Il Canto degli Italiani
Il Canto degli Italiani (The Song of the Italians) is the Italian national anthem. The anthem is also popularly known, from its first line, as Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy) and, after its author, as the Inno di Mameli (Mameli's Hymn).
The words were written in 1847 by the poet Goffredo Mameli as an expression of the popular struggle for the unification and independence of Italy. His poem, set to music by Michele Novaro, enjoyed widespread popularity throughout the period of the Risorgimento (Resurgence) – the 19th-century Italian movement towards unification. Following unification in (1861), the anthem of the royal house of Savoy was adopted as a national anthem. When, in 1946, Italy became a republic, Il Canto degli Italiani was provisionally chosen as the country's new national anthem. This choice has never been officially re-examined, with the result that it has remained Italy's "temporary" anthem for more than 50 years.
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Lyrics in Italian
- Fratelli d'Italia,
- l'Italia s'è desta,
- dell'elmo di Scipio
- s'è cinta la testa.
- Dov'è la vittoria?
- Le porga la chioma,
- che schiava di Roma
- Iddio la creò.
- CHORUS:
- Stringiamci a coorte,
- siam pronti alla morte.
- Siam pronti alla morte,
- l'Italia chiamò.
- Stringiamci a coorte,
- siam pronti alla morte.
- Siam pronti alla morte,
- l'Italia chiamò!
- Noi fummo da secoli
- calpesti, derisi,
- perché non siam popoli,
- perché siam divisi.
- Raccolgaci un'unica
- bandiera, una speme:
- di fonderci insieme
- già l'ora suonò.
- CHORUS
- Uniamoci, uniamoci,
- l'unione e l'amore
- rivelano ai popoli
- le vie del Signore.
- Giuriamo far libero
- il suolo natio:
- uniti, per Dio,
- chi vincer ci può?
- CHORUS
- Dall'Alpi a Sicilia
- Dovunque è Legnano,
- Ogn'uom di Ferruccio
- Ha il core, ha la mano,
- I bimbi d'Italia
- Si chiaman Balilla,
- Il suon d'ogni squilla
- I Vespri suonò.
- CHORUS
- Son giunchi che piegano
- Le spade vendute:
- Già l'Aquila d'Austria
- Le penne ha perdute.
- Il sangue d'Italia,
- Il sangue Polacco,
- Bevé, col cosacco,
- Ma il cor le bruciò.
- CHORUS
Partial English translation
- Italian brothers,
- Italy has arisen.
- With Scipio?s helmet
- She has girded her head.
- Where is Victory?
- Let her bow down,
- For God has made her
- The slave of Rome.
- Let us form a cohort,
- We are ready to die!
- Italy has called!
Controversy
The desirability or otherwise of replacing Fratelli d'Italia with a different anthem has recently been discussed in Italy. The music of Fratelli d'Italia is viewed by some (both laymen and experts) as poor, especially when compared with the renonwed Italian classical music tradition (for example, Giuseppe Verdi or Giacomo Puccini). And the lyrics, far from being universal, refer to some very specific episodes in Italian history which, while they were well known to all in the 19th century, are almost meaningless now. Nevertheless, Fratelli d'Italia is immediately recognizable to everyone in Italy, and it is difficult to believe that Italians will allow it to be replaced without a fierce debate.
External links
- Italian government official page – includes lyrics and sound file
- From Quirinale, residence of the Head of State, lyrics and music (in Italian)
- MP3 file
Categories: National anthems | Italy