THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 235, 16 September 1922, Page 4

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

(From a Correspondent.) In a funny old book, “Fly Leaves,” picked up in a second-hand London bookshop, I came across an account of the musician who composed our National Anthem. The date of the book is 1855, and it states that “the authorship of tho words and inusic had long been the subject of dispute among antiquaries, but the/question, as far as the music is concerned, is now set at rest by the discovery of the original composition,” and it goes on to say that the composer was Dr. John Bull, and it was first given in public or. Thursday, July 16th, 1007, in Merchant Taylor’s Hall, before King James I. An extract is then given from “Stowe’s Chronicle” describing the performance. The orchestra consisted of 12 lutes, equally divided, and six in a window on either side of the hall, and in the centre was a gallant ship whfrein were three sailors, eminent for voice and skill, who in their songs were assisted by the cunning musicians. The original M.S., in Dr. Bull’s autograph, of the music performed on this occasion, was in the possession of Richard Clark, L a Y Vicar, y of Westminster Abbey. What was a Lay Vicarf Perhaps some of our church friends could tell u£ Dr Bull was evidently a musician of more than local repute, for m 1586 an historian published the story of the Dr’s doings in France, which, condensed, is as follows:— The Englishman travelling in Franco heard a famous musician at Bt. Omer’s Cathedral, and in order to learn something of his faculty, applied as a novice to be taught. The French musician shortly took Bull to a room adjoining the Cathedral and showed him a song of 40 parts, and stiid that it was so full and complete that it was imposible for any man to add to it. The novice asked to be locked up in the room, and in a few hours produced 40 more parts to the astonishment of the Frenchman, who, having tried it, exclaimed that “he who had added these 40 parts must either be rhe devil o* Dr. Bull.” It seems almost too good to be true that a man with such a name should be responsible for our National Anthem, and 1 am not sure that later authorities are quite so sure about it. If the good old Doctor was also responsible the words it is high time that some more modern John Bull rewrote them. Jhc jMcsent hymn docs nut fully express the present ideale of our racej We stand to the world in no warlike frame of mind, but are prepared to defend the ideals of liberty and justice, the weak against the strong. What was good enough for our fathers is good enough for us, is a common saying in regard to proposed reforms of all sorts, and is an attitude of mind that in reality assists the revolutionist, for it is a law of Nature that, if natural growth and change are checked, a voilent outbreak is the result. The Union J£ck and the National Anthem stand for the unity of thia wonderful collection of free countries that we call the British Empire, and I would like to see the whole hymn composed of words thert would of themselves stir the imagination of the young. I also think that the prayer for the King in tho Anglican prayer book might be worded a little differently, as it always strikes me as having a flavour of the Old Testament about it. Standing while the band plays the old Anthem, one sometimes is strangely stirred as the imagination picture* the brave and tragic scenes in every part of the world where men and women stood in like manner. The Empire stands to-day in sore need of men and women who will serve the flag by living a life of common endeavour ,to bring more of friendship into life, and more of fraternal relationship into tho busy w’orld, so that the red flag of destruction be sent back to its own place.