"GOD SAVE THE KING."

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2280, 14 October 1914, Page 6

"GOD SAVE THE KING."

.SOMETHING OF ITS HISTORY There is probably no more popular, air - tW g ■" • g , '\i he ? ritish Dominions that encircle the globe and in Great Bntam and Ireland to-day than "God Sf aV + e v tn £ ??nB," the National Anthem t* » peovles - Jl ? OTer V theatre the performance invariably'begins ..-■ and ends with the dignified old mebdy • ■ it is sung at tho conclusion of every meeting; ,t „ p ayed or sung after loyal toast has been proposed at everv ..;. dinner; it rises in its melodic gran- I tleur at every patriotic assemblage and is sung with "heart and soul and voice" m every school college, and university that stands on English soil. The act of Eingmg is almost, though not quite, as » : .spontaneous an ebullition of feeling as tlancing, and is accepted as evidence of ■loyalty to King and country in times of peace and as a means of letting off patriotic "steam" when the red-eyed •wolf of war stalks through tho land 'Something of the history of "God Save the King" should be of interest at the present momentous juncture in the history of the nation. 1 Its first public performance is said to have been given . at a dinner in 1740, given in celebration of the taking of Portobello by Admiral Vernon (November 20, 1739), when it is stated to have been sung by Henry. Carey as hie own composi- , tion,both words and music. The near- ..' est known copy to that date is that in.the "Harmonica Anglica" of 1742. The claim that Henry Carey was the author of both words and music is testified to by J. Christopher x Smith, 'Handel's amenuensis, and by Dr. Harrington. In 1745 it became publicly known-by being sung at tho theatres as "a loyal song or anthem" during the " Scottish rebellion. The Pretender was /proclaimed at Edinburgh on September . 16,, and the first theatre performance ■of-the anthem was given at the Drury Lane Theatre on September 28. For a .month or so it was much sung at Covent Garden and Drury Lane, Burney having harmonised it for the former ■and Arno for the latter tleatrei Both tho-words and the music, the latter in its present form, was , published in the

Gentleman's Magazine" of October, 1745. ' ~.- ' ' As to how far the music of "GodSave tho King" was adapted from older airs will probably never be known, but thoro are several airs approgimating the national Anthem that' can be quoted as probable sources of Carey's inspiration. One is* an "ayre" attributed to Div Jan Bull, dated as far , back as 1619, which is preserved in a manuscript book, -which, strange to say, includes another air entitled "God Savo the King," which has no resemblance' to our National Anthem. Another claim that has been put forward as the source of tho anthfem is the ancient Scotch carol. "Beniomber Thou, Q Man," on which grounds Scotland has claimed its origin,, hut the placing of the notes and their value differ from the modern, tune, besides which it is written in a minor key. Henry Purcell, in a collection of lessons for the harpsichord and spinet, also wrote an air in 1690 that has a modified similarity in , melody to the anthem. Both the words and the music have been ante-dated. They, have .been call-, ed "the very- words and music of an old anthem that was sung at bt. James's Chapel for .King James the Second." Dr. Arne is reported to nave said that it- was a received opinion that it was written for the Catholic Chapel of James 11. This is the date given it by'Burncy in Bee's Cyclopaedia and' Dr. Benjamin Coolco had heard it sung to the words 'Great James, Our King." But Dr. Cooko was not born . till 1734, and Ins "James" must have been James 111 (tho Pretender). And as to tho Catholic Church of James 11, to.have been sung there it must surely have been in Latin, of which there are no traces. Lully's claim to "God l Save the King" rests on tho "Souvenirs de la Marquis 'de Crequi," which are now known to' be a modern fiction. .Ine tune of our National Anthem, 'however, soon crossed the Channel. It appeared as early as 1766 in '"La Lire Maconne do Vignolles et du Bois, a la Haye, and here the melody was for the farst time given the present accepted form of the last two bars. • Strangely enough the tune has had quite a royal vogue, and it has only been through England s bulldog tenacity to anything she once lays her hands upon that she has been able to retain the air as her National Anthem. It was once employed as the Danish National Anthem,' set ,to words which afterwards became "Heil dir im Sicgerkranz," published in 1790. As a Berlin Volkslied (folk song), the words first appeared in the "Spenersoho Zeitung" of December 17, 1793, and both words and music afterwards became the Prussian national air. : The tune was a great favourite ot Weber's. He introduced it into his cantata-"Karnpf und Seig," and his "Jubal" overture. He twice had harmonised it for four voices m D and ti flat. With Beethoven it was equally a favourite. He wrote seven venations on it for the pianoforte, and introduced it into his BattloSymphony. Apropos of< the latter, the following words, are found in his.journal: 1 ■must show the English a little what a blessing they have in 'God Save the' Kino:' ?l Our own Attwood harmonised it'm his anthem, '.i Was Glad ," for the'coronation of Georgo IV, as he did "Rule Britannia" for the coronation ot William IV. ■ PATRIOTIC SPORTS COMMITTEE.. The usual- weekly meeting of the ■Patriotic Sports Committee took placo en Monday Evening. Mr. C: P. Skerrett presided.. The secretary reported that the receipts to date amounted to £1141) 10s. 7d. Tlie gross recerpts of the military concert were £76 55., and the.net receipts of'the ball arranged by the ■ladies of the Star Boating, Club wero £61-Is. A full statement of receipts and'payments will be available at the next :meeting on Monday, and it was decided to ask Mr. Kellow to audit the accounts. . ■ ' ; , . Votes of.thanks were passed to their. Excellencies the- Earl and Countess of Liverpool for the personal interest they had taken:in the various functions; to Mrs. Bayfield, Miss Peat, the Ladies Committee of the Star Boating Club, 'and all those who had assisted with the ball; to the, Town Hall staff for assisting at concerts; to the City Engineer and Reserves Committee for their assistance in preparing grounds: to the Union Steamship Company, the Harbour Board, • and the Public Works Department for the loan of flags, etc., to Mr. J. Dykes and Lieutenant Waite for arranging the programme for the military concert- and to all those who liad , contributed items; to J. O'Brien and Co and.the Carriers' Union for gratuitous cartage; to the donors of special prizes'for the military ; sports; to J. 0. Williamson, Ltd., for;the free use of the.Grand Opera House; to the' Opera House staff for assistance at the military concert. . ~.