Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser ("God Save Emperor Franz") is an anthem to the Emperor Francis II of the Holy Roman Empire and (later) of Austria, written by Lorenz Leopold Haschka (1749-1827) and set to a tune written by Joseph Haydn in 1797. In English it is sometimes called the "Emperor's Hymn."
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2 History 3 Composition 4 Later uses of the tune 5 Full text 6 See also 7 External link |
The sound file given below (played on a piano) uses the harmony Haydn employed for the string quartet version of his song, which he prepared later in the year 1797.
The song was written at a time when Austria was seriously threatened by France and patriotic feeling was high. An Austrian aristocrat, Count Joseph Franz Saurau, had the idea of commissioning the anthem. Saurau later wrote:
Words and music
to hear; ogg format, 156k.]]
The German words can be translated approximately as follows:
History
"Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" was first performed on the Emperor's birthday, February 12, 1797. It proved popular, and came to serve as the unofficial first national anthem of Austria.
Just as on many other occasions in his career, Haydn in composing "Gott erhalte" is believed to have mined his mental store of folk songss, which he learned in childhood and perhaps also in field work during adult life. The particular folk source of "Gott erhalte" appears to be Croatian in origin, and is known in Medjimurje and northern regions of Croatia under the name "Stal se jesem". The version below was collected by a field worker in the Croatian-speaking village of Schandorf-Cemba, in eastern Austria:
Composition
to hear; ogg format, 41k.]]
The English musicologist William H. Hadow, following the work of Franjo Kuhac, has discussed various versions of the tune, and describes how Haydn transformed and (in the opinion of many) exalted his source material. The tonic note in the high octave near the end, felt by Charles Rosen and others to be the climax of Haydn's melody, appears in none of the folk originals.
Haydn's patriotism appears to have been unsophisticated and fully sincere. During his frail and sickly old age (1802-1809), Haydn often would struggle to the piano to play his song, often with great feeling, as a form of consolation in his long illness.
Long after the composer's death, his melody was used as the tune of Fallersleben's Das Lied der Deutschen (1841), whose text begins "Deutschland, Deutschland über alles"; see the Wikipedia article just cited for full details concerning this setting. The tune has also been used as a hymn in English, to lyrics by John Newton which begin "Glorious things of thee are spoken/Zion, city of our God." 1, 2
There has also been uses of the tune in classical music.
Haschka's poem contains many verses, reproduced below. For translations of the text into several of the languages that were spoken in the Austrian Empire, see Translations of Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser.
Gott erhalte Franz, den Kaiser,
Laß von seiner Fahne Spitzen
Ströme deiner Gaben Fülle
Froh erleb' er seiner Lande,
Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser,
Über blühende Gefilde
Sich mit Tugenden zu schmücken,
Er zerbrach der Knechtschaft Bande,
During Haydn's lifetime, the musicologist Charles Burney, a friend of the composer, made a English translation of the first verse which is more felicitous if less literal than the one given above.
God preserve the Emp'ror Francis
The penultimate couplet about sheep lacks a counterpart in the original German and appears to be Burney's own contribution.
This is an Article on Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser Later uses of the tune
Full text
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz!
Lange lebe Franz, der Kaiser,
In des Glückes hellstem Glanz!
Ihm erblühen Lorbeerreiser,
Wo er geht, zum Ehrenkranz!
|: Gott erhalte Franz, den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz! :|
Strahlen Sieg und Fruchtbarkeit!
Laß in seinem Rate Sitzen
Weisheit, Klugheit, Redlichkeit;
Und mit Seiner Hoheit Blitzen
Schalten nur Gerechtigkeit!
|: Gott erhalte Franz, den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz! :|
Über ihn, sein Haus und Reich!
Brich der Bosheit Macht, enthülle
Jeden Schelm- und Bubenstreich!
Dein Gesetz sei stets sein Wille,
Dieser uns Gesetzen gleich.
|: Gott erhalte Franz, den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz! :|
Seiner Völker höchsten Flor!
Seh' sie, Eins durch Bruderbande,
Ragen allen andern vor!
Und vernehm' noch an dem Rande
Später Gruft der Endkel Chor.
|: Gott erhalte Franz, den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz! :|
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz,
Hoch als Herrscher, hoch als Weiser,
Steht er in des Ruhmes Glanz;
Liebe windet Lorbeerreiser
Ihm zum ewig grünen Kranz.
|: Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz! :|
Reicht sein Scepter weit und breit;
Säulen seines Throns sind milde,
Biedersinn und Redlichkeit,
Und von seinem Wappenschilde
Strahlet die Gerechtigkeit.
|: Gott erhalte unsern Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz! :|
Achtet er der Sorgen werth,
Nicht um Völker zu erdrücken
Flammt in seiner Hand das Schwert:
Sie zu segnen, zu beglücken,
Ist der Preis, den er begehrt,
|: Gott erhalte unsern Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz! :|
Hob zur Freiheit uns empor!
Früh' erleb' er deutscher Lande,
Deutscher Völker höchsten Flor,
Und vernehme noch am Rande
Später Gruft der Enkel Chor:
|: Gott erhalte unsern Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz! :|Burney's translation
Sov'reign ever good and great;
Save, o save him from mischances
In Prosperity and State!
May his Laurels ever blooming
Be by Patriot Virtue fed;
May his worth the world illumine
And bring back the Sheep misled!
God preserve our Emp'ror Francis!
Sov'reign ever good and great.See also
External link