THE MAGIC AND MAJESTY OF NATIONAL ANTHEMS

 

I have sometimes gotten lost in YouTubeLand when I’m looking for a distraction or need a little musical inspiration. I’ve never studied musicology, nor can I read music. (This was not a requirement for my intermediate school or high school glee clubs, where I struggled for years to perform as an alto.) For me, listening to music is one of life's greatest pleasures. My preferences lean more towards classical and opera, though I adore the music from Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton, and appreciate an occasional hip hop or other contemporary song. Nothing gets me on the dance floor faster than a great Motown single, and Jain’s addictive “Makeba” has been playing in my head for days!

Through my video wanderings, I’ve discovered a sub-genre of music that I find particularly stirring: national anthems. Yes, these are supposed to get your heart pumping and your spirit soaring; that’s their purpose. Politics and ideologies are irrelevant in determining which ones are my favorites. Of course, as a loyal American, I’m moved whenever I hear “The Star-Spangled Banner,” though it’s notoriously difficult to sing, and I don’t find the music as impressive as some other countries’ anthems. The Russian one, for instance, has a gorgeous melody, though it’s not a country I’m keen on visiting anytime soon. (It retains the same music as the USSR anthem, with altered lyrics to fit post-Soviet realities.)

Some national anthems have interesting backstories. One of my favorites, the Dutch national anthem, is an acrostic, 15 stanzas long, with the first letter of each spelling out “Willem van Nazzov” (Wilhelmus van Nassouwe), the Father of the Nation. (I’ve never heard more than two of the stanzas performed on any occasion, and it’s usually only the first one.) I paid particular attention when this was sung prior to the 2010 World Cup Final, a thrilling match where the Netherlands ultimately lost to Spain by one goal in the 116^th minute. Ironically, the first stanza of the Dutch national anthem ends with the lyrics, “To the king of Spain I've granted a lifelong loyalty.” I wondered at the time how the Dutch footballers and their fans felt as they were singing those particular words. (The history of this anthem is fascinating and you can read all about it here.)

Another national anthem with an intriguing history is Germany’s “Das Deutschlandlied.” I wrote a post many years ago for my other blog, “World War II… with a German accent,” explaining the song’s somewhat controversial backstory.

Some of my favorite anthems contain potentially divisive lyrics, which I try to overlook as the melody lifts my soul. “The Hatikvah” (links below) seems to exclude Israel’s non-Jewish citizens (“As long as the Jewish spirit is yearning deep in the heart…”) and the former East Germany’s “Auferstanden aus Ruinen,” though for the most part inspiring, becomes a little hostile in the second stanza: “The whole world longs for peace, extend your hand to all peoples. If we unite fraternally, we will defeat the enemy of the People.” (I’m not sure who this enemy was, but I assume it was the “West.”)

One of the most bellicose anthems is that of our long-time ally France. “La Marseillaise” extolls its patriots: “To arms, citizens, form your battalions, let's march, let's march! So that the impure blood waters our fields!” while warning its enemies to “Tremble, tyrants and you traitors, the shame of all parties, tremble! Your parricidal schemes will finally receive their reward!” By contrast, the inspiring words of our own national anthem, though forged in war, celebrate the steadfastness of the American cause, and not the spilled blood of our enemies. (That’s assuming you skip over the never-performed, slightly bloodthirsty, third stanza.)

I hope someday to better comprehend the psychology of music – how it can move us so profoundly, even when we can’t understand the lyrics. I’ve wondered why Homo sapiens invented this wondrous art, with its ever more intricate compositions, over the millennia. Were our ancestors inspired by birdsong, or could there be a more transcendent source of inspiration? If you have any theories please share them in the comments. In the meantime, I’ll keep listening in oblivious admiration.

For your edification and listening pleasure, please click on the links below to enjoy YouTube videos of some my favorite national anthems (in no particular order):

The Netherlands

The Federal Republic of Germany  (Note that the third stanza – “Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit” – is the current anthem. The first and second stanzas were only sung prior to 1952.)

The German Democratic Republic (This country no longer exists, but the song is awesome.)

The State of Israel – I’m including two links for this one. In the first you can hear it performed in the magnificent voice of Shai Abramson, Chief Cantor of the IDF, while the second video provides an English translation.

The Russian Federation

Do you have any favorites I missed? Please let us know in the comments below!