Himno Nacional de Chile

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The Himno Nacional de Chile (National Anthem of Chile) is more commonly referred to as the Canción Nacional (National Song). It has a history of two lyrics and two melodies that made up three different versions. It was composed by Eusebio Lillo and Ramón Carnicer and has seven parts plus the chorus.

First National Anthem

The first Chilean National Anthem dates back to 1819, when the government called for, on the 19th of July, the creation of music and lyrics for this purpose.

The composer Manuel Robles and the poet Bernardo de Vera y Pintado fulfilled this mandate and their "National Song" debuted on the 20th of August, 1820 in the Domingo Arteaga theater, although other historians claim that it was played and sung during the festivities of September 1819.

In the beginning, everyone would stand for the song. O'Higgins and Freire listened to it with respect and full of emotion, for they had marched to victory to its tune more than once.

The custom of always singing it at the theater slowly disappeared, until it was ordered that it only be sung at the aniversary of the country.

The doctor Bernardo Vera, known in the history of the independence, was the author of the verses that were sung to Robles' music.

This first hymn was sung until 1828, when it was replaced with what is sung today.

Second National Anthem

The second Chilean National Anthem was composed by the Spanish composer Ramón Carnicer, when he was exiled in England because of this liberal ideas. Mariano Egaña, Chilean Minister in London, acting on the criticism that Robles' song was receiving, asked Carnicer to compose a new hymn with Bernardo de Vera's original text.

The Spanish musician probably wrote the work by 1827, the date he returned to Barcelona, and his hymn debuted in Santiago, in the Arteaga theater, the 23rd of December 1828.

Years later, in 1847, the Chilean Government el Gobierno de Chile entrusted the young poet Eusebio Lillo with a new text that would replace the anit-Spanish poem of Vera y Pintado, and after being analyzed by Andrés Bello, retained the original corus ("Dulce patria, recibe los votos...).

Official version lyrics

This is the version that is most often played and which corrresponds to the chorus plus the fifth verse of the complete version.

During the military coup d'etat of 1973 the military dictated that two parts plus the chorus will be used (one was "Puro, Chile...", and the other one was about the military glories of the past). It was common as an act of protest by detractors to remain in silence in the second part.

Part III was removed when democracy arrived in 1990, and the anthem went back to part I plus the chorus.

Nowadays, supporters of the military government still sing part III.

Full version lyrics

Coro

Dulce Patria, recibe los votos

Con que Chile en tus aras juró

Que o la tumba serás de los libres

O el asilo contra la opresión.

I

Ha cesado la lucha sangrienta;

Ya es hermano el que ayer invasor;

De tres siglos lavamos la afrenta

Combatiendo en el campo de honor.

El que ayer doblegábase esclavo

Libre al fin y triunfante se ve;

Libertad es la herencia del bravo,

La Victoria se humilla a sus pies.

II

Alza, Chile, sin mancha la frente;

Conquistaste tu nombre en la lid;

Siempre noble, constante y valiente

Te encontraron los hijos del Cid.

Que tus libres tranquilos coronen

A las artes, la industria y la paz,

Y de triunfos cantares entonen

Que amedrenten al déspota audaz.

III

Vuestros nombres, valientes soldados,

Que habéis sido de Chile el sostén,

Nuestros pechos los llevan grabados;

Los sabrán nuestros hijos también.

Sean ellos el grito de muerte

Que lancemos marchando a lidiar,

Y sonando en la boca del fuerte

Hagan siempre al tirano temblar.

IV

Si pretende el cañón extranjero

Nuestros pueblos osado invadir;

Desnudemos al punto el acero

Y sepamos vencer o morir.

Con su sangre el altivo araucano

Nos legó por herencia el valor;

Y no tiembla la espada en la mano

Defendiendo de Chile el honor

V

Puro, Chile, es tu cielo azulado,

Puras brisas te cruzan también,

Y tu campo de flores bordado

Es la copia feliz del Edén.

Majestuosa es la blanca montaña

Que te dio por baluarte el Señor,

Y ese mar que tranquilo te baña

Te promete futuro esplendor.

VI

Esas galas, ¡oh, Patria!, esas flores

Que tapizan tu suelo feraz,

No las pisen jamás invasores;

Con tu sombra las cubra la paz.

Nuestros pechos serán tu baluarte,

Con tu nombre sabremos vencer,

O tu noble, glorioso estandarte,

Nos verá combatiendo caer.

External links

• Sang anthem at Chile's Presidency site (MP3, 1.9 MB)
• MIDI File

fr:Hymne national du Chili es:Himno_Nacional_de_Chile nl:Himno_Nacional pt:Hino nacional do Chile