The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-10
OUR NATIONAL HYMN,
SOms Novel Facts In Its History Enter
tainincly Told.

OUK NATIONAL HYMN.
Some Novel Facts In Its History Enter
tainingly Told.
! have nothing to say against either
| Keys Star SDangled Banner" or
| Smiths America, writes Thomas
, BroXholm to the Rochester Post-EX-
press. / admire them both. But have
few facts to set forth. The men who
, wrote the words Of each song We're
Americans-Francis Scott Key being
born in Frederick county. Maryland,
Aug. /, 1779 and Samuel Francis Smith
in Boston, Oct. 81. 1908. and hence their
songs must be American productions.
and they both must be essentially
American" but the music of each song
was written by Europeans. The music
of America" is very likely not English
at all. but seems to have been adopted
by the Britishers, while 1t is a glaring
fact that the music of the star Span
gled Banner" was composed by an Eng
lishman, but that IL no reason that the
music should be any the worse. In
revolutionary times there was sung a
patriotic song, entitled adams and
Liberty" which was adapted to an
English hunting tune. known as Ana
creon in Heaven" and composed by
Samuel Arnold, born in London in 1740.
1t was this tune that Key fitted to the
Star Spangled Banner"
Now with reference to the tune of
God Save the Queen" which is the
same tune as our America" some
claim that it is German in origin, and
others that II Is French. DIR. s. F..
Smith says that he discovered 1t in an
old German music book in 1882.
Duftleld, in his English Hymns"
says that the British national song,
God Save the King'-the same song
as God Save the Queen"-was origin
ally published in the "Gentleman's
Magazine" in 1745, but that the tune is
In much dispute. He adds, however,
that it Is now usually entered as an
amendment by Henry Carey 0696-1l43)
from Or. John Bull, who died In 1872.
Carey is said to have composed the
words and adapted the music in honor
of George III. about 1740. The tune, says
Dutiield, was first published about 174..
The French claim that the tune was
found at ST. Cyr in 1921 by Handel. who
was a Prussian by birth. They also as
sert that the words, Grand Dieu. sau-
vez le Roi.' Great God, Save the
King"-were composed by Madame de
Brinon. Further 1t Is said that the
tune was composed by Jean Baptiste
Lully, born at Florence, 1888, but who
went early to Paris, and who became
the friend and musical collaboration of
Moliere. Lully obtained place in the
orchestra of Louis XIV. and 1t Is
claimed the tune was sung by 300 young
ladies before that monarch at St Cyr.
+. S. Key when he met with the
music Of the Star Spangled Banner"
knew good thing, and appropriated it,
even II 1t was the music of an old Eng
lish drinking song. So, also 1t was
with DR.. Smith. The appropriations
have made no one the poorer. but have
richly helped us to tune our patriotic
voices.
And now, incidentally. let me remark
that about 1868. there appeared the re-
ligious hymn. "Come, Thou Almighty
King" supposed to have been written
by Charles Wesley. During the revolu-
tionary war our grandsires sang tnat
hymn under peculiar circumstances one
Lords day morning. 1t was when the
British had possession of Long Island.
A body of British troops invaded a
place of worship, and insisted that the
congregation sing, God Save the
King" In reply the people sang to the
same tune as God Save the Queen"
and our America" the religious hymn
above mentioned, the first stanZa of
which is:
Come thou almighty King!
Help us Thy name to sing,
Help us to praise;
Father. all-gl0rious,
Ger all victorious.
Come, and reign over US,
Ancient Of days."
They sang the tune of the British ma
tional hymn, but avoided the words.
1t is amusing to note the ridiculous
naSs that iS often manifested with ref