"" is the national anthem of France. It was written in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg after the First French Republic declared war against Austria, and was originally titled "" ("War Song for the Army of the Rhine").
The French National Convention adopted it as the First Republic's anthem in 1795. The song acquired its nickname after being sung in Paris by Fédérés (volunteers) from Marseille marching to the capital. Its 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.
In 2013, the Italian violinist Guido Rimonda pointed out that the incipit of Giovanni Battista Viotti's "Tema e variazioni in Do maggiore" strongly resembles the anthem.La Marseillaise, un hymne à l'histoire tourmentée This incipit was first thought to have been published before "La Marseillaise", but that appears to be a misconception, as Viotti published several variations on "La Marseillaise" in 1795 and wrote as a note "I have never composed the quartets below" ().
History
As the French Revolution continued, Europe's monarchies became concerned that revolutionary fervour would spread to their countries. The War of the First Coalition was an effort to stop the revolution, or at least restrict it to France. Initially, the French army did not distinguish itself, and Coalition armies invaded France. On 25 April 1792, Baron Philippe Friedrich Dietrich, the mayor of Strasbourg and Worshipful Master of the local Masonic lodge, asked his Freemason guest Rouget de Lisle to compose a song "that will rally our soldiers from all over to defend their homeland that is under threat".Dictionnaire Universelle de la Franc-Maçonnerie, p. 601 – Jode and Cara (Larousse 2011) That evening, Rouget de Lisle wrote "" ("War Song for the Army of the Rhine"), and dedicated the song to Marshal Nicolas Luckner, a Bavarian freemason in French service from Cham. A plaque on the building on Place Broglie where De Dietrich's house once stood commemorates the event. De Dietrich was executed the next year during the Reign of Terror. Louis Spach, Frederic de Dietrich, premier maire de Strasbourg. , Strasbourgh, Vve. Berger-Levrault & fils, 1857.
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) from Marseille by the end of May. The fédérés entered Paris on 30 July 1792 after a young volunteer from Montpellier, François Mireur, had sung it at a patriotic gathering in Marseille, and the troops adopted it as the National Guard of Marseille's marching song. The song quickly became a form of musical propaganda, spreading revolutionary ideals and uniting citizens through its patriotic lyrics and stirring melody. A newly qualified medical doctor, Mireur later became a general under Napoleon and died in Egypt at age 28.
The song's lyrics reflect the invasion of France by foreign armies (from Prussia 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 after their defeat in the Battle of Valmy. As the vast majority of Alsatians did not speak French, a German version ("Auf, Brüder, auf dem Tag entgegen") was published in October 1792 in Colmar.Wochenblatt, dem Unterricht des Landvolks gewidmet, Colmar 1792 .
The Convention accepted it as the French national anthem in a decree passed on 14 July 1795, making it France's first anthem. It lost this status under Napoleon I, and the song was banned outright by Louis XVIII and Charles X, being reinstated only briefly after the July Revolution of 1830. During Napoleon I's reign, Veillons au salut de l'Empire was the regime's unofficial anthem, and under Napoleon III, it was "Partant pour la Syrie", but the government reinstated "La Marseillaise" in an attempt to motivate the French people during the Franco-Prussian War. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, La Marseillaise was recognised as the anthem of the international revolutionary movement; as such, it was adopted by the Paris Commune in 1871, albeit with new lyrics under the title "La Marseillaise de la Commune". It was reinstated as France's national anthem in 1879 and has remained so since.
Music Several musical antecedents have been cited for the melody:
Tema e variazioni in Do maggiore, a work by the Italian violinist Giovanni Battista Viotti;"La Marseillaise, un hymne à l'histoire tourmentée" by Romaric Godin, La Tribune, 20 November 2015 the 1781 dating of the manuscript has been questioned, but it seems to have been published after "La Marseillaise", in 1795. Mozart's Allegro maestoso from the Piano Concerto No. 25 (composed in 1786). The oratorio Esther by Jean Baptiste Lucien Grison (composed in 1787).
Other attributions (the credo of the fourth Mass by Holtzmann of Mursberg) See also Geschichte eines deutschen Liedes at German Wikisource. have been refuted.
Lyrics Generally only the first verse is sung.
French originalIPA transcriptionEnglish translationAllons enfants de la Patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrivé ! Contre nous de la tyrannie
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes Mugir ces féroces soldats ? Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes !
Que veut cette horde d'esclaves, De traîtres, de rois conjurés ? Pour qui ces ignobles entraves,
Français, pour nous, ah ! quel outrage Quels transports il doit exciter! C'est nous qu'on ose méditer De rendre à l'antique esclavage !
Quoi ! des cohortes étrangères Feraient la loi dans nos foyers ! Quoi ! Ces phalanges mercenaires
Grand Dieu ! Par des mains enchaînées Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient De vils despotes deviendraient Les maîtres de nos destinées !
Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides L'opprobre de tous les partis, Tremblez ! vos projets parricides
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 !
Français, en guerriers magnanimes, Portez ou retenez vos coups ! Épargnez ces tristes victimes,
Mais ces despotes sanguinaires, Mais ces complices de Bouillé, Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié, Déchirent le sein de leur mère !
Amour sacré de la Patrie, Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs Liberté, Liberté chérie,
Sous nos drapeaux que la victoire Accoure à tes mâles accents, Que tes ennemis expirants Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !
Nous entrerons dans la carrière Quand nos aînés n'y seront plus, Nous y trouverons leur poussière
Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre Que de partager leur cercueil, Nous aurons le sublime orgueil De les venger ou de les suivre.[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 ‖]
𝄆 [o.z‿aʁ.mə si.twa.jɛ̃ ] [fɔʁ.me vo ba.ta.jõ ] [maʁ.ʃõ maʁ.ʃõ ‖] [kœ̃ sɑ̃ ɛ̃.pyʁ ] [a.bʁœ.və no si.jõ ‖] 𝄇
[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 ‖]
[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 ‖]
[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 ‖]
[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 ‖]
[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 ‖]
[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 ‖]Let's go, children of the Fatherland, The day of glory has arrived! Against us, tyranny's
Do you hear in the countryside, The bellowing of those fierce soldiers? They are coming right into your arms To slit the throats of your sons, your companions!
What do they want, this horde of slaves, Of traitors, of conjured kings? For whom these ignoble chains,
For us, Frenchmen, ah! What outrage What outburst it must arouse! It's us they dare to conspire of returning to the old slavery!
What! These foreign cohorts Would make the law in our homes! What! These mercenary phalanxes
Great God! With chained hands Under the yoke we'd yield ourselves Vile despots would become The masters of our destinies!
Tremble, tyrants and ye traitors The disgrace of all parties, Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Everyone is a soldier to fight you, If our young heroes fall, The earth will produce new ones, Ready to fight against you!
Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors, Endure or hold back your blows! Spare these pitiful victims,
But these bloodthirsty despots, But these accomplices of Bouillé, All these tigers who, without mercy, Would tear apart their mother's breast!
Sacred love of the Fatherland, Lead, support our avenging arms Liberty, Liberty beloved,
Under our flags may victory Hurry to your virile accents, So that your dying enemies See your triumph and our glory!
We will start our career When our elders are no more, We will find their dust there
Much less jealous to survive them Than to share their coffin, We will have the sublime pride To avenge them or follow them.
Cultural impact and musical adaptations
"La Marseillaise" was arranged for soprano, chorus and orchestra by Hector Berlioz in about 1830.William Apthorp (1879) Hector Berlioz; Selections from His Letters, and Aesthetic, Humorous, and Satirical Writings, Henry Holt, New York
Franz Liszt wrote a piano transcription of the anthem.L. J. de Bekker (1909) Stokes' Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians, Frederick Stokes, New York
During World War I, bandleader James Reese Europe played a jazz version of "La Marseillaise".
The anthem was used as a protest song in the Korean March First Movement protests against Japanese rule in 1919.
Adaptations in other musical works Robert Schumann uses a brief quote of "La Marseillaise" in his solo piano work's Faschingsschwank 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". 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 the 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 his 1812 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 the Battle of Borodino. Pavlos Carrer quotes the tune in the overture to his opera Maria Antonietta (1884).