Austria And Austrian Hymn: Same Hymntune?

The Austrian national anthem, also known by its first line, Land der Berge, Land am Strome (Land of Peaks, Land by the River), was adopted in 1946. The melody was originally attributed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart but is now believed to have been composed by Johann Holzer. The lyrics were written by Paula von Preradović in 1947, the year after the anthem's official adoption.

The Christian hymn Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken, written by John Newton in the 18th century, is often set to the tune of Joseph Haydn's Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser (God Save Francis the Emperor), which is also known as Austria or Austrian Hymn.

Is the melody of the Austrian national anthem originally by Mozart?

The melody for Austria's national anthem, "Land der Berge, Land am Strome" ("Land of the Peaks, Land by the Stream"), was originally attributed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. However, this is now considered doubtful. The melody is thought to have been composed by Austrian composer Johann Holzer, either solely or as a co-author with Mozart. Another theory posits that the melody was composed by Paul Wranitzky.

The Austrian national anthem was adopted in 1946, shortly after World War II. Before this, Austria's state anthem was set to a melody by Haydn, which was also used as the German national anthem and became associated with Nazi Germany during the war.

The Austrian national anthem is sung to the melody of the song "Lasst uns mit geschlungnen Händen" ("Let us with joined hands"), which appeared in Mozart's "Freimaurerkantate" or "Freemasons Cantata" K.623—one of his final major works before his death in 1791.

Who wrote the lyrics to the Austrian national anthem?

The Austrian national anthem, also known by its first line, "Land der Berge, Land am Strome" ("Land of Peaks, Land by the River"), was written by Austrian writer and poet Paula von Preradović. Von Preradović was the granddaughter of a Croatian national poet and was persuaded by Minister of Education Felix Hurdes to submit an entry for the national anthem competition. Her lyrics were chosen by a jury of literary figures, musicians, and politicians, and the anthem was officially adopted in 1946, with the lyrics being added in 1947.

Von Preradović's original lyrics included the phrases "home of great sons" and "fraternal," which have since been criticised for not being gender-inclusive. In 2012, the lyrics were changed to reference both "sons and daughters" and "jubilant choirs" instead of "fraternal choirs."

What was the Austrian national anthem before 1946?

The Austrian national anthem before 1946 was 'Sei gesegnet ohne Ende' ('Be blessed without end'), set to the tune of Haydn's 'Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser' ('God Save Emperor Francis'). This had been the state anthem of imperial Austria since 1797.

However, after the Anschluss in 1938, the Haydn melody was co-opted for the German national anthem, the 'Deutschlandlied', albeit with different words. As a result, Austria sought a new anthem after the Second World War to create a clean break from its Nazi past.

The new Austrian national anthem, 'Land der Berge, Land am Strome' ('Land of the Peaks, Land by the Stream'), was officially adopted in 1946, with lyrics added in 1947. The melody was originally attributed to Mozart, but this is now seen as doubtful, and the melody's composer is thought to be Johann Holzer. The lyrics were written by Paula von Preradović.

What is the tune of the hymn Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken often referred to as?

The hymn "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken", also called "Zion, or the City of God", is most often set to the tune of Austrian composer Joseph Haydn's "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" (referred to in hymnals as "Austria" or "Austrian Hymn"). The hymn was written by John Newton and published in 1779.

The tune "Austria" has been used for other purposes, including as the anthem of imperial Austria, the German national anthem "Deutschland über alles", and the former Austrian anthem "Sei gesegnet ohne Ende".

Due to its association with Nazi Germany, some people find the use of this tune for the hymn controversial. Cyril Vincent Taylor's "Abbot's Leigh" was written in response to complaints received by the BBC during World War II about the use of "Austria".

Other tunes that have been used with the hymn include "Jefferson" by Alexander Johnson, "Abbot's Leigh" by Cyril Vincent Taylor, and "RUSTINGTON" by C. Hubert H. Parry.

What are some other tunes used with the hymn Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken?

The hymn "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken", also called "Zion, or the City of God", is an 18th-century English hymn written by John Newton, who also wrote "Amazing Grace". The hymn is most often set to the tune of Joseph Haydn's "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" (referred to in hymnals as "Austria"), but multiple other tunes have also been used with the hymn.

In recent decades, the hymn has sometimes been set to the tune "Abbot's Leigh", written for this text by Cyril Vincent Taylor in 1942 while he was a producer of Religious Broadcasting at the BBC.

Another tune that has been used with the hymn is "Jefferson", written by shape note composer Alexander Johnson in 1818.

The tune "RUSTINGTON", written by C. Hubert H. Parry, has also been used with the hymn. It was named after the English village in which he spent the last years of his life.

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