The FrenchNational Convention adopted it as theFirst Republic's anthem in 1795. The song acquired its nickname after being sung inParis byFédéré (volunteers) fromMarseille marching to the capital. 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 violinistGuido Rimonda pointed out in 2013[1] that theincipit of "Tema e variazioni in Do maggiore" ofGiovanni Battista Viotti[2] has a strong resemblance to the anthem.[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]
As theFrench Revolution continued, the monarchies of Europe became concerned that revolutionary fervor would spread to their countries. TheWar of the First Coalition was an effort to stop the revolution, or at least contain it to France. Initially, the French army did not distinguish itself, and Coalition armies invaded France. On 25 April 1792, BaronPhilippe-Frédéric de Dietrich, the Mayor of Strasbourg andWorshipful Master of the localMasonic lodge, asked hisFreemason guest Rouget de Lisle to compose a song "that will rally our soldiers from all over to defend their homeland that is under threat".[9][10] That evening, Rouget de Lisle wrote "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin"[11] ("War Song for theArmy of the Rhine"), and dedicated the song toMarshalNicolas Luckner, aBavarian freemason in French service fromCham.[12] A plaque on the building onPlace Broglie where De Dietrich's house once stood commemorates the event.[13] De Dietrich was executed the next year during theReign of Terror.[14]
The melody soon became the rallying call to the French Revolution and was adopted as "La Marseillaise" after the melody was first sung on the streets by volunteers (fédérés in French) from Marseille by the end of May. Thesefédérés were making their entrance into the city of Paris on 30 July 1792 after a young volunteer fromMontpellier calledFrançois Mireur had sung it at a patriotic gathering in Marseille, and the troops adopted it as the marching song of the National Guard of Marseille.[11] The song quickly became a form ofmusical propaganda, spreading revolutionary ideals and uniting citizens through its patriotic lyrics and rousing melody. A newly graduated medical doctor, Mireur later became a general underNapoléon Bonaparte and died inEgypt at age 28.[15]
The song's lyrics reflect the invasion of France by foreign armies (fromPrussia and Austria) that was under way when it was written. Strasbourg itself was attacked just a few days later. The invading forces were repulsed from France following their defeat in theBattle of Valmy. As the vast majority ofAlsatiansdid not speak French, a German version („Auf, Brüder, auf dem Tag entgegen") was published in October 1792 inColmar.[16]
Belgian singerJean Noté singing "La Marseillaise" in 1907
The Convention accepted it as the French national anthem in a decree passed on 14 July 1795, making it France's first anthem.[17] It later lost this status underNapoleon I, and the song was banned outright byLouis XVIII andCharles X, being re-instated only briefly after the July Revolution of 1830.[18] During Napoleon I's reign,Veillons au salut de l'Empire was the unofficial anthem of the regime, and inNapoleon III's reign, it was "Partant pour la Syrie", but the government brought back the iconic anthem in an attempt to motivate the French people during theFranco-Prussian War. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries,La Marseillaise was recognized as the anthem of the international revolutionary movement; as such, it was adopted by theParis Commune in 1871, albeit with new lyrics under the title "La Marseillaise de la Commune". Eight years later, in 1879, it was restored as France's national anthem, and has remained so ever since.[18]
The refrain is reminscent of its time, simple wording in revolutionary songs allowed the general uneducated population to participate in the singing.[citation needed]
Several musical antecedents have been cited for the melody:
Tema e variazioni in Do maggiore, a work by the Italian violinistGiovanni Battista Viotti;[19][20] the 1781 dating of the manuscript has been questioned,[21] but it seems to have been published after "La Marseillaise", in 1795.[22][7]
Allons enfants de la Patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrivé ! Contre nous de la tyrannie 𝄆 L'étendard sanglant est levé, 𝄇 Entendez-vous dans les campagnes Mugir ces féroces soldats ? Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes !
Refrain : 𝄆 Aux armes, citoyens, Formez vos bataillons,[e] Marchons, marchons ![f] Qu'un sang impur Abreuve nos sillons ! 𝄇
Que veut cette horde d'esclaves, De traîtres, de rois conjurés ? Pour qui ces ignobles entraves, 𝄆 Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ? 𝄇 Français, pour nous, ah ! quel outrage Quels transports il doit exciter! C'est nous qu'on ose méditer De rendre à l'antique esclavage !
Refrain
Quoi ! des cohortes étrangères Feraient la loi dans nos foyers ! Quoi ! Ces phalanges mercenaires 𝄆 Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers! 𝄇 Grand Dieu ! Par des mains enchaînées Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient De vils despotes deviendraient Les maîtres de nos destinées !
Refrain
Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides L'opprobre de tous les partis, Tremblez ! vos projets parricides 𝄆 Vont enfin recevoir leurs prix ! 𝄇 Tout est soldat pour vous combattre, S'ils tombent, nos jeunes héros, La terre en produit de nouveaux, Contre vous tout prêts à se battre !
Refrain
Français, en guerriers magnanimes, Portez ou retenez vos coups ! Épargnez ces tristes victimes, 𝄆 À regret s'armant contre nous. 𝄇 Mais ces despotes sanguinaires, Mais ces complices de Bouillé, Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié, Déchirent le sein de leur mère !
Refrain
Amour sacré de la Patrie, Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs Liberté, Liberté chérie, 𝄆 Combats avec tes défenseurs ! 𝄇 Sous nos drapeaux que la victoire Accoure à tes mâles accents, Que tes ennemis expirants Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !
Refrain
Couplet des enfants :[g] Nous entrerons dans la carrière Quand nos aînés n'y seront plus, Nous y trouverons leur poussière 𝄆 Et la trace de leurs vertus 𝄇 Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre Que de partager leur cercueil, Nous aurons le sublime orgueil De les venger ou de les suivre.
Refrain
[a.lõ.z‿ɑ̃.fɑ̃ də la pa.tʁi.ə |] [lə ʒuʁ də glwaʁ ɛ.t‿a.ʁi.ve ‖] [kõ.tʁə nu də la ti.ʁa.ni.ə |] 𝄆 [le.tɑ̃.daʁ sɑ̃.glɑ̃.t‿ɛ lə.ve ‖] 𝄇 [ɑ̃.tɑ̃.de vu dɑ̃ le kɑ̃.pa.ɲə |] [my.ʒiʁ se fe.ʁɔ.sə sɔl.da ‖] [il vjɛ.nə ʒys.kə dɑ̃ vo bʁɑ |] [e.gɔʁ.ʒe vo fis vo kõ.pa.ɲə ‖]
[kə vø sɛ.tə ɔʁ.də dɛs.kla.və |] [də tʁɛ.tʁə də ʁwa kõ.ʒy.ʁe ‖] [puʁ ki se.z‿i.ɲɔ.blə.z‿ɑ̃.tʁa.və |] 𝄆 [se fεʁ de lõg.tɑ̃ pʁe.pa.ʁe ‖] 𝄇 [fʁɑ̃.sɛ puʁ nu a kɛl u.tʁa.ʒə |] [kɛl tʁɑ̃s.pɔʁ.z‿il dwa.t‿ɛk.si.te ‖] [sɛ nu kõ.n‿o.zə me.di.te |] [də ʁɑ̃.dʁ‿a lɑ̃.tik ɛs.kla.va.ʒə ‖]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]
[kwa de ko.ɔʁ.tə.z‿e.tʁɑ̃.ʒɛ.ʁə |] [fə.ʁe la lwa dɑ̃ no fwa.je ‖] [kwa se fa.lɑ̃.ʒə mɛʁ.sə.nɛ.ʁə |] 𝄆 [tɛ.ʁa.sə.ʁe no fje gɛ.ʁje ‖] 𝄇 [gʁɑ̃ djø paʁ de mɛ̃.z‿ɑ̃.ʃɛ.ne.ə |] [no fʁõ su lə ʒu sə plwa.ʁɛ ‖] [də vil dɛs.pɔ.tə də.vjɑ̃.dʁɛ |] [le mɛ.tʁə də no dɛs.ti.ne.ə ‖]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]
[tʁɑ̃.ble ti.ʁɑ̃.z‿e vu pɛʁ.fi.də |] [lɔ.pʁɔ.bʁə də tu le paʁ.ti ‖] [tʁɑ̃.ble vo pʁɔ.ʒe pa.ʁi.si.də |] 𝄆 [võ.t‿ɑ̃.fɛ̃ ʁə.sə.vwaʁ lœʁ pʁi ‖] 𝄇 [tu.t‿ɛ sɔl.da puʁ vu kõ.ba.tʁə |] [sil tõ.bə no ʒœ.nə e.ʁo ‖] [la tɛ.ʁ‿ɑ̃ pʁɔ.dɥi də nu.vo |] [kõ.tʁə vu tu pʁɛ.z‿a sə ba.tʁə ‖]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]
[fʁɑ̃.sɛ ɑ̃ gɛ.ʁje ma.ɲa.ni.mə |] [pɔʁ.te.z‿u ʁə.tə.ne vo ku ‖] [e.paʁ.ɲe se tʁis.tə vik.ti.mə |] 𝄆 [a ʁə.gʁe saʁ.mɑ̃ kõ.tʁə nu ‖] 𝄇 [me.se dɛs.pɔ.tə sɑ̃.gi.nɛ.ʁə |] [me.se kõ.pli.sə də bwi.je ‖] [tu.se ti.gʁə ki sɑ̃ pi.tje |] [de.ʃi.ʁə lə sɛ̃ də lœʁ mɛ.ʁə ‖]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]
[a.muʁ sa.kʁe də la pa.tʁi.ə |] [kõ.dɥi su.tjɛ̃ no bʁa vɑ̃.ʒœʁ ‖] [li.bɛʁ.te li.bɛʁ.te ʃe.ʁi.ə |] 𝄆 [kõ.ba.z‿a.vɛk te de.fɑ̃.sœʁ ‖] 𝄇 [su no dʁa.po kə la vik.twa.ʁə |] [a.kuʁ a.te mɑ.lə.z‿a.ksɑ̃ ‖] [kə.te.z‿ɛ.nə.mi.z‿ɛks.pi.ʁɑ̃ |] [vwa tõ tʁi.õ.pe nɔ.tʁə glwa.ʁə ‖]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]
[ku.plɛ de.z‿ɑ̃.fɑ̃]: [nu.z‿ɑ̃.tʁə.ʁõ dɑ̃ la ka.ʁjɛ.ʁə |] [kɑ̃ no.z‿ɛ.ne ni sə.ʁõ ply ‖] [nu.z‿i tʁu.və.ʁõ lœʁ pu.sjɛ.ʁə |] 𝄆 [e la tʁa.sə də lœʁ vɛʁ.ty ‖] 𝄇 [bjɛ̃ mwɛ̃ ʒa.lu də lœʁ syʁ.vi.vʁə |] [kə də paʁ.ta.ʒe lœʁ sɛʁ.kœj ‖] [nu.z‿o.ʁõ lə sy.blim ɔʁ.gœj |] [də le vɑ̃.ʒe u də le sɥi.vʁə ‖]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]
Arise, children of the Fatherland, Theday of glory has arrived! Against us, of tyranny 𝄆 The blood-stainedstandard is raised, 𝄇 Do you hear in the countryside, Thoseblood-thirsty soldiers ablare? They're coming right into your arms To tear the throats of your sons, your wives!
Refrain: 𝄆 To arms, citizens, Form up your battalions Let's march, let's march! Let blood impure Water our furrows! 𝄇
What do they want, this horde of slaves, Oftraitors, of conjured kings? For whom these ignoble chains, 𝄆 These long-prepared irons? 𝄇 Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage What outburst it must arouse! It's us they dare to conspire To return to the old slavery!
Refrain
What! These foreign cohorts Would make the law in our homes! What! These mercenary phalanxes 𝄆 Would strike down our proud warriors! 𝄇 Great God! With chained hands Under the yoke we'd yield ourselves Vile despots would become The masters of our destinies!
Refrain
Tremble, tyrants and ye traitors The disgrace of all parties, Tremble! Your parricidal schemes 𝄆 Will finally receive their prize! 𝄇 Everyone is a soldier to fight you, If our young heroes fall, The earth will produce new ones, Ready to fight against you!
Refrain
Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors, Endure or hold back your blows! Spare these pitiful victims, 𝄆 That regret arming against us. 𝄇 But these bloodthirsty despots, But these accomplices ofBouillé, All these tigers who, without mercy, Would tear apart their mother's breast!
Refrain
Sacred love of the Fatherland, Lead, support our avenging arms Liberty, Liberty beloved, 𝄆 Fight with your defenders! 𝄇 Under our flags may victory Hurry to your virile accents, So that your dying enemies See your triumph and our glory!
Refrain
Children's verse: We will start our career When our elders are no more, We will find their dust there 𝄆 And the trace of their virtues 𝄇 Much less jealous to survive them Than to share their coffin, We will have the sublime pride To avenge them or follow them.
Robert Schumann uses a brief quote of "La Marseillaise" in his solo piano work'sFaschingsschwank aus Wien (1839) first movement, "Allegro". Singing "La Marseillaise" was forbidden in Austria at the time because "such a revolutionary piece might cause public disorder".[32]
Schumann also quotes the melody in the last verse of his song "Die beiden Grenadiere" (Op. 49, No. 1, 1840).
Richard Wagner quotes the melody in last verse of his "Les deux grenadiers" (1840).
Thomas Wiggins quotes the melody in his "Battle of Manassas" (ca 1861).
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky quotes "La Marseillaise" in his1812 Overture (1880), representing the invading French Army under Napoleon (although it had not been the French national anthem at that time), and it is drowned out by cannon fire, symbolizing the Russian defense at theBattle of Borodino.[33]
Pavlos Carrer quotes the tune in the overture to his opera Maria Antonietta (1884).
Sarah Schachner used and reinterpreted the melody of "La Marseillaise" in the track "Rather Death Than Slavery" that is included in the official soundtrack to the video gameAssassin's Creed Unity (2014), itself set during theFrench Revolution. This track was also used in 2015 in a trailer forseason 5 of the TV dramaGame of Thrones.[39]
In Russia, "La Marseillaise" was used as arepublicanrevolutionary anthem by those who knew French starting in the 18th century, almost simultaneously with its adoption in France. In 1875Peter Lavrov, anarodnik revolutionary and theorist, wrote a Russian-language text (not a translation of the French one) to the same melody. This "Worker's Marseillaise" became one of the most popularrevolutionary songs in Russia and was used in theRevolution of 1905. After theFebruary Revolution of 1917, it was used as the semi-official national anthem of the new Russian republic. Even after theOctober Revolution, it remained in use for a while alongside "The Internationale".[40]
The English philosopher and reformerJeremy Bentham, who was declared anhonorary citizen of France in 1791 in recognition of his sympathies for the ideals of the French Revolution, was not enamoured of "La Marseillaise". Contrasting its qualities with the "beauty" and "simplicity" of "God Save the King", he wrote in 1796:
The War whoop of anarchy, the Marseillais Hymn, is to my ear, I must confess, independently of all moral association, a most dismal, flat, and unpleasing ditty: and to any ear it is at any rate a long winded and complicated one. In the instance of a melody so mischievous in its application, it is a fortunate incident, if, in itself, it should be doomed neither in point of universality, nor permanence, to gain equal hold on the affections of the people.[41]
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing,President of France for most of the 1970s, said that it is ridiculous to sing about drenching French fields with impurePrussian blood as aChancellor of the modern democratic Germany takes the salute in Paris.[42] A 1992 campaign to change the words of the song involving more than 100 prominent French citizens, includingDanielle Mitterrand, wife of then-PresidentFrançois Mitterrand, was unsuccessful.[43]
The British historianSimon Schama discussed "La Marseillaise" onBBC Radio 4'sToday programme on 17 November 2015 (in the immediate aftermath of theParis attacks), saying it was "... the great example of courage and solidarity when facing danger; that's why it is so invigorating, that's why it really is the greatest national anthem in the world, ever. Most national anthems are pompous, brassy, ceremonious, but this is genuinely thrilling. Very important in the song ... is the line 'before us is tyranny, the bloody standard of tyranny has risen'. There is no more ferocious tyranny right now thanISIS, so it's extremely easy for the tragically and desperately grieving French to identify with that".[44]
In 1979, areggae version, "Aux armes et cætera" bySerge Gainsbourg, wasreceived poorly by some in France, particularly inLe Figaro, where Michel Droit accused Gainsbourg of making money from the national anthem and suggesting that he was feedingantisemitism. Gainsbourg was also criticised for removing some of the military-focused aspects of the song.[45][46]
"Gloria al Bravo Pueblo", the current national anthem ofVenezuela, formerly called the "Venezuelan Marsaillaise" and showing similarities to the "French Marsaillaise"
"Maamme", the current national anthem ofFinland, formerly a candidate anthem along with "La Marsaillaise" and "The Internationale" uponthe country's independence in 1917
^Micaela Ovale & Guilia Mazzetto."Progetti Viotti"(PDF).Guido Rimonda (in Italian).Archived(PDF) from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved24 August 2019.Basti ricordare che "La Marsigliese" nasce da un tema con variazioni di Viotti scritto nel 1781, ben 11 anni prima della comparsa dell'inno nazionale francese ufficiale (ri-orchestrato da Berlioz con l'aggiunta delle parole da R. De Lisle). Il brano sarà presente nel secondo CD dell'integrale in uscita nel marzo 2013..
^Stevens, Benjamin F. (January 1896)."Story of La Marseillaise".The Musical Record (408). Boston, Massachusetts: Oliver Ditson Company: 2. Retrieved24 April 2012.
^Ovale, Micaela; Mazzetto, Giulia."Progetti Viotti"(PDF).Guido Rimonda (in Italian).Archived(PDF) from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved24 August 2019.Basti ricordare che 'La Marsigliese' nasce da un tema con variazioni di Viotti scritto nel 1781, ben 11 anni prima della comparsa dell'inno nazionale francese ufficiale. [Just remember that 'La Marseillaise' was born from a theme with variations by Viotti written in 1781, 11 years before the appearance of the official French national anthem.]
^La Face, Giuseppina (10 January 2016)."La Marsigliese e il mistero attorno alla sua paternità".il fatto quotidiano. Retrieved10 January 2020.A dicembre la Camerata Ducale, diretta dal violinista Guido Rimonda, ha eseguito un Tema con variazioni per violino e orchestra sulla Marsigliese, attribuito al grande compositore vercellese Giovan Battista Viotti. Rimonda, che per la Decca sta registrando gli opera omnia dell'illustre concittadino, possiede un manoscritto del Tema con variazioni firmato 'GB Viotti' e datato '1781'... Nel libriccino che accompagna il CD Decca del 2013, è riprodotta la prima pagina del manoscritto. Secondo un esperto di Viotti, il canadese Warwick Lister (Ad Parnassum, XIII, aprile 2015), la firma di Viotti in alto a destra potrebbe essere autentica, ma le parole "2 mars 1781" sono di un'altra mano. Non si può dunque escludere che Viotti abbia davvero scritto una serie di variazioni su un tema che tutt'Europa conobbe a metà degli anni 1790; ma l'idea che il brano risalga al decennio precedente, e che la paternità musicale dell'inno vada girata a un violinista vercellese, è appesa all'esile filo di una data d'incerta mano su un manoscritto d'incerta provenienza. [In December the Camerata Ducale, conducted by the violinist Guido Rimonda, performed a Theme with variations for violin and orchestra on the Marseillaise, attributed to the great Vercelli composer Giovan Battista Viotti. Rimonda, who for the Decca is recording the opera omnia of the illustrious fellow citizen, owns a manuscript of the Theme with variations signed "GB Viotti" and dated '1781' ... In the booklet accompanying the 2013 Decca CD, the first page of the manuscript is reproduced. According to an expert from Viotti, the Canadian Warwick Lister (Ad Parnassum, XIII, April 2015), Viotti's signature on the top right may be authentic, but the words '2 mars 1781' are from another hand. It cannot therefore be excluded that Viotti actually wrote a series of variations on a theme that all of Europe knew in the mid-1790s; but the idea that the piece dates back to the previous decade, and that the musical authorship of the hymn should be turned to a Vercelli violinist, hangs on the slender thread of a date of uncertain hand on a manuscript of uncertain origin.]
^Lot, Arthur (1886).La Marseillaise: enquête sur son véritable auteur. V. Palmé, 1886; Nouvelles Éditions Latines 1992. p. 11.ISBN9782723304580.Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved13 January 2020.Cette partition musicale, que ma famille possède toujours, avait été écrite par Jean-Baptiste Lucien Grisons, chef de maîtrise à la cathédrale de Saint-Omer de 1775 à 1787. Or l'air des Stances sur la Calamnie, par laquelle débute cet oratorio, n'est autre que l'air de la Marseillaise [This musical score, which my family still owns, was written by Jean-Baptiste Lucien Grisons, chief of master at the cathedral of Saint-Omer from 1775 to 1787. Now the tune of Stances on Calamnia, with which this oratorio begins, is none other than the air of the Marseillaise.]{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^William Apthorp (1879)Hector Berlioz; Selections from His Letters, and Aesthetic, Humorous, and Satirical Writings, Henry Holt, New York
^L. J. de Bekker (1909)Stokes' Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians, Frederick Stokes, New York
^Williams, Chad L. (2010).Torchbearers of Democracy: African American Soldiers in the World War I Era. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. pp. 165–166.ISBN9780807833940.OCLC681746132.
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