# National anthems



## Whistlerguy (May 26, 2010)

Do you consider national anthems of sovereign countries to be a type of classical music?

What are your favorite national anthems?

I haven't heard all of them, but, from what I have heard, I like anthems of Germany, India, France, Poland, Italy, UK, USA, Russia and of course, the anthem of my country - Serbia (yes, I am highly subjective when it comes to this). (Though I live in Bosnia, but I am a Serb, that's why I identify with Serbia, and not with Bosnia).

So, what are your favorites?


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## hocket (Feb 21, 2010)

I'm rather wary of pigeonholing any kind of music. Definitions are of limited use. After all, in some periods the difference between what are supposed to be 'classical', 'popular' or 'folk' music amounts to little more that the social class and education of those who either wrote or performed it.

Nonetheless, the British national anthem may have been written by the legendary tearaway Dr John Bull, though it's by no means proven.

Most amusingly the US national anthem is based on a rather saucy British drinking song called 'To Anacreon in Heaven': "And long may the sons of Anacreon intwine the myrtle of Venus with Bacchus' vine."

Of course my general experience is that the World Cup always reminds me just how awful most national anthems really are. The only one I can say that I have any real liking for is the Marseilleise -and that may only be because of Casablanca.


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## Earthling (May 21, 2010)

Almost a national anthem: I have a soft spot for Parry's _Jerusalem_.


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2010)

I still say the old USSR had the best national anthem. And I've never cared for the Star Spangled Banner.


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## Whistlerguy (May 26, 2010)

Yes, USSR really had a great anthem.


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2010)

The German national anthem actually IS classical music - specifically, it was written by Haydn, originally for the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II. You can listen to it in string quartet form in the second movement of his Op. 76 No. 3 string quartet.

Regarding the Star-spangled Banner - true, the Anacreontic Song had been sung along with drinking, but was originally the official song of the Anacreontic Society, a gentlemen's club of amateur musicians. So to call it a drinking song is a very narrow interpretation of it.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Polish anthem is like both classical and folk music; it's mazurka form which comes from folk music but it was adapted in classical by Chopin and post-Chopin composers from all Europe.

Liszt and Wagner wrote variations on it's theme which can be heard in their works:

Wagner (from about 3/4 of first part and in the first half of second):










Liszt (second part from the beginning):


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## TresPicos (Mar 21, 2009)

Whistlerguy said:


> Yes, USSR really had a great anthem.


The opportunity to listen to the USSR national anthem used to be a nice consolation after losing the World Cup hockey tournaments year after year back in the 80s. 

The Swedish national anthem is pretty boring and plain in my opinion. I like the Danish and the Finnish/Estonian ones better.



Jeff N said:


> I still say the old USSR had the best national anthem. And I've never cared for the Star Spangled Banner.


The US should scrap it and use "From Sea to Shining Sea" instead.


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## Whistlerguy (May 26, 2010)

This is not official anthem of Serbia, but, it was official anthem during the First Serbian Uprising (1804).
What do you think?


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## TWhite (Feb 23, 2010)

First of all, the Star Spangled Banner is unsingable--it's based upon a really terribly written English drinking song, and the lyrics celebrate a war (the War of 1812) that we technically LOST! The range is almost two octaves, and no matter WHAT key you transpose it into, it's going to show off the WORST parts of the singer's range. Even the great American soprano Leontyne Price admitted that it was one of the hardest songs she has ever sung. 

So, at the risk of the CIA knocking on my door, in the future, I will say without a doubt, that our National Anthem is the WORST I've ever heard, bar none! 

But--right down there and vying for Top Dishonors, is our own California State Song ("I Love You, California") which sounds like the very WORST of 1900's 'parlor' music that used to be written by little old maiden ladies to be sung by their Temperance Church Groups. It's simply gag-inducing!

Opinion: NEVER let Politicians decide on National or State Songs--they're all hopelessly tone-deaf!

Now I feel better, LOL!

Tom


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

I suppose many national anthems are at least "classical-like." Perhaps they are close to being short overtures or something like that. Not sure if you could refer to any national anthem as a "piece," per se.

I have always loved La Marseillaise and Maamme, the Finnish national anthem. The USSR's anthem was pretty cool, to be sure as well.


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## Earthling (May 21, 2010)

I almost forgot: there is always the EU anthem.


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## hocket (Feb 21, 2010)

*DrMike wrote:*



> to call it a drinking song is a very narrow interpretation of it.


Are you saying that something needs to be written by someone who is actually drunk in order to be considered a drinking song? The fact is that it came ingto general use as a drinking song, and singing the first verse actually used to be used as a test of sobriety in 18th century England.


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