 July, 2000
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A Celebration of Historyby Gail SmithGOD OF OUR FATHERS *** THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER
God of Our Fathers Whose Almighty Hand was written by Daniel C. Roberts while rector of St. Thomas', Brandon, Vermont. In a letter of January 8, 1901, quoted in Louis Benson's Studies of Familiar Hymns, 1923, the author stated: .... The hymn was written in 1876 for a celebration of the Centennial "fourth of July," and sung at Brandon, Vermont, to the tune called "Russian Hymn". When our General Convention appointed a Commission to revise the Hymnal, I sent it, without my name, promising to send the name if the hymn were accepted. It was accepted, and printed anonymously in the report of the Commission of 1892.... At the time of our national Centennial observance commemorating the adoption of Constitution, Robert's hymn text was chosen as the official hymn for that event. It was decided that an original tune was needed and George Warren, organist of the St. Thomas Episcopal Church in New York City was commissioned to write it. The hymn first appeared with its new tune, the "National Hymn," in 1894, in the official hymnal of the Episcopal Church, and Robert's text has been used exclusively with this music to the present time.
The Star Spangled Banner officially became the National Anthem of the United States by Act of Congress, March 3, 1931. An incident in the War of 1812 led Francis Scott Key (1779-1843) to write it. Key had been authorized by President Madison to negotiate the release from a British ship of Key's physician friend, a Dr. Beanes, arrested by the British after their Washington raid and the burning of the Capitol and the White House. On September 13, 1814, the British fired about 1800 bombs at Fort McHenry which guarded the Baltimore harbor. Key and his friends anxiously awaited the outcome and as dawn finally came, through a misty drizzle they caught a glimpse of the oversized flag of their country still flying. When Key saw that the attack was over, he began to jot down the words of The Star-Spangled Banner on the back of an old letter and completed the song in Baltimore during the city's great victory celebration. It was sung to a well known English song that was most likely composed by John Stafford Smith. It has been the subject of much research and controversy. But the tune was published by Smith in his Fifth Book of Canzonets, Catches, Canons & Glees (London, 1799). This tune was first published as the Anacreontic Song (as sung at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand) in 1779.
This month's free music is a medley arrangement of God of Our Fathers and The Star-Spangled Banner by Gail Smith. |
