Rule, Britannia! - Citizendia

Rule, Britannia! is a British patriotic song, originating from the poem "Rule, Britannia" by James Thomson and set to music by Thomas Arne in 1740. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Patriotism is commonly defined as love of and/or devotion to one's country James Thomson ( 11 September, 1700 &ndash 27 August, 1748) was a Scottish Poet and playwright known for his masterpiece Thomas Augustine Arne (12 March 1710 &ndash 5 March 1778 was an English Composer, best known for the patriotic Rule Britannia!. ^[1]

1 Original masque
2 Song's independent history
3 Original lyrics
4 Lyrics as sung
5 Other uses
6 References
7 External links

Original masque

This popular British national air was originally included in Alfred, a masque about Alfred the Great co-written by Thomson and David Mallet and first performed at Cliveden, country home of Frederick, Prince of Wales, on 1 August 1740, to commemorate the accession of George I and the birthday of the Princess Augusta. The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in sixteenth and early seventeenth century Europe though it was developed earlier in Italy Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c David Mallet (or Malloch) ( c 1705–1765 was a Scottish Dramatist. Location Cliveden (pronounced CLIV-d'n is a Mansion in Buckinghamshire, England overlooking the River Thames owned by the The Prince Frederick Prince of Wales (Frederick Louis 1 February 1707 &ndash 31 March 1751) was a member of the Hanoverian and Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1740 ( MDCCXL) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap George I (George Louis German Georg Ludwig; 28 May 1660 &ndash 11 June 1727 For the first year of his life George was the only heir to his father's and three childless ^[2]

Frederick, a German prince who arrived in England as an adult and was on very bad terms with his father, was making considerable efforts to ingratiate himself and build a following among his subjects-to-be (which came to naught, as he died before his father and never became king). Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. A masque linking the prince with both the ancient hero-king Alfred the Great's victories over the Vikings and with the contemporary issue of building British sea power went well with his political plans and aspirations. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas Naval warfare is Combat in and on Seas Oceans or any other major bodies of water such as large Lakes and wide Rivers History

Thomson was a Scottish poet and playwright, who spent most of his adult life in England and hoped to make his fortune at Court. James Thomson ( 11 September, 1700 &ndash 27 August, 1748) was a Scottish Poet and playwright known for his masterpiece Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. A poet is a person who writes Poetry. Etymology From the Ancient greek: ποιέω, poieō: "I make or compose" He had an interest in helping foster a British identity, including and transcending the older English and Scottish identities.

Thomson had written The Tragedy of Sophonisba (1730), based on the historical figure of Sophonisba - a proud princess of Carthago, a major sea-power of the ancient world, who had committed suicide rather than submit to slavery at the hands of the Romans. For the Renaissance painter Sofonisba Anguissola (ca 1532-1625 see Sofonisba Anguissola. Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers "Ancient" redirects here For other uses see Ancient_(disambiguation. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC This might have some bearing on the song's famous refrain "Britons never, never will be slaves!".

In 1751, Mallett altered the lyrics, omitting three of the original six stanzas and adding three others, written by Lord Bolingbroke. Henry St John 1st Viscount Bolingbroke ( 16 September 1678 &ndash 12 December 1751) was an English politician and philosopher This version known as "Married To A Mermaid" became extremely popular when Mallet produced his masque of Britannia at Drury Lane Theatre in 1755. The Theatre Royal Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London.

Song's independent history

The song soon developed an independent life of its own, separate from the masque of which it had formed a part. First heard in London in 1745, it achieved instant popularity. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. It quickly became so well known that the composer Handel quoted it in his Occasional Oratorio in the following year, when it was sung with the words "War shall cease, welcome peace!"^[3] Similarly, "Rule, Britannia!" was seized upon by the Jacobites who altered Thomson's words to a pro-Jacobite version. An Occasional Oratorio ( HWV 62 is an Oratorio by George Frideric Handel, based upon a Libretto by Newburgh Hamilton after Jacobitism was (and to a limited extent remains the political movement dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland ^[4]

However, it was Thomson's original words which remained best-known. These reflect Britons' pride in being afforded more freedoms than residents of other nations. In 1745, although far from being a modern liberal democracy, Britain was well on the way to developing its constitutional monarchy, with the royal prerogative having been decisively curbed by the Bill of Rights of 1689. A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is The Royal Prerogative is a body of customary authority privilege and immunity recognised in Common law and sometimes in Civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy The Bill of Rights (or Declaration of Rights) is an act of the Parliament of England, with the Long title An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties This was in marked contrast to the Royal Absolutism still prevalent in Europe—most especially in France, which was then Britain's arch-enemy. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Britain and France were at war for much of the century, and in what would now be called cold war in between (see "Second Hundred Years' War"). Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the The Second Hundred Years' War is a phrase used by some Historians ref>Buffinton Arthur H The French Bourbons were undoubtedly the prime example of "haughty tyrants", whose "slaves" Britons should never be. The House of Bourbon is an important European Royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. ^[5]

A second and related reference, obvious to the audience at the time, was to British naval power as a protection against home-grown tyrants. An island nation with a strong navy to defend it could afford to dispense with a standing army—and since the time of Cromwell, a standing army was conceived in the British public consciousness as a threat and the source of tyranny. A standing army is an Army composed of full time career Soldiers who 'stand over' in other words who do not disband during times of peace Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known ^[6]

At the time it appeared, the song was not a celebration of an existing state of naval affairs, but an exhortation for the future. It recalls the era when, under Alfred the Great, English ships were more than a match for those of the Danes. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Although the Netherlands, which in the 17th century presented a major challenge to English sea power, was obviously past its peak by 1745, Britain did not yet "rule the waves". The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The time was still to come when the Royal Navy would be an unchallenged dominant force on the oceans, protecting Britain and her burgeoning empire from "haughty tyrants" and "foreign strokes". The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The jesting lyrics of the mid 1700s would assume a material and patriotic significance by the end of the 19th century.

The melody was the theme for a set of variations for piano by Ludwig van Beethoven (WoO 79)^[7] and he also used it in "Wellington's Victory", Op. Variation form Variation form include Ground bass, Passacaglia, Chaconne, and theme and variations The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. WoO (abbreviation from German ' Werke ohne Opuszahl ' in English ' Works without Opus number ' is a catalogue prepared in Wellington's Victory, Op 91 ( Wellingtons Sieg oder die Schlacht bei Vittoria) is a minor orchestral work composed by Ludwig van Beethoven to commemorate 91.

Richard Wagner wrote a concert overture based on the theme in 1836. Overture ( French ouverture meaning opening in Music is the instrumental introduction to a Dramatic choral or occasionally

Johann Strauss I quoted the song in full as the introduction to his 1838 waltz Huldigung der Königin Victoria von Grossbritannien (Homage to Queen Victoria of Great Britain), Op. Johann Strauss I (German Johann Strauß (Vater) born in Vienna, (March 14 1804 &ndash September 25 1849 was an Austrian Romantic The waltz is a ballroom and folk Dance in time, performed primarily in Closed position. 103, where he also quotes the British national anthem God Save the Queen at the end of the piece. A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's "God Save the Queen", or "God Save the King", is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms It is the National

The French organist-composer Alexandre Guilmant included this tune in his Fantalsie sur deux mélodies anglalses for organ Op. Félix-Alexandre Guilmant ( 12 March 1837 - 29 March 1911) was a French Organist and Composer. The pipe organ is a Musical instrument that produces sound when pressurized air (wind is driven through a series of pipes, controlled by a keyboard 43, where he also makes use of the song Home! Sweet Home!. "Home! Sweet Home!" (also known as "Home Sweet Home") is a song that has remained well-known for over 150 years

Arthur Sullivan, Britain's leading composer during the reign of Queen Victoria, quoted from "Rule, Britannia!" on at least three occasions in music for his comic operas written with W. S. Gilbert and Bolton Rowe. Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO (13 May 1842 &ndash 22 November 1900 was an English composer of Irish and Italian descent best known for his operatic Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Comic opera, or light opera, denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature usually with a happy ending Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 &ndash 29 May 1911 was an English Dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his fourteen Benjamin Charles Stephenson, or B C Stephenson, (1839 &ndash January 22 1906) was a Dramatist, lyricist and Librettist in In Utopia Limited, Sullivan used airs from "Rule, Britannia!" to highlight references to Great Britain. Rutland Barrington as Paramountjpg|right|frame|Barrington as King Paramount]] Utopia Limited, or The Flowers of Progress, is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur In The Zoo (written with Rowe) Sullivan applied the tune of "Rule, Britannia!" to an instance in which Rowe's libretto quotes directly from the patriotic march. This article is about the comic opera by Arthur Sullivan For other uses see The Zoo (disambiguation. Finally, to celebrate the jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887, Sullivan added a chorus of "Rule, Britannia!" to the finale of HMS Pinafore, which was playing in revival at the Savoy Theatre. HMS Pinafore, or The Lass that Loved a Sailor, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre located in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London England Sullivan also quoted the tune in his 1897 ballet Victoria and Merrie England which traced the "history" of England from the time of the Druids up to Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, an event the ballet was meant to celebrate. Victoria and Merrie England is an 1897 ballet by Arthur Sullivan, written to commemorate Queen Victoria 's Diamond Jubilee &mdash a remarkable

The part of the tune's refrain that defiantly repeats "never, never, never", may have provided the theme on which Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations are based. Variations on an Original Theme for orchestra Op 36 ("Enigma", commonly referred to as the "Enigma" Variations, is a set of a theme and its fourteen Elgar also quotes the opening phrase of Rule, Britannia! in his choral work The Music Makers, based on Arthur O'Shaughnessy's Ode at the line "We fashion an empire's glory", where he also quotes La Marseillaise. The Music Makers, op69 is a work for Contralto or Mezzo-soprano, chorus and Orchestra composed by Edward Elgar. Arthur William Edgar O'Shaughnessy ( March 14, 1844 &ndash January 30, 1881) was a British Poet, born in London Ode is a Poem written in 1874 by the English poet Arthur O'Shaughnessy. " La Marseillaise " (la maʁsɛˡjɛz in English The Song of Marseille) is the National anthem of France.

"Rule, Britannia!" (in an orchestral arrangement by Sir Malcolm Sargent) is traditionally performed at the BBC's Last Night of the Proms, normally with a guest soloist (past performers have included Jane Eaglen, Bryn Terfel, Thomas Hampson and Felicity Lott). WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes -->Sir Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent (29 April 1895 &ndash 3 October 1967 The Proms, more formally known as The BBC Proms, or The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily Orchestral WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes --> Jane Eaglen (born April 4, 1960) is an English Dramatic Bryn Terfel Jones CBE (brɨn ˈtɛrvɛl born November 9, 1965) is a Welsh Bass-baritone opera and concert singer For the English runner see Tommy Hampson WikipediaWikiProject Opera#Infoboxes --> Thomas Hampson Dame Felicity Lott DBE (born May 8 1947, Cheltenham, England) is an English soprano universally known as Flott It has always been the last part of Sir Henry Wood's Fantasia on British Sea Songs, except that for many years up until 2000, the Sargent arrangement has been used. Henry Wood is the name of Henry Wood (writer (1834–1908 New Thought writer and novelist Evelyn Wood (British Army officer (1838–1919 Fantasia on British Sea Songs or Fantasy on British Sea Songs is a piece of classical music arranged by Sir Henry Wood in 1905 to mark the centenary of the Battle However, in recent years the inclusion of the song and other patriotic tunes has been much criticised—notably by Leonard Slatkin—and the presentation has been occasionally amended. WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Leonard Edward Slatkin (born September 1 1944 is an American ^[8] As such the performance at the Last Night of the Proms has reverted back to Sir Henry Wood's original arrangement. The Proms, more formally known as The BBC Proms, or The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily Orchestral Henry Wood is the name of Henry Wood (writer (1834–1908 New Thought writer and novelist Evelyn Wood (British Army officer (1838–1919 Bryn Terfel's performance at the Proms was notable for replacing the first verse with a Welsh language translation of the first verse. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic The text is available at [1].

Rule, Britannia! is often written as simply Rule Britannia, erroneously omitting both the comma and the exclamation mark, which changes the interpretation of the lyric by altering the grammar. Richard Dawkins recounts in The Selfish Gene that the repeated exclamation "Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves!" is often rendered as "Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rules the waves!", changing both the meaning and inflection of the verse. Clinton Richard Dawkins, FRS, FRSL (born 26 March 1941 is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist, and Popular science This addition of a terminal 's' to the lyrics is used as an example of a successful meme. A meme (miːm consists of any idea or behavior that can pass from one person to another by learning or imitation ^[9]

Original lyrics

This version is taken from The Works of James Thomson by James Thomson, Published 1763, Vol II, p. 191, which includes the entire original text of Alfred.

When Britain first, at Heaven's command

Arose from out the azure main;

This was the charter of the land,

And guardian angels sung this strain:

"Rule, Britannia! rule the waves: