The San Lorenzo march is an Argentine

military march Military march may refer to: *March (music), a musical genre *Military step Military step or march is a regular, ordered and synchronized walking of military formations. History The steady, regular marching step was a marked feature of Roman le ...

, whose lyrics celebrate the role played by the Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers commanded by José de San Martín at the Battle of San Lorenzo during the

Argentine War of Independence The Argentine War of Independence ( es, Guerra de Independencia de Argentina, links=no) was a secessionist civil war fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín a ...

. Special mention receives the heroic sergeant Juan Bautista Cabral. The music was composed in 1901 by Uruguayan musician

Cayetano Alberto Silva Cayetano Alberto Silva (August 7, 1868 — January 12, 1920) was an Uruguayan musician, naturalized Argentine, and author; his work includes the San Lorenzo march, the official march of the Argentine army. Early life Silva was born on August 17 ...

, and the lyrics in 1908 by

Carlos Javier Benielli Carlos Javier Benielli (March 26, 1878, Mendoza – Nov. 4, 1934, Buenos Aires) was an Argentine writer, poet and educator. He penned the lyrics for marches and hymns that are dedicated to famous figures from Argentinian history, many of which ha ...

. It was later incorporated into the musical repertoires of other military bands around the world.

Creation

On July 8, 1901, at his home in Venado Tuerto, Santa Fe, Cayetano Silva composed a march dedicated to José de San Martín. He did so following a proposal from Representative Celestino Pera. He initially considered naming it "San Martín", but he changed his mind and named it "San Lorenzo" instead. The Battle of San Lorenzo is the only battle that San Martín fought within the territory of modern Argentina. The city of

San Lorenzo San Lorenzo is the Italian and Spanish name for Lawrence of Rome, Saint Lawrence, the 3rd-century Christian martyr, and may refer to: Places Argentina * San Lorenzo, Santa Fe * San Lorenzo Department, Chaco * Monte San Lorenzo, a mountain on t ...

, where the battle was fought, was the birthplace of

Pablo Ricchieri Pablo Riccheri (August 8, 1859 – July 29, 1936) was an Argentine army officer and minister of war during the second administration of president Julio Roca. Life and times Riccheri was born in San Lorenzo, Santa Fe to Catalina Ciufardi and Lazz ...

(the Argentine War Minister in 1901), and Silva dedicated the march to him. The march was publicly performed for the first time on October 30, 1902, at the opening ceremony for the monument to General San Martín in Plaza San Martín (Rosario), in the presence of President Julio Argentino Roca and Ricchieri. His neighbor, Carlos Javier Benielli, added lyrics to the march in 1908, with a description of the battle and the role of Juan Bautista Cabral in it. The march became famous in other countries over time and, according to the Argentine British Community Council, is currently considered in Europe one of the best five military marches ever written. The military bands of Uruguay, Brazil and Poland, among others, include it in their musical repertoire. It was played during the coronations of King George V and Elizabeth II, in 1911 and 1953 respectively, with prior approval sought by the British government from Argentina. In addition, the march is played during the changing of the guard at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

, although it was suspended during the

Falklands War The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...

. It was also exchanged with the German army for their

Alte Kameraden "" ("Old Comrades") is the title of a popular German military march. It is included in the ''Armeemarschsammlung'' as HM II, 150. History The march was written around 1889 in Ulm, Germany, by military music composer Carl Teike. Teike wrote many ...

march, before World War II, and it was played in Paris during the

German occupation of France during World War II The Military Administration in France (german: Militärverwaltung in Frankreich; french: Occupation de la France par l'Allemagne) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zo ...

as a result. The Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, sought to redress this by having it played during the entrance of the Allied army that liberated Paris after the successful

Operation Overlord Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The operat ...

Lyrics

References

External links

San Lorenzo official site
- San Lorenzo march interpreted by

Alejandro Lerner Alejandro Federico Lerner (born June 8, 1957) is an Argentine musician and singer-songwriter. He has written and sung countless songs including several hits, and his fame and recognition spread all over South America. Through his career, Lerner ...

and

María Elena Walsh María Elena Walsh (1 February 1930 – 10 January 2011) was an Argentine poet, novelist, musician, playwright, writer and composer, mainly known for her songs and books for children. Her work includes many of the most popular children's boo ...

{{Authority control Argentine military marches Cultural depictions of José de San Martín 1902 songs Articles containing video clips Songs about Argentina