Florence Anthems (ALL about the tune!)

Walking into the Piazza della Signoria on Saturday, I hear the sound of music coming from the steps of the Palazzo Vecchio. It Is a wind ensemble, often known in the trade as a ‘military band’, although such groups are not necessarily anything to do with the defence forces. It is playing some slightly uptempo pieces. Unfortunately I have arrived just as they are finishing their concert because, immediately after this, we have a series of speeches, none of which I could comprehend.

But then comes the Italian national anthem! I LOVE the Italian national anthem!!! I even enjoy it at the rare times when Italy wins an event at the Olympic games, or more likely a Formula One race. Just when the morons think it’s finished, the good bit starts!! I think of the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves as the most Italianate melody but I’m OK with the second part of the national anthem.

But this band, a local group whose name celebrates Rossini, plays it excellently with excellent intonation and style. It has the full complement of instruments including six saxophones and a bass clarinet. They have obviously played their anthem innumerable times but I always love the sound of a melody, unison and octavo, played so well and in tune – a real treat for me!

As usual(!!), the event sets me thinking about the melodies of other national anthems.

The most stirring national anthem has to belong to a nation almost as musical (but different!) as the Italians. Just hearing a rugby crowd singing the Welsh National Anthem brings up the goose bumps in anyone with red blood in their veins. It’s not surprising as the Welsh are the only people I know who sing hymns in perfect four-part harmony when they get drunk.

England’s anthem is a prayer with a nice tune which appeared just when England desperately needed one. On a visit to England, Haydn thought having an anthem was such a great idea that he wrote the tune for “Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser” or “God save Francis the Emperor” which has a familiar ring about it.

(written for a former relatively peaceful era which is not forgotten)

Later, when Vienna became a little less important, Germany filched it. It was probably because of Haydn’s wonderful tune that a politically uncertain anthem was readopted by the unified Germany. Incidentally, Haydn also thought the ‘Messiah’ was a great idea and wrote a couple of similar pieces himself. There’s no resisting the effects of great tunes even on great composers.

I suppose I must admire the vigor of the Internationale

but it is definitely the French who have the best revolutionary anthem music. Talking again of a great composer, it’s the extremely spare and transparent orchestration by Berlioz which really brings the piece home and emphasizes the character of this marvellous anthem.

The voice is supreme and assertive whilst the orchestration simply joins in to emphasise that assertion. It’s magnificent! It can last nine minutes. after which I still want more of this wonderful anthem! Nothing, not even Beethoven’s ninth which is ‘something else’ of course, can rival this for sheer excitement, melodic invention and exhilaration.

But how about some ‘no bullshit’ anthems! Australia had the chance to adopt the tune of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ as its anthem but rejected it in favour of a tune whose first nine notes can be played on the bugle. Australians, far from home, will sometimes sing “Waltzing Matilda” and even “I still call Australia Home”

as these are the two songs which often reflect their state of mind of many people..

But the supreme ‘no bullshit’ anthem must be the ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ of the USA. (Only the first seven notes of the modern version can be played on the bugle!)

Crowds sing this with gusto holding their hands over their hearts. It’s a wonderful tune! Long before it reached America, it was very popular in London taverns or pubs, as we call them today. So it’s no surprise that the new Americans realised its greatness and took the melody, as well as their independence, from England and much later adopted it as their great anthem. The people of the US of A could tell a good anthem tune when they heard it! Thank goodness, because I love it every time I hear it!!!