Introduction
‘God Save the King’ was an eighteenth theatre song composed to keep English hearts strong in the face of a Scottish rebellion whipped up by France. Later, it was hailed across oppressed Europe as the anthem of popular liberty, and became one of Ludwig van Beethoven’s favourite tunes.
THE acclamation ‘God Save the King’ has been sung at every English coronation since Edgar in 973, but the song known today as the national anthem of the United Kingdom is much more recent, appearing for the first time in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ of 1745. A setting by Thomas Arne was performed in the Drury Lane Theatre that same year, after James II’s grandson Bonnie Prince Charlie had defeated George II’s forces at the Battle of Prestonpans.
In 1824, London heard it given stirring orchestral treatment by Muzio Clementi in his Great National Symphony,* and Ludwig van Beethoven composed a set of seven piano variations on the theme.* The German also included it in his symphonic ‘Wellington’s Victory’, a tribute to the Iron Duke for his defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother Joseph at the Battle of Vitoria in 1813.
“I must show the English a little” Beethoven wrote “what a blessing they have in God Save the King.”*
See our post Muzio Clementi.
Beethoven also set God Save the King for voice, piano and strings. In 1763, Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782), a permanent resident in England, included it in the rousing final movement of his Keyboard Concerto Op. 1 No. 6 in D major (1763). Swiss pianist Sigismond Thalberg (1812-1871) also contributed to the repertoire, with a set of variations which manages to fit Rule, Britannia! into it too. At a time when many smaller nations were trying to break free from domination by larger neighbours governed by distant elites, the United Kingdom was seen in Europe as the only major nation standing up for popular liberty. It was in that spirit that Beethoven so gladly accepted a commission from admirers in London to compose his Ninth Symphony: see Ode to English Joy.
The text (original and modern) runs as follows:
God save our lord the King!*
Long live our noble King!
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the King!
O Lord our God arise,
Scatter his enemies,
And make them fall:
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix:
God save us all.
Thy choicest gifts in store,
On him be pleased to pour;
Long may he reign:
May he defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the King!
* Today we sing ‘our gracious King’
instead of ‘our lord the King’.
Related Video
Below is a setting by Edward Elgar of Thomas Arne’s God Save the King, performed by the Cambridge University Musical Society Chorus, the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge and the New Philharmonia Orchestra, directed by Sir Philip Ledger. It was recorded in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
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Précis
The national anthem of the United Kingdom, ‘God save the King’, first appeared in its current form in 1745, during the second Jacobite Uprising. It has appeared in several classical compositions, notably Clementi’s Great National Symphony, and was admired by Ludwig van Beethoven, who used it to congratulate the Duke of Wellington on his victory at Vitoria in 1813. (59 / 60 words)
The national anthem of the United Kingdom, ‘God save the King’, first appeared in its current form in 1745, during the second Jacobite Uprising. It has appeared in several classical compositions, notably Clementi’s Great National Symphony, and was admired by Ludwig van Beethoven, who used it to congratulate the Duke of Wellington on his victory at Vitoria in 1813.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: because, besides, just, may, must, otherwise, until, whether.
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Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 King. Same. Write.
2 Give. Iron. Stir.
3 Every. National. Tribute.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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