A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Veillons au Salut de l'Empire

by Adolphe Jullien

VEILLONS AU SALUT DE L'EMPIRE, a political song written by Ad. S. Roy in 1791, and adapted by him to the popular air 'Vous qui d'amoureuse aventure,' from Dalayrac's 'Renaud d'Ast' (produced at the Comédie Italienne, July 19, 1787). The song, which bears the sub-title of 'Chant de Liberté' was one of the first lyrical utterances suggested by the French Revolution, and it is a great error to suppose that it was adapted for use under the first Empire, for the democratic ideas expressed in Roy's verses were absolutely interdicted under the first Napoleon. The word 'Empire,' which has given rise to this widely-spread impression, refers here to the State, not to the imperial Government. The success of the song was enormous, and it required nothing less than the 'Marseillaise' to drive it out of popular favour. The first three verses alone are by Roy; the fourth was added in 1840, when the song was for a time rescued from the oblivion into which it had fallen.

[ A. J. ]