We explain what a hymn is, the history of this type of composition and its characteristics. Also, what is a national anthem.
What is a hymn?
Hymns are poetic (lyrical) or musical compositions that are intended to praise, extol, or celebrate a divinity, hero, saint, or memorable event, such as a military, social, or political victory. They should not be confused with odes, dedicated to any person or event of subjective or personal importance for the author or composer.
Hymns were very common in ancient times. The oldest texts of this nature date from the III millennium BC. C., and are the royal hymns Sumerians, which recounted the military exploits of the kings of Ur during the Sumerian Renaissance.
Their importance in Mesopotamian society was such that they were considered texts officers of the Condition, written in the Sumerian language spoken by intellectuals and elites, and sung at parties and celebrations. There were similar texts in the Egyptian, Vedic and Judaic cultures.
The word "hymn", however, comes from the earliest Greek hymns (hymnos), of key importance to Western culture, known as "Homeric hymns." It is about thirty poems epics dedicated to the birth of the Gods, and which at the time were attributed to Homer (hence his name). Today we know that the oldest of them dates from the 7th century BC. C., perhaps one of the first texts of the vast Greco-Roman tradition.
This Greek idea of a hymn was recovered by the Latin Christian poets of the Middle Ages European, and endowed with a liturgical value. It is assumed that St. Ambrose of Milan was the first to incorporate them in 397.
In addition, an infinity of religious hymns are attributed to him that would be formally accepted in the Christian office thanks to Saint Benedict of Nursia and the monastic movement promoted by him. Similarly, popes such as Innocent III, Clement VII, and Saint Gregory were great hymn composers, as was the doctor of the Church Saint Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274).
Characteristics of hymns
In general, hymns are characterized by the following:
- They can be lyrical poems or musical works, or intermediate forms that combine the poetry and the music.
- In general, their content is one of joy, enthusiasm and praise, and they reflect this in their verses and / or in its melody.
- They are dedicated to the exaltation of what is considered sublime: the gods, the homeland, the great heroes, the great victories or the great human projects. In that they differ from odes, which are intended for anything that subjectivity of the poet consider worthy of praise.
National anthem
National anthems are types of anthems that are intended to celebrate and exalt the founding of the homeland, that is, of a specific nation-state. This type of musical compositions emerged after the awakening of the nationalism between the 18th and 19th centuries, and proliferated between the 19th and 20th with the worldwide spread of nations independent, each of which required its own national symbols.
In many cases, national anthems come from popular patriotic songs or military marches, although it is also frequent that they are compositions requested by the Condition to musicians and artists, in order to strengthen national sentiment. Perhaps the best known of the Western hymns is the French one, "La marseellesa" (La Marseillaise), written by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792.
National anthems are often interpreted as an opening at solemn moments, such as political events or official sports competitions, and are broadcast on media or reproduce in schools, depending on the country. The first is generally interpreted stanza of the hymn, or some other that is significant of the whole, since the total hymn would be very long.