Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1899-09-28
A FAMOUS SONG.
The Marseillaise and It's Inter.
esting History.
For Long Time the Rallying Song Of
Europe-Writtcn by u Young
Officer In a Single
Night.

There is an interesting account IN
Music of the circumstances under
which the "Marseillaise' was written,
together with short sketch of Rouget
de Lisle, the author Of this famous ma
tional air. On the 24th day Of April,
1902, the mayor of Strassbourg, Diet
rich. gave a banquet to a 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
timent was one of intense patriotism.
One of the participants of the banquet
was the captain of engineers. Claude
Joseph Rouget de Lisle at that time
was thirty-two years old. lie was
born on May 10, 1850. at Ions lie Saul
nier. The young officer was known as
successful amateur musician and
poet. Mayor Dietrich asked him if he
could not undertake to write war
/ song for the departing volunteers.
Rouget de Lisle answered yes and
went home. That whole night he sat
at his desk, and when the morning of
April 25 dawned the "Marseillaise"
was finished. 1t was the result of one
nights work. The author had called
it "Chant du Gucrre dc IArmee du
Rim" 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 Marseillcs. In June. 1902, the
council of Marseillcs had, on the APP
peal of Barbaroux, collected a number
Of volunteers who understood how to
die" and whose moral worth was such
as to deserve death. These "brave
Marscilleans" were Toasted by their fell
low citizens on June 25. A citizen by
the name of Mircaux. from Montpel-
lier, rendered Rougct de Lisle's song.
The enthusiasm it created was ire
mendous, and on the following day the
Journal DIES Departments Mcridionaux
printed the song in it's columns under
the title, Chant de Guerrc aux Armees
des Fronticrcs.' This was it's second
title. The soldiers of Marscilles who
went to Paris brought copies of the
song with them. 1t was sung during
their entrance into Paris on July Is,
and again on August 10, while the 'i'uil-
ieries were stOrElcN. it reHounded from
the lips of the whole pooulacc. Short
ly aftcrwartl its author was imprisoned
on account OF his "lncilcrntc opinions"
and was only liberated after the fall of
Ro3cspiecrc. In Paris. wncre the his
tory of the song was unknown. it was
called "IEmnn dos AiarScillniSc." as
the volunteers of MarStilcs had
brought it with them. This became it's
final name. AS LA Narscilaisc'' it is
not alone the patriotic soag of the
French republic. but the song of liber>
IT, or rather Of revolution for the
whole world. That Rougct dc Lisle
composed tho melody Of the "Marseil-
laise' is hardly credible. Tho latest
researches would show that it is taken
from an oratorio called 'Esthcr.:' com
posed by Crison, CT st. One and thus
of French origin. During the first en-
pirc and the restoration the ''Alarseil-
laise' was prohibited. With the revo-
luton of July it came into fame once
more, and its author was offered a pen
sion OF six thousand francs. which,
however, was rcfu"cd. Eourct de Lsle
died in 1886. at Choi%y lc Eoi. whore
later a statue was erected to his mem
DRY. Last year the "1Iarscillaisc" col
ebrated its nincty-ninth anniversary
by being played before the car in
Kronstadt harbor, All occurrence the
author could not have dreamed of
when he wrote it. almost 4 hundred
years previously, as Il yvar&ong against
despots. 1t would be difficult to point
out any other song which has reached
the ma:isc:; in the Same manner as has
the 'Mar"eillaise. In Europe at least
there must be few who haze not heard
it and cannot hum the melody. It's ONLY
competitor for popular;ty,ia its ab$o-
lutte contrast-the Eugli:2l God Save
the Queen On these two melodies lie
hidden great part of tic history of
the nineteenth century.