La Marseillaise
National anthem of France / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"La Marseillaise"[lower-alpha 1] is the national anthem of France. The song was written in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg after the declaration of war by France against Austria, and was originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin"[lower-alpha 2] ("War Song for the Army of the Rhine").
English: The Marseillaise | |
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National anthem of France | |
Also known as | Chant de Guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin (English: War song for the Army of the Rhine) |
Lyrics | Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, 1792 |
Music | Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle |
Adopted | 14 July 1795 |
Readopted | 1870 |
Relinquished | 1799 |
Audio sample | |
"La Marseillaise" (instrumental) | |
The French National Convention adopted it as the First Republic's anthem in 1795. The song acquired its nickname after being sung in Paris by volunteers from Marseille marching to the capital. The song is the first example of the "European march"[clarification needed] anthemic style. The anthem's evocative melody and lyrics have led to its widespread use as a song of revolution and its incorporation into many pieces of classical and popular music.
The italian violinist Guido Rimonda has pointed out in 2013[1] that the incipit of "Tema e variazioni in Do maggiore" of Giovanni Battista Viotti[2] has a very strong resemblance to the hymn.[3][4] This incipit was first thought to have been published before La Marseillaise, but it appeared to be a misconception as Viotti published several variations of La Marseillaise in 1795[5] and wrote as a note "I have never composed the quartets below" (Je n'ai jamais composé les quatuors ci dessous).[6][7][8]