Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-16
NATIONAL HYMNS
STIR RLOYALONES
away With Austrians" Slo-
gan of Singers in Worlds
Vocal" Country

Since the United States entered
the war with Germany the stirring
strains of The Star-Spangled Ban
ner," America" and Hail Column
bia," have brought the patriotic
American to his feet anywhere these
war anthems have been played or
sung. The opening bars of the fa-
nous Francis Scott Key composition
whether sounded on great organ or
piano or played by orchestra, in
variably prompt the hearer to rise
from his place in church or theater.
1t was on the evening of Septem-
ber 81, 1914, during the WAR of
1872" that a. British fleet was an
chored in Chesapeake Bay. A DR..
Beanes, an old resident of Upper
Marlborough, Maryland, had been
captured by the British, and sent as
prisoner to Admiral Cochrane's
flagship. Francis Scott Key, a young
lawyer of Baltimore, hearing of the
misfortune of DR.. Beanes, who was
his personal friend, hastened to the
British commander to endeavor to
obtain his friends freedom. The
enemy was about to attack Fort Nc
Henry and refused to allow either
Key or DR.. Beanes to return until
after the capture of the fort.
Throughout the night of September
13, the bombardment was kept up
and in the light of the rockets and
glare, the bombs bursting in air."
Key could see the American flag
waving over the old fort. With the
first rays of the dawn of September
IA, Francis Scott Key wrote the
words of the wonderful song. The
poem was printed and soon after
adapted to an old English air, ITO
Anacreon in Heaven" the music be-
ing credited to John Stafford Smith,
who is supposed to have written it
some time between 1870 and 1775.
The Star Spangled Banner" was
first sung in public by Ferdinand
Durang, an actor, in a tavern, near
the Holiday Street Theater, in Bal
timore.
America" the music of which is
attributed to Henry Carey, was writ
ten by a Baptist minister, the Rev.
Samuel F. Smith, who wrote it un-
der the inspiration of Carey's music
in a half hour and on a scrap of
paper. Lowell Mason, the eminent
musician, had come into possession
of a lot of German music books. The
minister was O close friend and be-
ing unable to read German, DR..
Mason took the books to the preach
er for translation. ION a gloomy day
in February, 1892" wrote the Rev.
Mr.. Smith to a friend, II came across
the air, God Save the King L liked
the music. Under the inspiration of
the moment l wrote the words. ="
America" did not have great popu-
larity until the Civil War. Since then
il has become the best known and
most popular of our national songs.
1t was first sung at children's
Fourth of July celebration in the
Park Street Church, Boston.
While America sings it's favorite
war anthems, Italy is not behind in
it's ardor. Italy, the most vocal
country in the world, sings the in
spring words of Mercantini to the
melody written by Olivieri, Italian
chief of military music, melody
halfway between an opera aria and
a parade march. 1t was first sung by
the volunteers of the brigade of AL
pine chasseurs. Its popularity dates
from 1860. The nation adopted it
and called it ,"Garibaldfs Hymn"
The principal feature of the COM
position is IVA fuora d'Italia, ="
(Away with foreigners [Austri-
ans1D
The Austrian national hymn has
the distinction of having as it's COM
poser that master musical giant,
Haydn, the text by Lorenz' Leopold
Haschka. Haydn wrote the music in
four parts Gas may be seen in OBJ
serving the theme with brilliant vari-
atoms which he has inscribed in his
Emperor Quartet In the music
world this work of Haydn has given
rise to more or less discussion. 1t
has been attempted to prove that it
was taken from a very ancient air
dating back in the fourteenth GEN.
tury, but in vain.