The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-07
GOD SAVE TIE KING"
The Tune Traced ~ II Folksong Of
the Twelfth Century.

To THE EDITOR or THE SuN-Str: In
troversy now raging in yo1r columns as
To the origin of God Save the King
should be relegated to real origins. Your
correspondents are all at sea, and this
from one who has professionally delved
deeply into the past. The facts are as
follows:
unsteady we can trace the melody as
far back as the twelfth century, When
I'm North Britain there was extant an
almost identical air known AZ THE
Franklin" There is enough resem-
biance to those woo can read score, to
establish this ancient lineage. In other
words the tune is or was folksong
pure and simple.
However, probably the simple nota-
ton. for Il bears all the primitive nota-
tlon Of iolksong, languished or was
little known for several centuries. In
1905 occurred the famous or Infamous
"Guuuovdcr Plot" For the almost
miraculous escape OF King James j.,
Lords and Commons from n vile death
In old Westminster Hall, London. thanks
giving services and TIE Deums were or
dered sung In every church throughout
England an English organist of Dutch
extraction. named Or Jan Bull, ar
ranged hymn entitled God Save Great
james oar King" TO the ancient melody
Thus WIS born what was destined to be-
come ,hy British national anthem.
For some years thereafter the song
was In use. but with the fall of the stu
art Charles !. and the rise Of the Crom-
liam commonwealth the anthem fell
iuit "iurocuous desuetudc." Yet It's
memory was kept green. In i7i5 or
t1eroabout, when the Hanoverian dy-
nasty was h'm.y established, there came
q famous naval victory off Campobello
under Admiral Vernon. "Old Grcgram."
win, gave tho name of "Rrog' to both
the British ard American navies. In
honor of the victory there WAS held In
London civic and social celebration.
partly to celebrate both and to cement
allegiance to the Georges, a famous com
poser OF the time. Henry Carey. better
known hy his sung "Sally In our Alley
revived the old stuart song, and it was
widely sung in a sudden access OF 10y
ally. since about that time occurred the
final defeat OF tie stuart pretensions
known "a the rising OF l7i5.
Henry Carey did no more than revise
the old words and melody Of 1905, and
yet his name usually appears in most
music books as the author of both.
Thenceforth "tiod Save the King be-
came the English shlbboleth When
Haydn visited London toward the close
Of the eighteenth century he was so
much impressed with the universal re-
spcct paid to their national song by the
English popullcc that he resolved to re-
turn To his own land, there to write the
beautifully melodious Austrian Hymn"
which now does duty az the music of the
German Deutschland Ueber Allies
Now. 1t Is true that the air Of
God Save the King" was also adopted
by several OF the German States, where
IL is known as Hell dir i'm Sleger-
kranz' Hanover I'm particular, and I
believe Prussia. But this merely proves
tbs uuNorsality OF the original melodic
folk ouE, a tune that Is so good that II
is common property. The late Dudley
Buck once said To- me-; The man who
wrote that tune knew Just what be
wanted" Its compass is only seven notes
and amy one can 5ing II, which is the
common property OF all folksongs.
Ns 20 America" tire late Rev. DR.
Smith some time in the 'i0s wrote a pa
triotic song for a Fourth Of July cclebra-
ton by the children Of Concord, Mass.
So were born the words Of My Coun-
try. lis Of Thee" and as the reverend
gentleman undoubtedly knew of the wide
vogue OF the music Of God Save the
Queen" as il was then, he undoubtedly
thought he had a perfect right to adapt
the melody to American use, especially
AS every body knew tho tune, and in this
he was entirely justified,
For much coG!!r1a3agy OF what ! have
written I refer the reader to book OF
scores and words compiled by John
Philip Sousa. when h. was conductor
Of the famous Marine Band in Washing
ton. now published by our Navy Depart
mant. lie had the official aid OF all
United States Consuls throughout the
world and what he has to say therein
about America" and God Save the
King may be regarded as the last
word. FREDERIC REDDALL.
STAFF Lecturer. New York Board OF
Education.
RRooKLYN, February s.