The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-11-16
NATIONAL HYMNS.
Inspiring Anthems of the Great
States of Europe
SING THE PRIDE OF COUNTRY.
Patriotic Airs OF Austria, Russia,
France, Germany, England and Nor
way-our Own my Country, It's of
Thee" and yankee Doodle"

FRANCE, oeFmduyf E0Bidnu anu WV
way-our Own my Country, IT'S of
Thee" and yankee Doodle"
The Austrian national anthem is one
of the finest in existence. 1t was COM
posed in 1897 by that great nation
al composer. Haydn, who is chiefly
known to concert goers by his magnti-
cent oratorio The Creation" in which
occurs the splendid and fiorid chorus.
''rhe Heavens Are Telling" The an
them was based upon an old national
song. but Haydn made it thing OF
beauty. 1t is the only national an
them composed by a musician OF the
| foremost rank.
But the song which is sung In cities
by civilians is not always, or. indeed.
generally. the one sung by the soldiers
who have TO bear the brunt of battle
and siege and march. The battle song
OF the Austrian soldier is "Prinz Eugen
der edle Ritter" which tells how the
noble cavalier, Prince Eugene OF Sa
voy. laid siege to and captured Bel
grade from the Turks in 1111 1t ought
to be a good song for the purpose, for
il was actually written In the trenches
before Belgrade.
Probably the most stately national
anthem is the Russian. Its very title.
God the All Terrible" seems to strike
n heroic strain. Sung by great
mass Of peasant soldiers with simple
fervor its effect is grand in the ex-
treme. Played upon the great organ
in the cathedral at Moscow 1t sounds
like a prayer. Not only are the words
very poetical, but the tune is forceful
and haunting.
or course the greatest OF all war
songs pure and simple is unquestion-
ably 1.-The Marseillaise" What men,
cries it has clinging to its fervidly pa
triotic words. 1t was the song OF the
French revolution and did more to
bring down the dynasty OF the Bour-
hons than half n dozen army corps.
Ii was called by the name which still!
is universally applied to 1t. because
the men-and women-Of Marseilles.
the port Of the Mediterranean, march
ed all the way to Paris, singing 1t as
they went. Its first fruits were reap
ed a few days after their arrival.
when the hated Bastille fell TO it's
strains. IL is now the national an
them of republican France.
In Germany no patriotic song has
been sung with such fervor as the IA
nous battle hymn Of the Germans.
"Die Wacht am Rhein" c'The Watch
on the Rhine'O. Ii was written in
| 1910, but remained practically I'M
known until the outbreak OF the war
with France. when il was sung by ev-
cry soldier and every man. woman
and child throughout the German EN-
pire "The Watch on the Rhine was
to Germany at that time what "The
Marseilaise" was to France-a soul
stirring composition which made men
eager to take up arms and fight for
the cause which they thought was
right
England's national anthem Is Geor-
gian product and originally opened
with the words God bless great
George. our king" IL has been hon
ored by Beethoven with seven yaris-
lions for the piano, and it is intro
duced into his Battle symphony
On the whole. perhaps. the tune to
which is sung God Save the King
has probably the largest circulation OF
any tune in the world. Then there is
"Rule. Britannia" which was compos-
cd by DR.. Arne. the English musician.
who wrote several operas. Rule.
Britannia" was included In the
"Masque OF Alfred" a musical farce
produced i'm 1Tl0
Just as the Austrian national anthem
is the only one set TO music by great
composer. so the Norwegian anthem Is
khe only one whose words were writ
ten by n real poet. This was Born
stierne Bjornson. On one occasion he
was asked when he got the greatest
pleasure out OF his fame as a national
poet. lie replied: 1t was when a
delegation from the Right came to
my house I'm Christiania and smashed
all nv windows. Because when they
Il
had done all the damage they could
and were starting home again they felt
they ought 20 sing something. So they
began TO sing. Yes. We Love This
Land OF Ours They could do nothing
else. They were obliged TO sing the
song Of the man whom they had at
tackled
Singularly enough. the country which
has the best variety of patriotic an
thems is the country which has had
less warfare than any other. the Unit
ed States OF America. Her songs are
fine.
The real national anthem Of America
is my Country. -ris OF Thee" and Il is
sung to the same tune as God Save
the King" But perhaps the real. genu.
inc. rock bottom anthem OF America.
after ALL l. the famous Yankee
Doodle" which has the great advan-
tage Of being a real marching song.
which not only helps 10 keep the mems
spirits from tagging. but also helps 10
keep them in step. A band playing
Yankee Doodle would take a regi-
ment ten miles farther than any other
tune.-London Tit-Bits
l
He~, in5eed7
Il ~ A..