The Greek Anthem is based on the "Hymn to Liberty", a large - 158 stanzas - poem written by Dionysios Solomos
[img]http://www.zakynthos-net.gr/all/graphics/history/solomos.jpg[/img]
a distinguished poet from Zakynthos Island. Although its a very large poem, only the first two stanzas consist the Anthem.
The poem was inspired by the Greek Revolution of 1821 against the Ottoman Empire. During 1828 the eminent musician from Kerkyra Island Nicolaos Chalikiopoulos-Mantzaros
[img]http://www.greek-music.net/photos/mantzaros.jpg[/img]
composed the music for the Solomos' Hymn.
Although King Otto of the Hellenes
[img]http://dept.kent.edu/museum/costume/bonc/2geographicsearch/Greece/otto.jpg[/img]
decorated both them for their work (1845 and 1849), he didn't take any actions to replace the Royal Anthem of that time with the Solomos/Mantzaros Hymn. The Royal Anthem was a musical derivative from the German one, with a text glorifying Otto and the Dynasty.
After the overthrow of the Otto's Dynasty, the new King George I
[img]http://www.geocities.com/jesusib/grecia0001.jpg[/img]
and the Greek establishment decided to neglect the fashion of that time - to use the Royal Anthems also as National - and looked for a clearly Greek work, both with respect to the poetry and the music. The "Hymn to Liberty" was readily there - extremely popular since the Revolution times, often recited or sung during patriotic meetings and celebrations.
"Eleutheria" -Liberty- is a female word in Greek and also a popular female name in Greece. The Solomos' Eleutheria is not as erotic and earthly as the Delacroix Liberty. It rather reminds an exiled ancient Goddess, which Solomos identifies with Greece itself. A majestic and demanding Goddess, an object of respect and admiration rather than of belief and passion. She has to be imperative, as the poet reviews the whole history of the Greek Revolution, comments on the negative attitude of the Great Forces, describes the pains and the offerings of the rebels, criticizes their dissensions, calls for unanimity and consolidation - always pointing to Eleutheria - the major human value.
The Greek Anthem has been written by a man of 25 years only. The Greeks deeply love and respect their emotionally-youthful Anthem.
The unusual - for an Anthem - 6/4 tempo of the Mantzaros music points clearly to the most manly traditional dance of the Greeks - Tsamiko (Tsamiko is an old folk dance originally performed by men only. The rhythm is very heavy and slow. The dance is performed in an open circle).
Click to listen to Tsamiko: [url]http://www.datafox.org/greek/rh-tsamiko-eleftheria-arvanitaki-amarantos.mp3[/url]
Hymn to Liberty:
Loose English translation by Rudyard Kipling (1918):
We knew thee of old,
Oh, divinely restored,
By the lights of thine eyes,
And the light of thy Sword.
From the graves of our slain,
Shall thy valour prevail,
As we greet thee again,
Hail, Liberty! Hail!
A more literal translation:
I shall always recognise you
By the dreadful sword you hold,
As the earth, with searching vision,
You survey, with spirit bold.
'Twas the Greeks of old whose dying
Brought to birth our spirit free.
Now, with ancient valour rising,
Let us hail you, Oh Liberty! (x3)
Click to listen to The Greek National Anthem: [url]http://www.national-anthems.net/web/find.webpage?from=anthems&what=Greece-Anthem_2&id=GR[/url]
