece of music is a real work of art. Not just a patriotic ditty.
My national anthem is pretty interesting, even if I never lived there to hear it - but im sort of surprised seeing references about supporting Napoleon's victory and fighting with the Swede's. I guess the focus was mainly on the reclaiming of Poland from foreign powers.
Should probably add they could change the last lines from
'God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet' to maybe
'Those who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet' and leave the religious, agnostics and atheists to apply their own interpretation on those.
The Saint Wenceslas Chorale could be considered to be one of the oldest national anthems as it was already known to be old in the 13th century.
Here is a rough translation:
Saint Wenceslas,
Ruler of the Czech lands.
Our Prince, pray for us with God,
Holy Spirit, Christe eleison.
You heir to the Czech lands, remember their race.
Do not let us, her future, perish.
Saint Wenceslas,
Christe eleison!
Saint Wenceslas Chorale or simply Saint Wenceslas is the church hymn and one of the oldest known Czech songs and Czech religious anthems. Its roots can be found in the 12th century and it belongs to the most popular religious songs also today, and to the oldest still used European chants. The hymn is mentioned as "old and well-known" in the chronicle from the 13th century.[1] Also strophic structure, language and undulating melody and harmonization confirm that assumption. The text of the song had originally three strophes. To the chant, originally in Old Czech, some new strophes have been added and also removed from over the centuries. Its final form becomes from the turn 18th and 19th century and in that version is still used today.
The content of the anthem is a prayer to Saint Wenceslas, Duke of Bohemia and the Czech patron saint to intercede for his nation in God to help from injustice and ensure the salvation. The hymn is regularly sung today, usually at the end of a Sunday Mass or a major Christian holidays.
In 1918, in the beginnings of the Czechoslovak state, the song was discussed as a possible candidate for the national anthem.
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