The Coolidge examiner., 1932-08-05

which is complicated by the fact mat carrier
forms of the air and the words are recorded.
Such are an 'Ayre' of 1919. attributed to John
Bull, who has long been credited with the origin
of the anthem; the Scottish carol, Remember,
Thou Man. in Ravenscrofts Melismata, 1911;
the ballad Franklin Is Fled Away (printed
1669) and a piece in Purcele's Choice Collec-
tlon for the Harpsichord (1696). The words
or part of them are also found in various forms
from the Sixteenth century.
The question discussed in Richard
Clarke's Account of the National Anthem (1SS2),
and has been reinvestigated by DR.. w. Fl. Cum
mings in his God Save the King (19O2).
"Carey and Bull in the general opinion of
musical historians. divide the credit; but in his
Mnstresy of England Q901), Frank Kidson
introduced a claimant, James Oswald, a
Scotsman who settled in London in 1742, and
worked for John Simpson, the publisher of the
early copies OF God, Save the King and who
became chamber composer to George III. What
appears to be certain is that 1745 Is the earliest
date assignable to the substantial national an
them as we know II, and that both words and
music had been evolved out of earlier forms.
Bulls is the earliest form OF the air; Carey's
claim to the remodeling of the anthem rests
on an unauthortative tradition; and, on general
probabilities, Oswald Is a strong candidate"
| AS early as 1779 the tune Of God Save the
King was adapted to the spirit Of the times in
America by the Patriots during their struggle
with the mother country. A dutch Song" of
| 10 verses written, the records have IL, by
| "a lady of The Hague" was published In the
Pennsylvania Packet at Philadelphia that year,
as a tribute to sailors of American ships moored
at Amsterdam. 1t began:
God save the Thirteen States,
Long rule the Thirteen States,
God save our Statesl
Make US victorious
| Happy and glorious,
| No tyrants over US,
| God save our States.
The original America" as written by Sam
uel Smith, contained eight verses, but these
four rarely sung:
| Our glorious Land today,
| Meath Education's sway,
| Scars upward still.
| It's halls of learning fair,
Whose bounties all may share,
| Behold them everywhere
| On vale and hill.
| Thy safeguard, Liberty,
| The school shall ever be;
| Our nations pridel
| No tyrant hand shall smite.
While with encircling might
| All here taught the Right
With Truth allied.
| Beneath Heavens gracious will
| The stars of progress still
| Our course do sway
| In unity sublime
To broader heights we climb,
Triumphant over Time
| God speeds our way.
Grand birthright of our sres,
| Our altars and fires
Keep we still pure!
Our starry flag unfurled,
The hope of all the world.
| In Peace and Light impearled,
! God hold secure!
| 1t is said that Smith wrote America" in
less than half hour and Doctor Tillett in
commenting upon it in "The Methodist Hymnal
| Annotated" says: "The author had not the
| remotest idea that the words he dashed
off thus hurriedly would ever become a favor
ite with any lovers of music and song much
| less become the national hymn of a great
and growing nation. National hymns do not
become such by virture of their loftiness of
poetic thought and expression, but because
they have in them that indeinable simple
| something that gets into the hearts of the peo
pie. Greater national songs than this have been
written-hymns surprising it in dignity and
nobility of thOught-but it is doubtful if we
i-ho oil hou in