The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-07
A FAMOUS SONG.
The Marseillaise" and It's Inter
esting History.
For a Long limo the Railylng Song OF
Europe-written by Young
Officer in u Single
Night.

niSnt.
There is an interesting account in
MUSIC OF the circumstances under
which the "Marscillaise' was written,
together with short sketch of Roupet
dc Lisle, the author of this famous ma
tional air. On the Gath day of April,
1892. the mayor of Strassbourr, Diet
rich, gave banquet to company of
volunteers who were about to Join the
army. -Four days earlier France had
declared war on Austria and Prussia,
and in consequence the prevailing SEN
tlmsnt was one of intense patriotism.
One OF the participants of the banquet
was the captain of engineers Claude
Joseph Rouget dc Lisle at that time
was thirty-two years old. He was
born on May 10, 1I60, at Ions lie Saul
nier. The young officer was known as
successful ANA teur musician and
poet. Mayor Dietrich asked him if he
could not undertake to write war
song for the departing volunteers
Rouget de Lislc answered YES and
went home. That whole night he sat
at his desk, and when the morning of
April 25 dawned the "NIarseillaise'
was finished. 1t was the result of one
nights work. The author had called
II Chant du Gucrre dc rArmce du
hhin.' The northern wing of the
French army brought the song with
them to the seat of war, and copies of it
were quickly scattered over the whole of
Alsacc. In Paris it remained unknown
for some time. First it must pass
through Marscilles. In June. 1892, the
council Of Marscillcs had, on the an.
peal of Barbaroux, collected number
of volunteers who understood how to
die" and whose moral worth was such
as to deserve death. These brave
Marscillcans' were Toasted by their fell
low citizens on June Is. a citizen bv
the name of MireauH, from Montpel-
Tier. rendered Rougct dc Isles sonr.
The enthusiasm it created was ire
mcndous. and on the following dav the
Journal dcs Departments Mcridionaux
printed the song in its columns under
the title, "Chant dc Guerrc aux Armces
DIES tronticrcS." This was its second
title. The soldiers OF Marscillcs who
went To Paris brought copies of the
song with them. 1t was sung during
their entrance into Paris on July IL.
and again on August 10, while the Tuil-
lcrics were stormcd, it resoundcd from
the lips OF The whole populacc. Short
ly aftcrwarl its author was imprisoned
on account of his "modcrate opinions. ~
and was only liberated after the fall of
Robcspicrrc. In Paris, where the his
tory OF the song was unknown, it was
called 'Hymne DIES Marscillaisc. ms
the volunteers of Marseilles had
brought it with them. This became its
final name. AS La Marseillaisc" il is
not alone the patriotic song of the
French republic, but the song of liber-
ty, or rather of revolution, for the
whole world. That Rouget dc Lisle
composed the melody of the 'AIarseil-
laise" is hardly credible. The latest
researches would show that it is taken
from an oratorio called Esther" com
posed by Grison, of st. Ono. and TINS
of French origin. During the first en-
pire and the restoration the "Niarscil-
laisc' was prohibited. With the rcyo-
luton OF July it came into fame once
more, and its author was offered IL pen
sion OF six thousand francs. which,
however. was refused. Eougct de i.islc
died III 1855. at Choisy lc Roi. where
later Il statue was erected to his MEM
DRY. Last year the "Marscillaise" cell
cbratei Its ninety-ninth anniversary
by being played before the ear in
hronNt3dt harbor. an occurrence the
author could not have dreamed of
when he wrote it. almost Il hundred
years previously. as = warsonrr against.
despnts. i would be difficult to point
out any other song which has rcnchcd
the masses in the same manner as has