Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-11-13
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 Is one
of the finest In existence. 1t was COM
posed In lTDT by that great nation
al composer. Haydn, who is chiefly
known to concert goers by his magnih-
cent oratnrlo The Creation" in which
occurs the splendid and tiorid chorus.
"'Tbc Heavens Are Telling" The an
them was based upon an old national
song. hut Haydn made 1t n thing of
beauty It is the only national an
thcm 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 1717. 1t 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-
treme. Played upon the great organ
in the cathedral at Moscow it sounds
like a prayer Not only are the words
very poetical. but the tune is forceful
and haunting.
OF course the greatest of all war
songs pure and simple is unquestiOn-
ably THE Marseillaise." What mem
Ories 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-
bons than half a dozen army corps.
1t was called by the name which still
is universally applied to it, because
the men-and women-Cf Marseilles,
the port Of the Mediterranean, march
ed all tile way to Paris, singing 1t as
they went. Its first fruits were reap
| ed few days after their arrival,
when the hated Bastille fell to its
strains. 1t 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 In
1910, but remained practically un'
known until the outbreak of the wal
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 sou
stirring composition which made mel
eager to take up arms and fight fol
the cause which they thought was
right.
Englands national anthem is Geor
gian product and originally opened
with the words, God bless greai
George. our king" 1t has been hon
Ored by Beethoven with seven varia
tions for the piano, and it is intro
! duced into his Battle Symphony.
On the whole, perhaps, the tune t
which is sung God Save the King
has probably the largest circulation o
any tune in the world. Then there Ii
''Rule, Britannia" which was cOmpos
cd by DR.. Arne, the English musician
who wrote several operas. Rule
Britannia" was included in tn
, ''Masque of Alfred" a musical fare
produced in 1740.
Just as the Austrian national anthem
is the only one set to music by grea
: composer, so the Norwegian anthem L
the only one whose words were writ
ten by a real poet. This was Btorn
stterne Bjornson. On one occasion h
was asked when he got the creates
pleasure out Of his fame as nRtiona
poet. He replied: "It was when
delegation from the Right came t
my house In Christiania and smashe'
all my windows. Because when the,
had done all the damage they coul'
and were starting home again they fel
they ought to sing something So the,
began to sing. Yes, We Love Thl
? Land Of Ours They could do nothing
else. They were obliged to sing tn
song of the man whom they had al
/. tackedw
Singularly enough. the country whicl
has the best variety Of patriotic an
/ thems is the country which has ha
less warfare than any other, the Unit
ed States of America Her songs ar
fine.
The real national anthem Of Americ
is MY Country. 'Tis of Thee" and 1t 1
sung to the same tune as God Sav
the King" But perhaps the real, genu
ine. rock bottom anthem Of Americi
! after all. is the famous "Yanke
: Doodle" which has the great advaT
tage OF being a real marching sons
4 which not only helps to keep the men