Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-04-10
THE "MARSEILLAISE."

Chambers Magazine.
OF all the airs which deserve to be
termed national that of the French ''Mar-
seillaise'' is, without doubt, the most live
ly and exciting. "The sound of it," says
Carlyle, twill make the blood tingle in
mems veins, and whole armies and as
semblages will sing it with eyes of weep
ing and burning, with hearts defiant Of
death, despot, and devil" Even in times
of peace and quietness it is impossible to
listen to it's animating strains without
experiencing a certain thrill, and its
effects on an impetuous people in the
troublous times of the past may be easily
imagined. Such was its power upon the
French that it was at one time forbidden
to be played or sung, and the prohibition
extended until 1879, when the minister
of war issued circular authorizing bands
to play the tune at reviews and official
ceremonies.
Considering the extraordinary part
which the 'Marseillaise" has played in
the affairs Of France, we might not un-
reasonably expect that the words and air
had emanated from some genius who
had bestowed much labor and care on
their production. And yet, as the story
goes, both words and music were written
in one night, without any previous
sketching out or after elaboration. The
author and composer was Rouget de
Lisle, an officer Of engineers, who had
formerly been teacher of music. He
was greatly admired among his acquaint-
ances for bis poetical and musical gifts,
and was especially intimate with Baron
Dietrich, the mayor of Strasburg. One
evening during the spring of 1892 De
Lisle was guest at the table of this
family. The baron's resources had been
so greatly reduced by the necessities and
calamities of war that nothing better
than garrison bread and few slices of
ham could be provided for dinner.
Dietrich smiled sadly at his friend, and,
lameating the scantiness of his fare, de-
clared that he would bring forth the last
remaining bottle of Rhine wine in his
cellar if he thought it would help to in
spire De Lisle in the composition of a
patriotic song. The ladies signed their
approval, and sent for the last bottle of
wine the house could boast of. After
dinner De Lisle returned to his solitary
chamber, and in a fit of enthusiasm
with which the wine must have had lit
to enough to do) composed the words
and music of the song which has i'm
mortalized his name. The following
morning he fastened with it to his friend
Dietrich, in whose house it was sung for
the first time, exciting great enthusiasm.
A few days afterward it was publicly
performed in Strasburg, and on June Is
it was sung at banquet in Marseilles
with so much effect that it was printed
at once and distributed among the
troops Just starting for Paris. They en-
tered the capital singing their new hymn,
which they had called, "Chant des Mar
seillais," and soon the tune was known
throughout every part Of France.
De Lisle's claim to the authorship was
at one time disputed, but the truth Of the
story which we have given regarding the
origin of the air has long since been
proved beyond doubt. It should be
mentioned that the French have another
tune, "Partant pour La Syrie,"
which is, however, MT very popular and
not very meritorious. All that we need
to say Of it is that it was composed by
Horteuse, the mother Of Napoleon III.