Proggiest National Anthem?

aprusso wrote: Guzzman wrote: iguana wrote: actually, now it's “einigkeit und recht und freiheit“ (unity, justice, liberty) – the one you mentioned (Deutschland Uber Alles) is from the nazi times (same melody though) You're both right and wrong. The German national anthem is the "Deutschlandlied". The lyrics were written by Hoffmann von Fallersleben in 1841. The first verse starts with the words "Deutschland, Deutschland uber alles", the third verse with "Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit". During the time of the nazi-regime only the first verse was sung, nowadays the third verse is sung and was declared national anthem after the reunification. The melody, by the way, is "borrowed" from the "Kaiserhymne", which Joseph Haydn wrote for Austrian emperor Franz II. "Auferstanden aus Ruinen" indeed was the national anthem of the former GDR. Interesting enough the lyrics of both of the national anthems can be sung to the melody of the other and vice versa.   See? this complexity is VERY proggy...

Yeah, I guess that's true

From very (unreliable) memory, I think the Italian anthem has a really bizarre sudden tempo change in the middle which always strikes me as a tad 'proggy'

Passionist wrote: I find the "possibly to be anthem" of Finland very prog. We have a boring now, but there's a petition going, getting a lot of names listed for making Sibelius - Finlandia Hymn as our official national anthem. At least, this time the composer would be Finnish, and the lyricist would be Finnish-speaking. The problem is, most people won't be able to sing it.

Vince wrote: Of course, it's Anthem by Rush! Sorry, bad joke...

If you say Rush I say Deep Purple! Deep Purple - Anthem, well that's proggy!

Cheesecakemouse wrote: The T wrote: The old anthem for the Soviet Union was extremely prog... seconded

In a certain sense, all national anthems are "prog" not only for the music but also for the lyrics that are epic-like ones showing an imaginary and desired land with many exquisite metaphors supplied by different rhymes and unusual and rare words.

"God Save the Queen" as played by Gentle Giant.

As to the "Deutschland über alles" part of the German national anthem: Actually it no longer IS a part of the German national anthem (though it appears in the original lyrics of Hoffmann von Fallersleben); on the contrary, it is forbidden to sing that verse in Germany. When these lyrics were written they meant something totally different; there was no united Germany, just a few principalities in which German was spoken. Von Fallersleben wanted these principalities to unite to form Germany, as it finally happened in 1871; he was not of the opinion that Germany is superior to other nations, as the Nazis interpreted this verse.
The first verse of von Fallersleben's poem, in which this passage appears, is never sung. For official purposes always only the third verse of the poem is used, and this third verse is the official national anthem of Germany.
Here the full lyrics of the poem:

Das Lied der Deutschen

Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,

Über alles in der Welt,

Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze

Brüderlich zusammenhält,

Von der Maas bis an die Memel,

Von der Etsch bis an den Belt –

|: Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,

Über alles in der Welt! :|

Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,

Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang

Sollen in der Welt behalten

Ihren alten schönen Klang,

Uns zu edler Tat begeistern

Unser ganzes Leben lang –

|: Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,

Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang! :|

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

Für das deutsche Vaterland!

Danach lasst uns alle streben

Brüderlich mit Herz und Hand!

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

Sind des Glückes Unterpfand –

|: Blüh im Glanze dieses Glückes,

Blühe, deutsches Vaterland! :|

The melody, by the way, is by Joseph Haydn and was used in his so-called "Kaiser quartet". The lyrics sung to the melody began with "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser"; they praised the Kaiser of Austria.


Edited by BaldFriede - June 12 2008 at 19:41