What is the best national anthem?

[johnnychips]

Is it a good tune?

Is it inspiring?

Do the words mean anything (indeed, if there are words)?

This was inspired by somebody on another thread suggesting the German National anthem was still indicative over their view of the world. Anyway…

’God Save the Queen’… the words are terrible, but has the great advantage of being brief. If played at a fast pace it’s a good tune.

‘La Brabaconne’ is the Belgian national anthem. If it is played briskly it is a good tune with varying moods, and the usual nationalistic sentiments are there. Unfortunately it may have to be played in French, German and Dutch, so can drag on.

‘Mae hen wlad fy nhadau’ - hope I’ve spelt it right, is the Welsh national anthem. This is a good inspirational tune, and you cannot help but be moved when it is sung at the football and rugby. A bit sad at the end as it seems to be aimed at those who have left Wales, but hope the old language survives.

’La Marseillaise’ is the French national anthem. This is a good one. Days of glory, struggle and a good variation in the tune.

I do like ‘The Star-spangled Banner’ of the USA. It tells a story, has varying moods, but the words are evidently difficult to remember, as quite a few celebrities at the Super Bowl seem to find out.

An obscure jolly one I like is ‘La Congolaise’ of the Republic of Congo, as I have been there. Unfortunately the sentiments may not reflect the corruption of its leaders.

And there are so many interminable, minor-key, dreadful ones, which are really so terrible I can’t remember which country they belong to.

What do you think?

 

[D6130]

I rather like the Scottish anthem "Scotland the Brave", even though it has now been largely superseded at sporting events by "Flower of Scotland" which, although it is a fine folk song, is never an anthem. "Highland Cathedral" is also very stirring and is gaining popularity. I wonder which of the three will be officially adopted as the national anthem when Scotland eventually becomes independent in a few years time? I also like the Irish national anthem "The Soldier's Song" and the Italian national anthem "Mammeli's Hymn". Sorry I haven't yet learned how to embed a YouTube video on the forum. Perhaps some kind member could enlighten me?

 

[DarloRich]

God save the Queen - Sex Pistols 1977

 

[Mcr Warrior]

"Fratelli d'Italia", the Italian national anthem (see link below) always seems quite jaunty...

 

[westv]

I think the Russian national anthem is a good tune and so is the Welsh "national anthem". The Scottish "national anthem" is a dull tune.

 

[yorksrob]

You can't beat the Marseillaise !

 

[D6130]

"Fratelli d'Italia", the Italian national anthem (see link below) always seems quite jaunty..

That's the one!.....also called "L'inno di Mammeli/Mammeli's Hymn" after its composer. Only problem is that it's far too long and has too many verses. I'ts no wonder that Italian footballers and Rugby players don't know most of the words and end up humming most of it at the beginning of matches!

 

[WAB]

God Save the Queen is dire.

I Vow to Thee my Country would be a far better alternative as a British national anthem

 

[yorksrob]

God Save the Queen is dire.

I Vow to Thee my Country would be a far better alternative as a British national anthem

We used to sing hymns in our school assemblys back in the 80's/90's.

It was a dissappointment that "I vow to thee my country" wasn't one of them. Need to be instilling a sense of pride in the youths to my mind.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Only problem is that it's far too long and has too many verses.

Indeed, but maybe allows an opportunity to make a cuppa before the big match starts if the full length version is being played.

 

[D6130]

Indeed, but maybe allows an opportunity to make a cuppa before the big match starts if the full length version is being played.

Would that be an espresso or a cappucino?

 

[ainsworth74]

’La Marseillaise’ is the French national anthem. This is a good one. Days of glory, struggle and a good variation in the tune.

Oh yes that was going to be my suggestion if you hadn't mentioned it. Cracking anthem that one.

I do like ‘The Star-spangled Banner’ of the USA. It tells a story, has varying moods, but the words are evidently difficult to remember, as quite a few celebrities at the Super Bowl seem to find out.

It also lures them into singing ridiculous tremulous note on the final word ("brave") which often sound ridiculous (and often they're not really up to singing...)

It's far to religious really for a national anthem in a country which, theoretically, has a separation between church and state (and to be honest for me as an individual but I can appreciate a good bit of music!) but I've always been partial to the Battle Hymn of the Republic when it comes to other patriotic US anthems:

I Vow to Thee my Country would be a far better alternative as a British national anthem

I do like this and it's not quite as much of a dirge as God Save the Queen and hopefully would appeal to those who aren't monarchists and also avoids the issues of Jerusalem which is very English song so isn't suitable for use when there are three other nations to think about (but as such I'd be quite happy to have it adopted as the anthem used when England are playing sports!).

 

[TravelDream]

Not to sound overly patriotic, but it's hard to beat Wales' national anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau/ Land of my Fathers. (Side question: Why is the English name 'Land of my Fathers' and the Welsh name 'Old Land of my Fathers'?)
Though it can be quite dreary when sung alone, in a stadium with thousands singing, there's nothing like it.

The British national anthem on the other hand, sounds either dreary or drearier. England really should adopt Jerusalem or something.

​

 

[Berliner]

I think melody wise the Russian anthem us the best, very stirring.

For creativity it has to be the South African anthem, blending so many languages into one song and merging the old and current anthems together to try and unite the people after apartheid.

I wish Germany had done something similar. To still use the same song as they did in WW2 is a bit confusing seeing as how the country has done so much to move on and distance itself from the past. I know they omit the first verse, but I do think the reunited country should have adopted the east German anthem as it was very uplifting and all about unity. At the very least they could have merged them in some way. To totally disregard the song and consign it to history was a bit sad to be honest.

 

[Gloster]

Nothing beats the Marseillaise. Still as stirring as it was in Casablanca. “Play the Marseillaise. Play it.”

 

[startingaparty]

The beauty of God Save The Queen is that it's very easy to sing. The US national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, is notoriously difficult to get right so it's not really a proper rousing tune for the masses like God Save The Queen is!

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

March, march Dabrowski (Poland) is very good, I know the tune. And the European anthem of course.

 

[Senex]

I think the Russian national anthem is a good tune and so is the Welsh "national anthem". The Scottish "national anthem" is a dull tune.

The present Russian anthem, or the old one? They're both good tunes, but the words of the old one were a royal anthem, just like our miserable dirge or Haydn's superb anthem for Austria of about the same period.

For me the best: a tie between the Marseillaise (particuarly when the verse "Amour sacré de la patrie" is sung, starting slowly and quietly) and the German one, with the Russian and US ones coming close.

And the worst: ours, which is purely a royal anthem and nothing of a national anthem at all and has a dreadful tune (even if Beethoven did rather like it and Haydn did admire it enough to imitate it!).

(One solution to the problem of finding reasonable and supportable words for these things is to do what the East Germans did and simply drop the words when they became unfashionable, leaving a national anthem that was purely a tune.)

 

[The North Briton]

Although not a ‘national’ anthem as such, I would thoroughly recommend the Galician hymn ‘Os Pinos’, especially when performed by a choir and full orchestra.

 

[pdq]

Not to sound overly patriotic, but it's hard to beat Wales' national anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau/ Land of my Fathers. (Side question: Why is the English name 'Land of my Fathers' and the Welsh name 'Old Land of my Fathers'?)
Though it can be quite dreary when sung alone, in a stadium with thousands singing, there's nothing like it.

The British national anthem on the other hand, sounds either dreary or drearier. England really should adopt Jerusalem or something.

​

Musically, the Welsh anthem is very strong. After the verse there's that huge declamation on two tonic chords of 'Gwald' (country). Then at the the end there's the option to hold the final climax note on 'iaith' for seemingly ages. When sung up the octave - as it always is - it's the highest note of the piece and wonderful for Welsh tenors! It's also on an open vowel which just lends itself to rorty and impassioned singing.

Conversely, God save the Queen is static with no real stretch of range. The highest note is towards the end as you'd expect, but it's a fleeting short note before the melody dips back down to a low, boring tonic. It's really just a reverential prayer rather than a celebration of nationhood.

 

[lyndhurst25]

I quite like the Iranian national anthem.

What do you mean, it isn’t? It flipping well should be.

 

[John Hunt]

(everything you never knew about the UK National anthem is here -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Save_the_Queen )

Remember the days when Radio 4 startup for the day at around 5:30 was a 'medley' of the 4 UK 'anthems' ?
Now the only anthem is at 00:58 ish as Radio 4 hands over to BBC World service......

 

[75A]

Advance Australia fair for me.

 

[Yew]

You can't beat the Marseillaise !

Anf for those who disagree, "Let their impure blood water the furrows of our fields"*



* Thats a reasonably accurate translation from the chorus; I feel it captures the spirit of the song nicely.

The beauty of God Save The Queen is that it's very easy to sing. The US national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, is notoriously difficult to get right so it's not really a proper rousing tune for the masses like God Save The Queen is!

I don't think one could ever describe God Save the Queen as 'rousing'; dull, overly religious and weak spring to mind.

For a more general Patriotic Song, I find that at the moment; I like this rendition of 'Hearts of Oak', particularly the line about 'ships ploughing the sea'.

 

[Ianno87]

Germany or La Marseilleuse

 

[yorksrob]

Anf for those who disagree, "Let their impure blood water the furrows of our fields"*



* Thats a reasonably accurate translation from the chorus; I feel it captures the spirit of the song nicely.

Yes, there's no beating around the bush is there !

I do like ‘The Star-spangled Banner’ of the USA. It tells a story, has varying moods, but the words are evidently difficult to remember, as quite a few celebrities at the Super Bowl seem to find out.

Apparently the tune was based on an English drinking song !

 

[Whistler40145]

God save the Queen - Sex Pistols 1977

I think the Queen (Band) version of God Save the Queen is cool, especially when Brian May was on the roof of Buckingham Palace

 

[birchesgreen]

Russia's anthem is good, as is France and Italy.

Our anthem should be green sleeves.

 

[mikeg]

I have to second the SA national anthem, with its change of key being a result of it being two anthems stuck together it still works.

I always liked the GDR national anthem, not that it exists anymore. There's only the bit about the 'Volkesfeind' that means it's inappropriate today in the lyrics and it's very much an anthem for a post war Germany. Yes the regime it represented may not have been all that, but it's still a good song set to beautiful music.

 

[52290]

Purely from a musical point of view I think a better tune than the current British one would be the Elgar Pomp & Circumstance march No1 (Land of Hope and Glory) although not with those words. Perhaps as an alternative the equivalent slow section from P & C march no 4 would also be fine with appropriate words.
If I was French I would be pressing for Berlioz's March to the Scaffold from the Symphonie Fantastique to replace the Marseilles.