Changing Our Tune ?

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31907, 7 February 1969, Page 10

Changing Our Tune ?

Had it not been for the energy and persistence of James McDermott, chief engineer of the Post Office in the thirties, Thomas Bracken’s “ God Defend New “ Zealand ” might have passed into decent obscurity by now. Instead it was suddenly elevated, at least to a talking point, when it was played for Mr Holyoake at a ceremony in Paris and succeeded, according to the report, in stirring his nationalistic blood. Mr McDermott had his way by bombarding radio stations with recordings of the song and appealing to the Centennial Council in 1939 for its recognition. Finally the Government accorded it the status of national hymn and purchased the rights to it. But it would take more than one determined Scot to persuade the Government today to renounce the national anthem and replace it with Bracken’s words and John Joseph Woods’s music. If the origins of the national anthem are obscure, it is probably—pop not excepted—the best known and most enduring song. It is familiar to the peoples of the Commonwealth. In the United States it masquerades now as “ My Country ’Us of Thee ” after long and varied service as “ God Save America ”, “ God Save George “ Washington ”, “ God Save The 13 States ” and “ God “ Save The President ”, The Germans knew it as “Heil Dir Im Siegerkranz”. Haydn, Brahms, and Weber adapted it and even Beethoven had a good word for it.

From time to time men of poetical sensibility and Christian feeling have tried to tone down the sentiments and an E. S. Emerson once wrote a second verse with special application to New Zealand, but though Edward VII signed it, presumably as an indication of his approval, the verse was not adopted here. Nor was the “ peace version ”, although approved by the Privy Council in 1919; and when a national anthem amendment contest was held in Britain in 1935 the adjudicators could find no better verses among the 1000 entries. A last but rather confusing word came from Mr Snowden, then Chancellor of the Exchequer. “ The words to which the “ tune are sung are no part of the national anthem ”, he said. “It is only the tune itself which is the “ national anthem ”. But it is not so much the tune or the words as the national anthem’s associations with pomp and ceremony, with power and with victories that cause patriotic hearts to swell when it is played. If the national hymn were to replace the national anthem it would fall flat because it lacks associations with New Zealand history, traditions and life. Grudging acceptance of a national anthem is not enough if it is to serve its purpose. Perhaps it requires a revolution to inspire, as in France and the United States, a stirring national anthem. The associations are as powerful as the music of the “ Marseillaise ” and “ The Star-Spangled Banner ”, New Zealand may be moving from dependence on Britain, but it is far from being a revolutionary process. The imposition of a new national anthem, as some correspondents to “The Press” have suggested, would not of itself stimulate nationalist fervour. An anthem is merely a symbol and requires the substance of nationalism before it is acceptable. For these reasons few New Zealanders will want a change now. If Britain joins the E.E.C. a few more may seek a change. But the majority will not clamour for a new national anthem unless Britain disbands the Commonwealth, puts down the monarchy, and gives up cricket.