"" (; ) is a

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

song A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...

, composed by

Étienne Méhul Étienne Nicolas Méhul (; 22 June 1763 – 18 October 1817) was a French composer of the late Classical period (music), classical and early Romantic period (music), romantic periods. He was known as "the most important opera composer in France ...

and written by

Marie-Joseph Chénier Marie-Joseph Blaise de Chénier (; 11 February 1764 – 10 January 1811) was a French poet, dramatist and politician of French people, French and Greeks, Greek origin. Biography The younger brother of André Chénier, Joseph Chénier was born ...

in 1794. It was the official anthem of the French Empire, and it is currently the unofficial

regional anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short s ...

French Guiana French Guiana, or Guyane in French, is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France located on the northern coast of South America in the Guianas and the West Indies. Bordered by Suriname to the west ...

and the official presidential anthem of France. The song was nicknamed "the brother of the Marseillaise" by French Republican soldiers. The song was first performed on 14 July 1794. 18,000 copies of the music sheets were immediately printed and distributed to the army. Its original title was "Anthem to Liberty"; it was changed to its present title by

Robespierre Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (; ; 6 May 1758 – 28 July 1794) was a French lawyer and statesman, widely recognised as one of the most influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. Robespierre fer ...

. The song is a musical tableau: each of the seven stanzas is sung by a different character or group of characters: * The first stanza is the discourse of a

deputy Deputy or depute may refer to: * Steward (office) * Khalifa, an Arabic title that can signify "deputy" * Deputy (legislator), a legislator in many countries and regions, including: ** A member of a Chamber of Deputies, for example in Italy, Spain, ...

cheering his soldiers and encouraging them for the fight for the Republic. * The second stanza is the song of a mother offering the life of her son to the fatherland. * The fourth stanza is sung by children exalting

Joseph Agricol Viala Joseph Agricol Viala (22 February 1778 – 6 July 1793) was a child involved in the French Revolutionary Army. He was killed at age 15, though he is most often portrayed as a younger child of 11–13. Life Viala was living in Avignon when, in 1793 ...

and Joseph Bara, children aged 15 and 13, respectively, who had died for Revolutionary France. According to legend, Bara was surrounded by royalist Vendeans, when he was ordered to shout "Long live

Louis XVII Louis XVII (born Louis Charles, Duke of Normandy; 27 March 1785 – 8 June 1795) was the younger son of King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette. His older brother, Louis Joseph, Dauphin of France, died in June 1789, a little over ...

"; he shouted "Long live the Republic" instead and was executed on the spot. Viala was killed by a bullet as he was trying to sabotage an enemy bridge. His

last words Last words are the final utterances before death. The meaning is sometimes expanded to somewhat earlier utterances. Last words of famous or infamous people are sometimes recorded (although not always accurately), which then became a historical an ...

were "I die, but I die for the Republic." The song is still in the repertoire of the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...

. It was sung during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing Valéry René Marie Georges Giscard d'Estaing (, ; ; 2 February 19262 December 2020), also known as simply Giscard or VGE, was a French politician who served as President of France from 1974 to 1981. After serving as Ministry of the Economy ...

used it as his campaign song for the presidential election of 1974; as a president, he often had it played by troops along with the "Marseillaise".

Lyrics

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chant du depart French anthems Historical national anthems Songs of the French Revolution Compositions by Étienne Méhul French patriotic songs 1794 compositions French military marches