The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-12-09
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, 'Tis of
Thee" and yankee Doodle"
The Austrian national anthem In one
of the finest in existence. It was com
posed in 1891 by that great nation
al composer. Haydn. who is chiefly
known to concert goers by his magnifi-
cent oratorio The Creation" in which
occurs the splendid and ford chorus.
THE 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 i'm 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 TIT It ought
to be good song for the purpose. for
II 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
a 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 it sounds
like prayer. Not only are the words
very poetical. but the tune is forcefuI
and haunting.
OF course the greatest of all war
songs pure and simple is unquestion-
ably The Marseillaise. What men,
cries 1t has cIinging 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 dozen army corps
1t was called by the name which still
is universally applied to it, because
the men-and women-4of Marseilles.
the port of the Mediterranean. march
ed all the way to Paris, singing it as
they went Its first fruits were reap
ed few days after their arrival.
strains. 1t is now the national an
them of republican France.
IN Germany no patriotic song has
been sung with such fervor as the fa
nous battle hymn of the Germans
"Die Yacht am Rhein" c'The Watch
on the Rhine'.l. 1t was written in
1910. but remained practically un
known until the outbreak of the war
with France, when it 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
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.
EngIand's national anthem is Geor-
gian product and originally opened
with the words. God bless great
George our king" 1t has been hon
ored by Beethoven with seven varia-
t1ons 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-
ed by Dr. Arne. the English musician.
who wrote several operas. Rule.
Britannia. was included in the
"Masque of Alfred" musical farce
produced in TAO
just as the Austrian national anthem
is the only one set to music by great
composer. SO the Norwegian anthem Is
the only one whose words were writ
ten by "a real poet. This was Bjorn
stjerne Bjornson. On one occasion he
was asked when be got the greatest
pleasure out of his fame as national
poet. He replied: 1T was when
delegation from the Right came to
my house in Christiania and smashed
all my windows Because when they
had done ali the damage they could
and We're starting home again they felt
they ought TO sing something So they
began TO sing Yes. We Love This
Land OF Ours They could do nothing
else. They were obliged TO SIM the
song Of the man whom they had at
tackled
Singulariy 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 CT America. Her songs are
fine
The real national anthem of America
is My Country. Ills of Thee and it is
sung to the same tune as God Save
fle King" But perhaps the real. genu-
inc rack bottom anthem or America
after all is the famous Yankee
Doodle" which has the great advan-
fage of being a real marching song.
whish NOT only helps TO keep the mems
spirits from f1agGing. bat also helps TO
FlaesfN In 4 h.lr1 r4I.l ira<y