Page:National Anthems of the Allies.djvu/27

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the orchestra at the theatre in that city. He developed a fine tenor voice, and for thirty years he was to be found singing in the principal towns of Holland, Belgium and France; during this time he also devoted himself to composition, and brought out several operas and many smaller works, but it is chiefly as the composer of "La Brabançonne" that Campenhout is known. He died at Brussels in 1848.


RUSSIAN NATIONAL HYMN


It was as a result of hearing the English National Anthem that Tsar Nicholas commanded General Alexis Lwoff, a member of the suite who had accompanied him on his travels, to write something to equal or even surpass "God save the King." The General, who was a good musician and recognized as a fine violinist in several of the great cities of Europe, and who had composed operas and much church music, set to work on words written by Joukovsky, and so in 1833 the stately anthem was given to the world. The Tsar was so delighted with the composition, that he gave orders that it was to be immediately adopted by the whole Army, and to be performed at all important concerts, and even included in presentations on the stage. He presented Lwoff with a magnificent gold snuff-box set with diamonds, and commanded that the words "God save the Tsar" should be introduced into the armorial bearings of the composer's family. The General became Director of the Royal Court Chapel, and filled many posts of honor. He died in 1870.


JAPANESE NATIONAL HYMN


Very little information can be obtained regarding the history of the National Anthem of the Japanese, but it appears that at the commencement of the 10th century, the Emperor Daigo commanded a collection of poems to be compiled under the title of the "Kokinshu," and the words of "Kimigayo" were included; but who wrote them is not known, neither can the composer of the music be identified, although this was written at a very much later date, apparently about fifty years ago.


SERBIAN NATIONAL HYMN


The Serbian national hymn is said to have been, originally, a poem written by Nicholas I of Montenegro, in 1867, and set to music by Davorin Jenko in 1872. The present poem, however, is ascribed to the Serbian poet J. Gjorgjévič, adapted to the melody by Jenko.


ITALIAN NATIONAL HYMN


The lack of political unity for many centuries probably accounts for the fact that Italy had no national hymn. As in Spain, the people contented themselves with a Royal March, Marcia Reale, a rather trivial composition written about 1834 by Gabetti. The people created a hymn for themselves during the stormy period around 1858. To the ardent verses of Luigi Mercantini, the military bandmaster Allessio Olivieri (1830-1867) set a genuine Italian melody, half operatic aria, half parade-march. The first who sang this hymn were the volunteers of the Alpine Chasseurs' brigade, after whom it therefore was named "Inno di guerra dei cacciatori delle Alpi." Its popularity dates from the world-famed campaign of the Thousand, in the year 1860; since that time, when it was universally known as the "Garibaldi Hymn," it has become the popular national song, more especially when the wrath of the people toward foreign intruders finds vent.


RUMANIAN NATIONAL HYMN


Rumania came into possession of a national hymn at nearly the same time as Italy. The first move in this direction was merely for the composition of a welcome-fanfare for Prince Alexander Johannes Cusa (1820-1873); in the prize-competition set on foot to this end, in 1861, the victor was Eduard A. Hübach (1833-1894), military bandmaster at Jassy. The words were written later, when Rumania was raised to a kingdom, by Vasil Alexandri, who adapted them to apply to Karl von Hohenzollern.


PORTUGUESE NATIONAL HYMN


The Portuguese received their national hymn indirectly, by way of Brazil. Portugal is the only state whose king wrote and set to music a national hymn for himself and his people. In the year 1822 Dom Pedro I had assumed the title of Prince-Regent and Protector of the Brazilian Constitution; to increase his popularity, he composed the hymn "O' Patria, ó Rei, ó povo," which, on his ascension of the Portuguese throne in 1826, he brought with him to Portugal, where it was received as the national hymn.