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National Anthem of Peru
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Wikipedia article
The "'" ("National Anthem of Peru"; also known as "'", or "National March of Peru"; "'", or "We are free!") is the national anthem of Peru. It was composed by Jos Bernardo Alcedo, and its lyrics were written by Jos de la Torre Ugarte in 1821.
History
Public contest of 1821
After Peru declared its independence, the general Jos de San Martn began a public contest to select the 'National March', which was published on 7 August 1821 in the ministerial gazette. The contest called upon professors of poetry, composers and general aficionados, to send their signed productions to the Ministry of the State before 18 September, the day in which a designated commission would decide which of them would be adopted as the "National March".
Seven compositions were entered, and on the prefixed day, they were reviewed and played in the following order:
*The band musician major from the "Numancia" Battalion
*That of master Jos Bernardo Alcedo
*That of master Guapaya
*That of master Tena
*That of master
*That of Father Aguilar, master of the Augustine Chapel
*Another entry of master Jos Bernardo Alcedo, at the behest of a brother of the Convent of Saint Domingo
After hearing the last production of Jos Bernardo Alcedo, General Jos de San Martn stood up and exclaimed, "Without a doubt, this is the National Anthem of Peru." The following day, a signed decree confirmed this opinion expressed in the midst of great enthusiasm and jubilation. The anthem was first performed publicly in the night of 23 September 1821 in the Theater of Lima, in the presence of San Martn and the supporters of independence, who on that day were once more gathered in the capital. The voice of Rosa Merino, was the first to sing the lyrics to the anthem, from the original verses from the poet Jos de la Torre Ugarte from Ica. Upon hearing the music and the lyrics of the National Anthem for the first time, the audience responded with a standing ovation directed at Alcedo, who conducted the orchestra.
Arrangements and modifications
Diverse publications of the anthem had subtle modifications in the lyrics and the music, which was then restored by Claudio Rebagliati in 1869 at the behest of Alcedo. In 1874 there was a solicitation which asked for a revision to the lyrics of the anthem, in light of the various versions in circulation, as well as the minor mistakes which were found. This initiative was approved, but did not prosper, due to the rejection that it generated in the public opinion at its core and the recognition that it had already become a time honored tradition.In 1901 there was another intent to reform the anthem, this time approved by the administration of Eduardo Lpez de Romaa, who approved of the music of the restored anthem by Rebagliati. He declared a new contest to select new lyrics as he considered the original lyrics as aggressive towards Spain, which at the time had amiable relations with Peru. The winner of the contest was the poet Jos Santos Chocano, whose verses along with the same chorus went on to be sung in public schools and in public venues. The lyrics also had references to the great South American liberator hero Simn Bolvar as well as Jos de San Martn, the nation's founder, in the first verse.
It was not long until public opinion once again asked for the original lyrics to be restored. Public pressure was so great that the Peruvian Congress was obligated in 1913 during the administration of Presiden Guillermo Billinghurst to declare untouchable the lyrics as well as the chorus of the National Anthem.
In 1954, at the behest of Ral Porras Barrenechea, Chabuca Granda composed a new replacement for the first verse in the anthem, but this was never implemented:
The last attempts to change the anthem were first during the administration of General Juan Velasco Alvarado who attempted to change the second and third stanzas. In similar form to previous attempts, it was imposed during official ceremonies and in schools and during the administration of General President Francisco Morales Bermudez the last stanza was sung instead of the first. But these attempts also had no success and the original anthem was once again sung when his successor Fernando Belaunde Terry became President in 1980.
Officialization of the sung verse
The Constitutional Tribunal determined in June 2005 that the first stanza in the anthem ('Largo tiempo...') was not written by Jos de la Torre Ugarte and that was just a popular folklore, but its insertion into the history of the anthem expressed the will of the people represented in Law N 1801 passed by Congress which declares it an intangible subject. The Constitutional Tribunal also verified that the fifth stanza had been excluded in the original anthem and considering author's rights and the integrity of the piece, it was ordered that the fifth stanza be restored into the official anthem as the sixth stanza with a total of seven stanzas making up the official national anthem.Starting September 2009, Verse 7 of the National Anthem, as sanctioned by the Peruvian Government, has become the official sung verse of the anthem instead of and replacing the first, with the verse starting to be included in schools from 2010 onward. The Peruvian Armed Forces and National Police of Peru also adopted the new official verse, with a new music video of the anthem made for this purpose at the same month as the adoption of the now official seventh verse of the national anthem.
The "stand at attention" posture is done when it is played for civilians while military, police and fire personnel must render hand salutes when out of formation. Some people do the "hand on heart" posture, following US practice. In ceremonies and concerts, the following shout is done when the anthem's performance is over:
* Leader: 'Viva el Per!/Kawsachun Piruw!/Ayaya Piruw!/Kimoshiretantsi Peru!' ('Long live Peru!')
* All: 'Viva!/Kawsachun!/Ayaya!/Kimoshiretantsi!' ('Long live!')
The chant 'Long Live Peru!' is also done in sporting events, concerts, anniversaries and other occasions after the playing of the national anthem.
Lyrics
Official lyrics
The official lyrics since 2009 consist of the chorus and seventh (originally sixth) verse of the full lyrics.{| class="wikitable"
!Spanish original
!English translation
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|
Somos libres!
semoslo siempre, semoslo siempre!
y antes niegue sus luces
sus luces, sus luces el Sol!
Que faltemos al voto solemne
que la patria al Eterno elev,
Que faltemos al voto solemne
que la patria al Eterno elev.
'VII'
En su cima los Andes sostengan
la bandera o pendn bicolor,
que a los siglos anuncie el esfuerzo
que ser libres, que ser libres
que ser libres por siempre nos dio.
A su sombra vivamos tranquilos,
y al nacer por sus cumbres el Sol,
renovemos el gran juramento
que rendimos, que rendimos,
que rendimos al Dios de Jacob,
al Dios de Jacob...
}}
|
We are free!
May we always be so, may we always be so!
And may the Sun renounce its light,
its light, its light,
Before we break the solemn vow
that the Fatherland lifted up to the Eternal,
Before we break the solemn vow
that the Fatherland lifted up to the Eternal.
'VII'
On its summits may the Andes sustain
the two-color flag or standard,
may it announce to the centuries the effort
that being free, that being free,
that being free gave us forever.
Under its shadow may we live calmly
and, at birth of the sun in its summits,
may we all renew the great oath
that we rendered, that we rendered,
that we rendered to the God of Jacob,
the God of Jacob...
|}
Full lyrics
{| class="wikitable"!Spanish original
!English translation
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|
Somos libres!
semoslo siempre, semoslo siempre!
y antes niegue sus luces
sus luces, sus luces el Sol!
Que faltemos al voto solemne
que la patria al Eterno elev,
Que faltemos al voto solemne
que la patria al Eterno elev.
'I'
Largo tiempo el peruano oprimido
la ominosa cadena arrastr
condenado a una cruel servidumbre
largo tiempo, largo tiempo,
largo tiempo en silencio gimi.
Mas apenas el grito sagrado
Libertad! en sus costas se oy
la indolencia de esclavo sacude
la humillada, la humillada,
la humillada cerviz levant,
cerviz levant...
'II'
Y al estruendo de broncas cadenas
que escucharon tres siglos de horror,
de los libres al grito sagrado
que oy, que oy,
atnito el mundo, ces.
Por doquier San Martn inflamado,
libertad, libertad, pronunci,
y meciendo su base los Andes
la anunciaron, la anunciaron,
la anunciaron, tambin, a una voz,
tambin, a una voz...
'III'
Con su influjo los pueblos despiertan
y cual rayo corri la opinin;
desde el istmo a las tierras del fuego,
desde el fuego, desde el fuego,
desde el fuego a la helada regin.
Todos juran romper el enlace
que Natura a ambos mundos neg,
y quebrar ese cetro que Espaa
reclinaba, reclinaba,
reclinaba orgullosa en los dos,
orgullosa en los dos...
'IV'
Lima cumple su voto solemne,
y, severa, su enojo mostr,
al tirano impotente lanzando,
que intentaba, que intentaba,
que intentaba alargar su opresin.
A su esfuerzo saltaron los grillos
y los surcos que en s repar,
le atizaron el odio y venganza
que hered, que hered,
que hered de su Inca y Seor,
su Inca y Seor...
'V'
Compatriotas, no ms verla esclava.
Si humillada tres siglos gimi,
para siempre jurmosla libre,
manteniendo, manteniendo,
manteniendo su propio esplendor.
Nuestros brazos, hasta hoy desarmados
estn siempre cebando el can,
que algn da las playas de Iberia
sentirn, sentirn,
sentirn de su estruendo el terror,
de su estruendo el terror...
'VI'
Excitemos los celos de Espaa
pues presiente con mengua y furor
que en concurso de grandes naciones
nuestra patria, nuestra patria,
nuestra patria entrar en parangn.
En la lista que de stas se forme
llenaremos primero el regln
que el tirano ambicioso Iberino,
que la Amrica, que la Amrica,
que la Amrica toda asol,
la Amrica toda asol...
'VII'
En su cima los Andes sostengan
la bandera o pendn bicolor,
que a los siglos anuncie el esfuerzo
que ser libres, que ser libres
que ser libres por siempre nos dio.
A su sombra vivamos tranquilos,
y al nacer por sus cumbres el Sol,
renovemos el gran juramento
que rendimos, que rendimos,
que rendimos al Dios de Jacob,
al Dios de Jacob...
}}
|
We are free!
May we always be so, may we always be so!
And may the Sun renounce its light,
its light, its light,
Before we break the solemn vow
that the Fatherland lifted up to the Eternal,
Before we break the solemn vow
that the Fatherland lifted up to the Eternal.
'I'
For a long time, the oppressed Peruvian
dragged the ominous chain.
condemned to a cruel servitude,
for a long time, for a long time,
for a long time he quietly moaned.
But as soon as the sacred cry,
Freedom! in its coasts was heard
the slaves' indolence shakes
the humiliated, the humiliated,
the humiliated neck raised up,
neck raised up...
'II'
Now the roar of rough chains
that we had heard for three centuries of horror
from the free, at the sacred cry
that heard, that heard,
that the world heard astonished, ceased.
Everywhere the inflamed San Martn
"Freedom", "Freedom" he pronounced;
and the Andes, rocking their base,
announced it, announced it,
announced it as well, in unison,
as well, in unison...
'III'
With its influx the peoples woke up,
and like lighting ran the opinion;
from the Isthmus to the Tierra del Fuego,
from the Fuego, from the Fuego,
from the Fuego to the icy region.
Everyone vowed to break the link
that Nature denied to both worlds,
and break the sceptre that Spain
had reclined, had reclined,
had reclined, proudly, on both,
proudly, on both...
'IV'
Lima fulfilled this solemn vow,
and, severe, its anger showed
by throwing out the powerless tyrant,
who had been trying, who had been trying,
who had been trying to extend his oppression.
On its endeavor the shackles cracked,
and the furrows that it had repaired in itself
stirred up its hatred and vengeance,
inherited, inherited,
inherited from its Inca and Lord,
from its Inca and Lord...
'V'
Countrymen, may we see it a slave no more.
If for three centuries it moaned, humiliated,
forever may we swear it'd be free,
maintaining, maintaining,
maintaining its own splendor.
Our arms, until today unarmed,
be they always readying the cannon,
that some day the beaches of Iberia
will feel, will feel,
will feel the horror of its roar,
the horror of its roar...
'VI'
May we arouse the jealousy of Spain
since it has a premonition, with want and furor,
that in a contest of great nations
our Fatherland, our Fatherland,
our Fatherland will enter in comparison.
On the list formed by these
we shall fill the line first,
ahead of the ambitious Iberian tyrant,
who devastated, who devastated,
who devastated all of America,
devastated all of America...
'VI'
On its summits may the Andes sustain
the two-color flag or standard,
may it announce to the centuries the effort
that being free, that being free,
that being free gave us forever.
Under its shadow may we live calmly
and, at birth of the sun in its summits,
may we all renew the great oath
that we rendered, that we rendered,
that we rendered to the God of Jacob,
the God of Jacob...
|}
Notes
References
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