Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1914-11-05
NATIONAL HYMNS.
Inspiring Anthems Of the Great
States Of Europe
SING THE PRIDE OF COUNTRY.

The Austrian national anthem Is one
OF the finest in existence. IL was COM
posed IN 1907 by that great nation
lal composer Haydn. who Is chieny
known to concert goers by his magnifi.
rent oratorio "The Creation" In which
occurs the splendid and norid chorus.
The Heavens Are Telling" The an.
them was based upon an old national
IsonR. but Haydn made II a thing or
beauty. II is the only national an
them composed by a musician OF the
foremost rank.
But the song which 10 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
md 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 I'LL. 1t ought
to be 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
heroic strain. Sung by a great
mass Of peasant soldiers with simple
fervOr Its effect Is grand In the ex-
IRENE. 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 fOrcefui
and haunting.
or course the greatest Of all war
songs pure and simple is unquestion-
ably "The Marseillaise." What men,
cries II 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-
bons than half a 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 lts
strains. II 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"). 1t was written III
1910. but remained practically I'M
knOwn until the outbreak OF the war
with France. when II was sung by ev-
cry soldier and every man. woman
and child throughout the German en-
! pire. "The Watch on the Rhine was
10 Germany at that time what tine
Marseillaise" 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.
, Eneiand's national anthem Is Geor-
Sian product and originally opened
with the words, God bless great
George. our king" 1t has been hon
ored by Beethoven with seven varia-
tons for the piano, and 1t 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 or
any tune in the world. Then there ID
"Rule. Britannia" which was compos-
cd by Or. Arne. the English musician.
who wrote several operas. "Rule'
Britannia" was included In the
"Masuue of Alfred" musical farce
produced in l74O.
Just as the Austrian national anthem
Is the only one set to music by a great
composer. so the Norwegian anthem 10
the only one whose words were WRIT
ten by a real poet. This was Born
stiprne BiornsOn. On one occasion ne
was asked when be got the greatest
Measure out Of his fame as national
lutt. He replied: 1T was when
delegation from the Right came 10
nv house In Christiania and smashed
ali nv windows. Because when they
had done all the damage they could
and were starting home again they felt
they ought to sing something. 40 they
begau 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 Ut patriotic an
thems IL the country which has had
. less warfare than any other. the Unit
! ed States OF America. Her songs are
tine.
The resi- national anthem Of Americs
! IA MY Country. IT'S Of Thee" and It 4
: sung to the same tune as God Saw
E the King" But perhaps the real. Genu
[ inn rnrk hottnm anthem Of America