The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-05-27
A National HYMN,

The repetition of the national airs of sister
countries at Philadelphia and the musical DOR
tion of the opening exercises of the Centen-
Inial celebration suggest once again the often
repeated inquiry, Whai is our National
LYNN? We have seseral patriotic airs
which have had lasting hold in the popular
Iesteem-the lavish and perishable crop of
sentimental sRgs that sprang up in the day
Iof our civil war, like fireweed in scorched
helds, are not to be counted as part of our
national music. We possess then as the
lsongs of our country, the 'Star-spanged
Banner" which was hastily written to an air
well-known in its day by the name of ''Anac-
'eon In Heaven" and which, though thrill
ng and forcible when sung by numerous
Voices or played by fell orchestra, has moder-
ate merit as composition, and is very def
cient in dignity and solidity. "Hail Column
bia'' is spirited, but inflated in manner and
weak in harmonization. Both of these are,
however, good tunes tossmarch by, good
songs to be sung by the people, and should
never, as such, lose general favor.
America" is a relic of our dependence
upon England-it is simply "God save the
Queen'', which every one of US would gladly
sing in honor and compliment to an excel
lent woman and ruler of the mother country,
but which it argues lack of originality to adopt
as our national anthem. 1t possesses, how
ever, many of the requisite qualities for that
purpose-dignity, simple, fine harmony, and
melody which, though readily remembered,
is not trivial or tresome. 1t is the innate
fitness of this hymn that has led to its being
retained in its place among our national
anthems. The american Hymn" of Ma
thiss Keller is well composed, but requires
too much for the unframed voices of the
multitude. "Yankee Doode' is simply
despicable-words and music alike hopelessly
poor and vulgar. Sung in derision by
British soldiery, adopted in bravado by the
Americans, it is reminder of the past, very
much worse than nothing. 1t is, at the pres
ent time, alike unfair to England that cor
daily esteems us, to us who have genuine
regard for the mother country, that this ab-
surd song be heard at all. tBy the by, it is
much to be regretted that the Haydn Asso-
citation, so uniformly dignifed aud artistic in
its selections and renditions, is to be made to
sing s'Yankee Doodle' upon the Fourth of
July in this city. 1t is precisely the element
that every sensible person wishes to Danish
from such celebrations-th vulgar boastful-
ness for which the Americans have OCCASION
ally been laughed at by foreign observers
with much Justice
1t is time that a National Hymn be Sc
lec:ed and ordained to its place. Such an
one is not hard 20 find. The noble hymn of
freedoms poet, John Greenleaf Whittier,
SCI to music by John Knowles Paine,-is the
hymn which, composed by Americans and
sung in the hearing of men of every land of
earth, should never be laid aside. II pos
sesses every qualification for this high honor.
The words, filled with manly strength and
religious faith; the fine, serious and sincere
melody and solid, effective harmony to which
1t is set, tit it for hymn of the people. Its
worth az composition is technically very
great, but especial criticism of it is not in
Place here. 1t is enough to say that it is the
worthy work of an original, earnest musician
whose profound studies have directed his
natural gifts in the best way. The people,
never slow to appreciate whatever is genuine,
cannot fail to adopt gladly this grand choral
as song of solemn praise for the high days
OF our land.
The Haydns will do wisely to produce the
Centennial hymn on Independence Day.
There is certainly ample time to ensure a
fitting and dignifed rendition.