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Music is always a key element when describing the identity of a country. Rule Britannia immediately brings to mind Great Britain and America the Beautiful brings citizens of the United States patriotic feelings. In Canada, we have three official anthems and many other truly "Canadian" songs. |
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O Canada! - The National Anthem of CanadaCalixa Lavallée, a pianist and composer, was asked in early 1880 to write music for a national song to be performed at the French-Canadian National Festival. After the music was written, the festival president Ernest Gagnon asked Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier to write appropriate words for this new composition. It is also a fact that Gagnon suggested the first line to Routhier "O Canada, terre des nos aieux". Even before its first public performance, the Quebec press proclaimed: "at last we have a truly French-Canadian National Song".Although originally intended for French-Canadians, it became popular all over the country and accepted as a national song. Following the first English performance in Toronto in 1901 there have been several English texts, the most widely used being the version by Mr. Justice Robert Stanley Weir written in 1908. The French lyrics remain unaltered from Sir Routhier's version. In almost all instances, just the first verse is sung. Even though this song was written in 1880, it was not until July 1, 1980 that Parliament proclaimed this tune as Canada's official national anthem. On February 7, 2018, the lyrics were changed to be gender neutral, replacing "in all thy sons command" with "in all of us command".
God Save the King - The Royal Anthem of CanadaThe words and music to this anthem have been attributed to a Dr. Henry Carey in 1740. This fact is heavily disputed. However, its first famous performance was on September 28, 1745 at Drury Lane Theatre in London when the Young Pretender to the British Throne, Prince Charles Edward Stuart, had just defeated the army of King George II at Prestonpans, near Edinburgh. In a fit of patriotic fervour after news of Prestonpans had reached London, the leader of the band at the Drury Lane Theatre, arranged God Save The King for performance after a play. It was a tremendous success and was repeated nightly thereafter. This practice soon spread to other theatres, and the custom of greeting the Monarch with the song as he or she entered a place of public entertainment was thus established.As the Royal Anthem of Canada, it is performed officially in Canada in the presence of members of the Royal Family but is not sung when played as a salute, only when used as the national anthem of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or as a hymn or prayer. The Salute accorded to the Governor General and Lieutenant Governors is a combination of O Canada! and God Save the King (see Vice-Regal Anthem below). As with O Canada!, in almost all instances - even in the United Kingdom, just the first verse is sung. God save our gracious King, Long live our noble King, God save the King! Send him victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God save the King! O Lord our God arise, Scatter her enemies, And make them fall: Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks, On Thee our hopes we fix: God save us all. Thy choicest gifts in store On his be pleased to pour; Long may he reign: May he defend our laws, And ever give us cause To sing with heart and voice God save the King! Not in this land alone, But be God's mercies known, From shore to shore! Lord make the nations see, That men should brothers be, And form one family, The wide world over From every latent foe, From the assassins blow, God save the King! O'er him thine arm extend, For Britain's sake defend, Our mother, prince, and friend, God save the King!
The Vice-Regal SaluteThe Vice-Regal Salute is a musical arrangement of the first six bars of the royal anthem, God Save The King, and a short version (the first four bars and the last four bars) of the national anthem, O Canada! It is played as the musical salute to the Governor General of Canada and the Lieutenant-Governors of Canadian provinces. However, when the Governor General makes an official visit abroad, O Canada! is played as the musical salute. The Vice-Regal Salute was approved by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1968. There are no words to this anthem.Before the entry of the Vice-Regal party, the guests should be asked to stand when the party enters and to remain standing until the Vice-Regal Salute is concluded. They should be advised NOT to sing during the playing of the Salute. The Vice-Regal Salute should not be played until all members of the party have reached their places on the stage or at the table and are standing at their chairs.
Maple Leaf ForeverAlexander Muir's 1867 up-the-Empire standard, which was Canada's unofficial national anthem until the arrival of O Canada, has new lyrics. The updated, politically sensitive Maple Leaf Forever, with lyrics by Romanian émigré Vladimir Radian, received its first full orchestral treatment on June 27, 1997 at a free concert by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.Radian, a mathematician turned songwriter/actor/poet, came to Canada a decade ago, completely unaware of Maple Leaf Forever and its crowing lyrics. He discovered the song while listening to CBC Radio's Metro Morning show in Toronto when it ran a contest to replace the old lyrics, which were distasteful to some ears and merely comical to others.
Something to Sing AboutThis rousing song about Canada's natural beauty was written in 1963 for a television special by Oscar Brand, a Canadian-born folksinger and songwriter. It later became the theme song for the Canadian pavilion at Expo '67. As more than one fan of the song has pointed out, walking "on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland" is actually impossible, since this area is underwater!I have walked 'cross the sand on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, Lazed on the ridge of the Miramichi. Seen the waves tear and roar at the stone coast of Labrador, Watched them roll back to the great northern sea. Chorus: From the Vancouver Island to the Alberta Highland, 'Cross the prairie, the Lakes to Ontario's towers. From the sound of Mount Royal's chimes out to the Maritimes, Something to sing about, this land of ours. I have welcomed the dawn from the fields of Saskatchewan, Followed the sun to the Vancouver shore. Watched it climb shiny new up the snow peaks of Cariboo, Up to the clouds where the wild Rockies soar. Chorus I have heard the wild wind sing the places that I have been, Bay Bulls and Red Deer and Strait of Belle Isle. Names like Grand'Mere and Silverthrone, Moose Jaw and Marrowbone, Trails of the pioneer, named with a smile. Chorus I have wandered my way to the wild wood of Hudson Bay, Treated my toes to Quebec's morning dew. Where the sweet summer breeze kissed the leaves of the maple trees, Sharing this song that I'm singing to you. Chorus Yes, there's something to sing about, tune up a string about, Call out in chorus or quietly hum Of a land that's still young with a ballad that's still unsung Telling the promise of great things to come. Chorus
Ode to NewfoundlandThe words of "The Ode to Newfoundland" were written by His Excellency Sir Cavendish Boyle, K.C.M.G., who was Governor of Newfoundland from 1901 to 1904. On November 8, 1902, the Ode was set to music composed by Professor E.R. Krippner and was officially adopted as the Newfoundland anthem. On May 20, 1904, the present musical setting, which was composed by Sir Hubert Parry, Bart, was officially substituted for the Krippner setting. On August 17, 1979, Royal Assent was given to legislation adopting the Ode to Newfoundland as the official provincial anthem of the province of Newfoundland.When sun rays crown thy pine clad hills, And summer spreads her hand, When silvern voices tune thy rills, We love thee, smiling land. We love thee, we love thee, We love thee, smiling land. As loved our fathers, so we love, Where once they stood, we stand; Their prayer we raise to Heaven above, God guard thee, Newfoundland God guard thee, God guard thee, God guard thee, Newfoundland  Listen to a portion of "Ode to Newfoundland" [.wav]Manitoba AnthemThere are only trace references to a Manitoba Anthem out there... if you have more words and/or a tune that this goes with, we would love to include it here!Manitoba, here we rise to greet thee Manitoba, our home! You're the bond that binds our great Dominion From to sea to sea, from foam to foam A Place to Stand, A Place to Grow (Ontari-ari-ari-o)A Place to Stand, a Place to Grow was commissioned by the Government of Ontario for use at the Ontario Pavillion at Expo '67, the World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec in Canada's Centennial year of 1967. The film of the same name (which included the song) won the 1967 Academy Award for Live Action Short Film. The song's use continued for the next several decades promoting Ontario tourism and pride as an unofficial provincial anthem.Give us a place to stand And a place to grow And call this land Ontario. A place to live For you and me With hopes as high As the tallest tree. Give us a land of lakes and a land of snow And we will build Ontario A place to stand, a place to grow Ontari-ari-ari-o! From western hills, To northern shores. To Niagara Falls, Where the waters roar. Give us a land of peace, Where the free winds blow. And we will build Ontario A place to stand, a place to grow Ontari-ari-ari-o! Listen to A Place to Stand, A Place to Grow |
Where to get the sheet music.
