"Hymne Monégasque" (; ), also known as ("The March of Monaco"), is the national anthem of Monaco. It was originally adopted in 1848 with French lyrics by Théophile Bellando de Castro and music by Bellando and Castil-Blaze. The current official lyrics, which are in Monégasque, were written in 1931 by Louis Notari, while the current musical arrangement was composed in 1914 by Léon Jehin.
History
Under the reign of Prince Florestan I who became the Monegasque sovereign in 1841, the Principality experienced an unstable internal situation. As early as 1821, repeated troubles broke out in Menton encouraged by agents of the Kingdom of Sardinia, abusively interpreting the treaty of Stupinigi signed on November 8, 1817, as a treaty submitting the Prince of Monaco and the Principality to a foreign authority. In order to respond to the broadcast in Monaco of seditious songs imported from the County of Nice, Monégasque lawyer Théophile Bellando de Castro wrote French lyrics and composed the music of the first version of the "Hymne Monégasque" in 1841 as a tribute of loyalty to the Prince and his family. Later, French musicologist Castil-Blaze modified the melody and made several other minor changes. In 1848, the National Guard, created by Prince Florestan, adopted Bellando's song, and it became the "March of the National Loyalists". In 1896, a new arrangement for piano composed by Monégasque composer Charles Albrecht was published by Tihebaux in Paris and titled "Air National de Monaco". In 1897, Decourcelle, a publisher in Nice, printed a new version of Albrecht's composition numbered 429 and titled "Hymne National de Monaco".
Fernand Bertrand of the Comité National des Traditions Monégasques (National Committee of Monégasque Traditions) later simplified the Monégasque lyrics while retaining the meaning, because people were finding it difficult to sing the first verse, which had a fast rhythm. Bertrand also noted that the second verse was no longer being played or sung. This is the version currently taught in schools to children and that almost all the population sings today.
{| class="wikitable"
!Monégasque lyrics
!English translation
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|<poem>Oilà cü ne toca !
Oilà cü ne garda !
Fò che cadün sace ben aiço d'aiçì</poem><poem></poem>
|<poem>Greetings, you who are our neighbours!
Greetings, you who are watching us!
It is important that everyone remembers the following:</poem><poem>
Forever, in our land,
One flag has flown in the wind
Forever, the colours red and white
Have symbolised our liberty
Adults and children have always respected them.
We have perpetuated the same traditions;
We celebrate the same religion;
We have the honour
To have always had the same Princes.
And nothing will change
As long as the sun shines;
God will always help us
And nothing will change.
</poem>
|}
Full lyrics (1928)
{| class="wikitable"
!Monégasque lyrics
!French translation
!English translation
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|<poem></poem>
|<poem>Principality of Monaco my country
Oh! How God is lavish with you.
The sky always pure, the shores always blooming [with flowers],
Your Monarch is more revered than a King.
Proud Companions of the Civic Guard,
Let us all respect the voice of the Commander.
Always follow our old banner.
The drum beats, let us all walk ahead.
Yes, Monaco always had brave men,
We are all their worthy descendants.
Never were we slaves.
And far from us the tyrants ruled.
That the name of a merciful Prince
Be repeated by a thousand songs.
We shall all die in his own defence,
But after us, our children will fight.</poem>
|}
See also
- List of national anthems
Notes
References
External links
- Hymne monégasque
- The Prince's Palace - The official website of the Prince's Palace has an extensive article about the National Anthem, featuring the complete lyrics and an instrumental sound file.
- Gare de Monaco - The official website for the Monaco Monte Carlo train station features a page of videos of the inauguration ceremony for its 1999 reopening, including a choral version of the national anthem.
- Streaming audio, lyrics and information for Monaco's national anthem (archive link)