God save the Tsar! The history of the appearance of the first Russian anthem. Literary and historical notes of a young technician

Anthem of the Russian Empire

Hymn is a solemn song that praises and glorifies someone or something. The hymn genetically goes back to prayer and is found in the sacred poetry of many peoples of all times.

Currently, the anthem, along with the flag and coat of arms, is one of the national symbols of states.

From the history of European anthems

The first widely known national anthem in Europe (but not the official one) is the British “God save our Lord the King”. Then, in imitation of him, the anthems of other European countries appeared. Initially, most of them were sung to the music of the British anthem (for example, the Russian “God Save the Tsar!”, the American, the anthem of the German Empire, the Swiss and others - about 20 anthems in total). Then the anthems began to be approved by monarchs or parliaments, and therefore almost every anthem received its own melody. But the Liechtenstein anthem, for example, is still sung to the music of the English anthem.

Hymns of the Russian Empire

There were three famous anthems in the Russian Empire: “The thunder of victory, ring out!”, "Russian Prayer" And " God save the king!”.

“The thunder of victory, ring out!”

Russian-Turkish War 1787-1791 ended with the victory of the Russians and the conclusion of the Peace of Jassy between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. As a result of this agreement, the entire Northern Black Sea region, including Crimea, was assigned to Russia, and its political positions in the Caucasus and Balkans strengthened significantly. In the Caucasus, the border along the Kuban River has been restored.

Ishmael was a tough nut to crack: neither Field Marshal N.V. Repnin, nor Field Marshal I.V. Gudovich, nor Field Marshal G.A. Potemkin could not “chew” him. But A.V. Suvorov did it!

D. Doe "Portrait of A.V. Suvorov"

First, he carefully examined the fortress, riding around it on a nondescript horse and dressing inconspicuously so as not to attract the attention of the Turks. The fortress turned out to be very reliably protected. “A fortress without weak points,” he said after inspection. Then Suvorov began training soldiers to take the fortress: he taught them to quickly set up ladders and storm the enemy. But he noted later that “one could only decide to storm such a fortress once in a lifetime.”

Assault on the Izmail fortress A.V. Suvorov began in the early morning of December 22, 1790, occupying all the fortifications by 8 a.m. and overcoming resistance on the city streets by 4 p.m.

The poet G. Derzhavin wrote poems in honor of the capture of Izmail “The thunder of victory, ring out!”, which became the unofficial Russian anthem of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

A. Kivshenko "The Capture of Izmail"

Thunder of victory, ring out!
Have fun, brave Ross!
Decorate yourself with resounding glory.
You beat Mohammed!

Chorus:
Glory to this, Catherine!
Hail, mother tender to us!

The fast waters of the Danube
Already in our hands now;
Honoring the bravery of the Rosses,
The Taurus is below us and the Caucasus.

The hordes of Crimea cannot
Now to destroy our peace;
Selima's pride is lowered,
And he pales with the moon.

The groan of Sinai is heard,
Today in the sunflower everywhere,
Envy and enmity rage
And he is tormented within himself.

We rejoice in the sounds of glory,
So that enemies can see
That your hands are ready
We will stretch to the edge of the universe.

Look, wise queen!
Look, great wife!
What is Your glance, Your right hand
Our law, the soul is one.

Look at the glittering cathedrals,
Look at this beautiful system;
All hearts and eyes are with you
They are revived by one.

The music of the anthem was written by O. A. Kozlovsky, a Belarusian composer and organist.

Osip Antonovich Kozlovsky (1757-1831)

O.A. Kozlovsky

Born into a noble family on the Kozlovichi estate near the city of Propoisk (now Slavgorod) in the Mogilev province. Musical abilities manifested themselves early, and the boy was sent to study music in Warsaw, where he studied at the Church of St. Yana received a musical education and practiced as a violinist, organist and singer. At one time his teacher was Mikhail Oginsky, composer and politician, best known among us as the author of the famous “Polonaise”, participant in the Kosciuszko uprising and diplomat of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Having joined the formation of the Russian army in 1786, Kozlovsky participated in the Russian-Turkish war as an officer, and after the war he received recognition in St. Petersburg as a composer: he wrote “Russian Songs” and was entrusted with the design of official celebrations. In 1795 O.A. Kozlovsky, commissioned by Count Sheremetyev, writes the opera “The Capture of Ishmael” based on the text by P. Potemkin. In 1799 he was appointed “inspector of music” of the imperial theaters, and in 1803 he received the position of “director of music” and actually became the head of the musical and theatrical life of St. Petersburg. Then he wrote the melodrama “Zhneyi, or Dozhinki in Zalesye”, the tragedy “Oedipus in Athens”, “Requiem” and other serious musical works: instrumental, choral and symphonic, two comic operas, etc. The festive cantata “Glory to you, God”, written in 1814-1815, dedicated to the victory over Napoleon. It was first performed on the day of the coronation of Nicholas I. His work enjoyed great fame in Russia. Kozlovsky is the author of the festive polonaise “The Thunder of Victory, Ring Out,” which became the anthem of the Russian Empire (1791-1816).

“Prayer of the Russians” (“Prayer of the Russian people”

This was the first Supremely approved national anthem of Russia from 1816 to 1833.

In 1815, the first two stanzas of the poem by V.A. Zhukovsky were published in the magazine “Son of the Fatherland”, they were called “Prayer of the Russian People”. The music of the anthem was the melody of the British anthem by composer Thomas Arne.

At the end of 1816, Alexander I issued a decree establishing the procedure for performing the anthem: it was to be performed during meetings of the emperor. Remained the national anthem of Russia until 1833.

God save the Tsar!
The glorious one has long days
Give it to the earth!
Proud to the humbler,
Guardian of the weak,
Comforter to all -
Everything has been sent down!

First-power
Orthodox Rus'
God Bless!
Her kingdom is harmonious,
The strength is calm!
Still unworthy
Get away!

Oh, Providence!
Blessing
They sent it down to us!
Striving for good,
In happiness there is humility,
Patience in sorrow
Give it to the earth!

The history of the creation of the hymn “God Save the Tsar!” (1833-1917)

In 1833 A. F. Lvov accompanied Nicholas I during his visit to Austria and Prussia, where the emperor was greeted everywhere with the sounds of the English march. Then the emperor had the idea of ​​​​creating the Russian anthem - he listened to the melody of monarchical solidarity without enthusiasm. Upon his return, the emperor instructed Lvov to compose a new anthem. Nicholas I appreciated Lvov's creativity and trusted his musical taste.

The words of the anthem were also written by V.A. Zhukovsky, but lines 2 and 3 were written by A.S. Pushkin. The anthem was first performed on December 18, 1833 under the title “Prayer of the Russian People,” and from December 31, 1833 it became the official anthem of the Russian Empire under a new name “God save the king!”. This anthem existed until the February Revolution of 1917.

God save the Tsar!

Strong, Sovereign,

Reign for glory, for our glory!

Reign to the fear of your enemies,

Orthodox Tsar!

God save the Tsar!

Manuscript by V.A. Zhukovsky

Just six lines of the hymn and 16 bars of melody were easy to remember and were designed for verse repetition.

The music for the new anthem was written by composer A.F. Lviv.

Alexey Fedorovich Lvov (1798-1870)

P. Sokolov "Portrait of A. Lvov"

A.F. Lvov is a Russian violinist, composer, conductor, music writer and public figure. In 1837-1861. led the Court Choir (now it is State Academic Chapel of St. Petersburg- a concert organization in St. Petersburg, including the oldest professional choir in Russia, founded in the 15th century, and a symphony orchestra. Has its own concert hall).

State Academic Chapel of St. Petersburg named after. M.I. Glinka

A.F. was born. Lvov in 1798 in Reval (now Tallinn) in the family of the famous Russian musical figure F.P. Lvov. He received a good musical education in the family. At the age of seven he played the violin in home concerts and studied with many teachers. In 1818 he graduated from the Institute of Railways, worked in the Arakcheevo military settlements as a railway engineer, but did not stop studying the violin.

Since 1826 - adjutant wing.

Due to his official position, Lvov did not have the opportunity to perform in public concerts, but, playing music in circles, salons, and at charity events, he became famous as a wonderful virtuoso. But while traveling abroad, he also performed in front of a wide audience. He had friendly relations with many European performers and composers: F. Mendelssohn, J. Meyerbeer, G. Spontini, R. Schumann, who highly appreciated his performing skills. He wrote a book about the beginnings of violin playing and added his own “24 Caprices” to it, which still have artistic and pedagogical significance. He also wrote sacred music.

The history of the creation of the Russian Anthem "God Save the Tsar..."
Our wonderful colleague Evgeniy Aleksandrovich Rusanov wrote a very useful research article about the pre-revolutionary anthem of Russia “God Save the Tsar...”. I was attracted by many of the facts and historical references he presented. The message also attracted attention: “Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky, “doomed by nature to songs”* in 1808 (he was 25 years old) wrote the verse “Hymn”, where the scale of the poet’s state thinking was already revealed and the main features of the high theme were outlined. After 7 years, Zhukovsky deservedly stood at the origins of the creation of the National Anthem.”
Let us pay attention to the fact that this was the time of the reign of Emperor Alexander I in Russia, whose 240th anniversary we are celebrating this year (born December 12, 1777 - old style). Rescue from an evil Masonic conspiracy when his father, the great reformer Paul I, who tried to guide Russia along the path of social prosperity by increasing the responsibility of the nobility for the lives of other classes, was killed, was followed by a careful, verified strategic policy. The Emperor organized state and public councils everywhere, created new collegial governing bodies, consistently increased the state budget, and developed education. The sovereign himself became wise day by day.
Russia was developing rapidly. Of course, this caused a certain envy and concern among its neighbors for maintaining the previous alignment of world forces. The main concerns came from England and France, who entered into the struggle for hegemony in Europe, for the possession of colonies, and therefore for world domination. They understood that without bringing Russia to their side, such hegemony would not take place. Attempts to attract Russia to its side on the part of France led to opposition from England and the death of the Russian emperor as a result of a funded conspiracy with guarantees of escape in case of failure. Alexander Pavlovich, faced with vile hypocrisy and the danger of the death of the entire family (remember that, in addition to Empress Maria Feodorovna, 10 children of the emperor were subject to death), realized that open actions could not correct the situation. I had to enter into an alliance with England, Prussia and Austria. This caused a negative reaction from Napoleonic France, which, under speculative revolutionary slogans, tried to cause discord in the governments and court circles of the surrounding countries. Moreover, in order to attract the elites of European countries to their side, they had to promise the property and income of their sovereigns. The latter were supposed to be removed from power and income, and if they disagreed, subjected to revolutionary execution.
In godless Europe, shocked by the Great French Revolution (1789), when sovereigns, clergy and their children, who were supposedly impossible to re-educate, were subjected to mass guillotining, this seemed possible. But in Russia there were other values ​​of life and preserved traditions of their priority. In Russia, the Orthodox Church was very strong, which nourished the population during the creation of each family from matchmaking to dormition, raised and educated new generations, consecrated all state institutions up to the Anointed of God the Sovereign Emperor himself and His Crowned Family.
It is characteristic that it was precisely during these harsh years of our confrontation with France, when the battles of Preussisch-Eylau (January 1807) and Friedland (June 1807) in Prussia took place, that Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky composed the original Hymn “Prayer of the Russian People.” The poetic style and music of the Anthem were borrowed, since there was no experience in creating this kind of work in Russia. The author of a study on the creation of the Anthem writes: “Since the second half of the 18th century, most European states greeted their Monarchs with a melody borrowed from the British: “God save the King”** (“God save the King!”). The British anthem, with minor changes in melody and text variations, became the basis for the national anthems of Denmark in 1750, Prussia in 1793, Germany in 1801 and Switzerland in 1830. The British Royal Anthem, with various modifications, was also adopted by twenty-five German-speaking principalities and states. In fact, “God save the King” became the common anthem of the European Crown Bearers.”
Russia also had to move away from the march of the “Preobrazhensky Regiment”, approved by Peter the Great. New times - new songs.
The melody of the Russian Anthem was taken from English and spread to the Russian army after the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812.
Today, as we celebrate the 205th anniversary of the Victory, it is important to recognize the origins of the Anthem and its original dedication to the Russian Emperor Alexander I, to whom, after the capture of Paris on March 19/31, 1814 and the subsequent capitulation of France on March 25/April 6, 1814, the Governing Senate of Russia approved addition to the name - Blessed. However, our humble emperor did not accept this gift, just as he did not accept the wish of the French to become their king! In addition, he banned the Russian governors from all demonstrations and fireworks on the way to the return of the Russian army to their homeland after the victory. In November 1825, he faked his death and went on a pilgrimage under the name of Feodor Kuzmich. The latter has been proven by research by historians (Doctor of Historical Sciences Marina Mikhailovna Gromyko) and will someday be made public.
Further, the author of a modern study of the anthem E.A. Rusanov writes: “In 1815, in the magazine “Son of the Fatherland” V.A. Zhukovsky publishes a poem called “The Prayer of the Russians”! In 1816, he also supplemented the anthem on behalf of Emperor Alexander I himself, who was the initiator and creator of the European unification of countries - the “Holy Union” based on the principles of Christian faith and morality.
The researcher then continues: “…. In 1818, two years later, V.A. Zhukovsky added five more verses to the Anthem.....
... It remains a mystery why later this blessed text, this brilliant example of National Traits, fell out of the official anthem of Imperial Russia. After all, each of these five couplets contains, first of all, a moral foundation, without which the existence of a state is unthinkable, where the highest Goal of the Nation is not material enrichment, but “Life Above Heaven”!”
However, the complete completion of the anthem was carried out by the same Zhukovsky in 1833, after the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Victory. Obviously, these two events cannot be separated in any way! The music was composed by composer Alexey Fedorovich Lvov.
The author further states that the first public performance of the anthem in Moscow took place on December 11, 1833. Sorry, but this is on the eve of the next anniversary of the birth of Emperor Alexander I (December 12, 1977). Such was the respect for the great strategist emperor who delivered Europe from Napoleonic tyranny. Here it should be noted that his successor, Emperor Nicholas I, named after Him his first-born son, the future Emperor Alexander II, and his daughter Alexandra.
Researcher Rusanov quotes words from the newspaper “Molva” (No. 148, December 12, 1833): “Yesterday, December 11, the Bolshoi Petrovsky Theater witnessed a magnificent and touching spectacle, a triumph of the reverent love of the Russian people for the Russian Tsar...
... Waiting was the main, dominant feeling. Finally, the curtain rose, and the huge stage of the theater, before the eyes of the audience, was filled with a magnificent group, stretching to four hundred people. In addition to the singers, the entire Russian drama troupe, the theater school, in a word, everything that had a voice, that could sing, united and formed an extraordinary, unique choir. The full orchestra of the theater was supplemented by regimental music and a chromatic orchestra (of trumpeters). At the first blow, an involuntary attraction made all the spectators rise from their seats. The deepest silence reigned everywhere while Mr. Bantyshev sang the opening word in his clear, clear voice. But when, after this, the thunder of the regimental orchestra burst out, when at the same instant the whole wondrous mass of singing voices merged with it, a unanimous “Hurray!”, which burst out in an instant from all lips, shook the high arches of the huge building. The thunder of applause began to argue with the thunder of the orchestra... everything demanded repetition... And again the same clicks, the same applause were heard!.. It seemed that one soul was trembling in the agitated mass of spectators, that was the cry of Moscow! Cry of Russia! ... God save the Tsar! This cry will forever remain Russia’s rallying cry on the path to perfection and glory!”
To this wonderful epilogue of research, it should be added with bitterness that, unfortunately, today our state does not celebrate the 205th victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 and the 240th anniversary of the Birthday of the Savior of Europe, Russian Emperor Alexander I the Blessed. Apparently, we should repeat the famous words of Nicholas II, the Passion-Bearer: “There is treason, cowardice and deceit all around.”
Only by curing these and other disorders, getting rid of liars and traitors, restoring the traditional family culture, which gave birth to geniuses like Lomonosov and Suvorov, Kutuzov and Dokhturov, the crowned Paul I, Alexander I and Nicholas I, is our revival and the next VICTORY possible.
And now we present the words from the complete Russian Anthem, presented by the respected author, which he recommends to carefully consider, learn and perform everywhere during the celebrations! Otherwise we won't have any luck!
Full text of the article about the research of the author E.A. Rusinov will be additionally presented on the website “Society of Descendants of Heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812” - http://potomki-1812.ru.

GOD SAVE THE KING!
Prayer of the Russian People
Full text of the Anthem
Music by Alexey Fedorovich Lvov,
Words by Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky

God save the Tsar!
Strong, Sovereign,
Reign with glory
To our glory.
Reign to the fear of your enemies,
Orthodox Tsar!
God save the Tsar!

God save the Tsar!
The glorious one has long days
Give it to the earth, give it to the earth!
Proud to the humbler,
Guardian of the weak,
Comforter of all -
Everything has been sent down!

First-power
Orthodox Rus'
God bless, God bless!
The kingdom is harmonious for her,
Calm in power!
Still unworthy
Get away!

The army is blasphemous,
Glory's chosen ones,
God bless, God bless!
To the avenging warriors,
Honor to the saviors,
To the peacemakers -
Long days!

Peaceful warriors,
Guardians of truth
God bless, God bless!
Their life is exemplary,
Unhypocritical
Faithful to valor,
Remember!

Oh, Providence!
Blessing
It was sent down to us, it was sent down to us!
Striving for good
In happiness there is humility,
Patience in sorrow
Give it to the earth!

Be our Intercessor,
Faithful Companion
See us off, see us off!
Light-wonderful,
Heavenly Life,
Known to the heart
Shine on your heart!

God save the Tsar!
Strong, Sovereign,
Reign with glory
To our glory.
Reign to the fear of your enemies,
Orthodox Tsar!
God, bring back the Tsar!

In 1833, Prince Alexei Fedorovich Lvov accompanied Nicholas I during his visit to Austria and Prussia, where the emperor was greeted everywhere by the sounds of the English march. The Tsar listened to the melody of monarchical solidarity without enthusiasm. Upon returning to his homeland, the emperor wished that his own Russian march be created. Then a secret competition began to write a new monarchist anthem, in which many Russian composers took part, including the great Mikhail Glinka, but the composer Alexei Lvov, close to the court, won the competition.

The new anthem was first performed on December 18, 1833 (according to other sources - December 25), it existed until the February Revolution of 1917. After the October Revolution, this anthem was erased from the history of the new Soviet state, and the International began to perform it instead...

The anthem of the Russian Empire was called “God Save the Tsar!”, lyrics to music by A.F. Lvov was written by the famous Russian poet V.A. Zhukovsky. There was not a single person in Russia who had never heard or sung the Russian anthem, glorifying the Orthodox Tsar and the Orthodox Autocratic Fatherland; however, this anthem was not just a patriotic march, but also a prayer, which is why it turned out to be so close to the soul of the Russian people .

God save the Tsar!
Strong, sovereign,
Reign for our glory,
Reign to the fear of your enemies,
Orthodox Tsar!
God save the Tsar!
.
God save the Tsar!
The glorious one has long days
Give it to the earth!
Proud to the humbler,
Guardian of the weak,
Comforter of all -
All have descended!
.
First-power
Orthodox Rus',
God Bless!
Her kingdom is harmonious,
Calm in strength,
Still unworthy
Get away!
.
O providence,
Blessing
It was sent down to us!
Striving for good
In happiness there is humility,
Patience in sorrow
Give it to the earth!

On November 23, 1833, the anthem was first presented to the tsar - for which the royal family and their retinue specially arrived at the Singing Chapel, where the court singers with two military bands performed the anthem in front of them. Thanks to the sublime, choral melody, the anthem sounded extremely powerful. The tsar really liked the melody, which he listened to several times, and he ordered to “show” the anthem to the general public.

Performance of the hymn “God Save the Tsar”

On December 11, 1833, at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, the orchestra and the entire theater troupe took part in the performance of “Russian Folk Song” ( This is how the hymn “God Save the Tsar” was named in the poster.). The next day, rave reviews appeared in the newspapers. This is what the director of the Moscow Imperial Theaters M.P. says about the historical premiere. Zagoskin: “At first the words were sung by one of the actors, Bantyshev, then repeated by the whole choir. I cannot describe to you the impression that this national song made on the audience; all the men and ladies listened to her standing; first “hurray” and then “foro” thundered in the theater when it was sung. Of course, it was repeated..."

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On December 25, 1833, on the anniversary of the expulsion of Napoleon's troops from Russia, the anthem was performed in the halls of the Winter Palace during the consecration of banners and in the presence of high military officials. On December 31 of the outgoing year, the commander of the Separate Guards Corps, Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich, gave the order: “The Emperor was pleased to express his permission to play newly composed music at parades, reviews, divorces and other occasions, instead of the currently used anthem, taken from national English.”

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On August 30, 1834, a monument, the Alexander Pillar, was opened on Palace Square in St. Petersburg in honor of the victory over Napoleon in the War of 1812. The grand opening of the monument was accompanied by a parade of troops, before which the Russian anthem “God Save the Tsar” was performed for the first time in an official setting "

Soon the music of the hymn “God Save the Tsar” became famous in Europe.

On May 26, 1883, on the Day of the Ascension of the Lord, the consecration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow took place, coinciding with the Day of the Holy Coronation of Emperor Alexander III to the All-Russian Throne. Then this anthem was performed especially solemnly. P.I. Tchaikovsky - back in 1880, wrote an overture in which the theme of the hymn “God Save the Tsar” sounds in a beautiful harmonic arrangement, and it was performed on the occasion of the consecration of the Temple. In total, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky used the music of the anthem in six of his works.

However, not everyone liked the music of the anthem, for example, the famous critic V.V. Stasov did not like her and made critical remarks about her. M.I. also expressed some disapproval of the anthem. Glinka, but despite this composer A.F. Lvov forever entered the galaxy of Russian composers, as evidenced, in particular, by the painting by I.E. Repin, hanging on the landing of the stairs at the Moscow Conservatory. The painting is called “Slavic Composers”, and in it, along with Glinka, Chopin, Rimsky-Korsakov and others, the author of the official Russian anthem A.F. is depicted in an embroidered court uniform. Lviv.

Painting by I. Repin “Slavic Composers”

After the overthrow of the tsarist regime, covered by the imaginary abdication of Tsar Nicholas II from the throne and the subsequent murder of the royal family by the Bolsheviks, glorifying the royal person with a “folk song” became impossible. The new interim government almost immediately made attempts to create its own Russian anthem. Then the Russian poet V.Ya. In March 1917, Bryusov wrote an article “On the New Russian Anthem,” in which he expressed the idea of ​​​​the need to organize an all-Russian competition to write the anthem of New Russia and proposed several options for approaching writing the music and words of this work.

He wrote: “We need a short song that, by the power of sounds, the magic of art, would immediately unite those gathered in one impulse, would immediately set everyone in one high mood”... Bryusov emphasized that the “spirit of the people”, usually characteristic of the national anthems of countries with a “uniform ” by the population, must be expressed differently in multinational Russia. According to Bryusov, the anthem cannot be “Great Russian”. He also cannot draw pathos from the Orthodox religion due to the diversity of faiths in the country. Finally, the anthem should not divide the population by class, nationality, etc. - it should sound for everyone who considers Russia their Motherland. In the verses of the anthem, as V.Ya. believed. Bryusov, should be reflected: military glory, the size of the country, the heroic past and the exploits of the people. The pathos of the words of the anthem should correspond to the pathos of the melody and contain ideas: the brotherhood of the peoples inhabiting Russia, their meaningful work for the common good, the memory of the best people of our native history, those noble endeavors that will open the way for Russia to true greatness... “In addition,” the poet wrote , - the anthem must be an artistic creation, genuine, inspired poetry; the other is unnecessary and useless. External form - the anthem must be a song..."

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Following Bryusov, many other proposals were made regarding a new anthem.

At first, the orchestras performed the classic French version of “La Marseillaise,” while the Russian “Workers’ Marseillaise” was sung to the words of P. Lavrov. Meanwhile, at rallies and meetings, the socialist anthem “Internationale” began to be heard more and more often. In January 1918, the Internationale was approved by the Council of People's Commissars as the country's anthem and began to be sung by the people, but it was no longer a song-prayer; rather, on the contrary, it was the song of rebels who had risen to the previous order of life, ready to demolish and destroy everything, in the hope build your own world on the ruins of the old world. It remains only to add that according to Holy Scripture, “those branded with a curse” are demons, but people can also brand themselves with the curse of the Almighty if they rebel against God and begin to collaborate with demons. Here is the first verse of the international, compare it with the prayer hymn “God Save the Tsar”:

Arise, branded with a curse,
The whole world is hungry and slaves!
Our indignant mind is boiling
And ready to fight to the death.
We will destroy the whole world of violence
Down to the ground and then
We are ours, we will build a new world:
He who was nothing will become everything!

Later ( in 1943) a new anthem will appear: “The indestructible Union of free republics has been united forever by Great Rus'. Long live the united, mighty Soviet Union, created by the will of the peoples!” But that is another story.

And now Zhanna Bichevskaya and the male choir are performing the Anthem of the Russian Empire “God Save the Tsar!”

Emperor Nicholas I. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

On December 19, 1833, on the day of St. Nicholas, the first official performance of the Russian national anthem “Prayer of the Russian People” took place, which went down in history as “God Save the Tsar!”

The appearance of the official anthem in the Russian Empire is associated with the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 and the glorification of Emperor Alexander I.

In 1815, V. A. Zhukovsky published his poem “The Prayer of the Russians,” dedicated to Alexander I, in the magazine “Son of the Fatherland.” The first line of this poem was the words: “God save the Tsar.” In 1816, A. S. Pushkin added two more stanzas to the poem. On October 19, 1816, they were performed by students of the lyceum to the music of the English anthem. Thus, the text of the “Prayer of the Russian People,” the Russian anthem, was practically created, but when it was performed, the music remained English. With this music, military bands in Warsaw greeted Alexander I, who arrived there in 1816. For almost 20 years, the Russian Empire officially used the melody of the English anthem.

Emperor Nicholas I, the first Russian monarch of modern times, who understood the need to create a state ideology, commissioned his court composer A.F. Lvov to write the music for the anthem. At the same time, the Emperor remarked: " It’s boring to listen to English music that has been used for so many years.” A.F. Lvov recalled:

Count Benckendorff told me that the Emperor, regretting that we do not have a national anthem, and, bored with listening to the English music that has been used for so many years, instructs me to write a Russian anthem. I felt the need to create a majestic, strong, sensitive hymn, understandable to everyone, bearing the imprint of nationality, suitable for the Church, suitable for the troops, suitable for the people - from the learned to the ignorant.

The difficulty of the task was that the national anthem is not just a musical and poetic work performed on special occasions. The anthem is a symbol of the state, reflecting the worldview and spiritual mood of the people, their national idea.

On March 21, 1833, the newly appointed new Minister of Public Education S.S. Uvarov for the first time promulgated in his circular the then famous formula “Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality” as an expression of the official ideology approved by the Sovereign.

Therefore, Zhukovsky’s lines expressed this ideology in the best possible way. However, the text of the poem was greatly shortened.

Today, many people mistakenly sing the original long version of the anthem. In fact, “God Save the Tsar” consisted of only two quatrains:

God save the Tsar!

Strong, sovereign,

Reign for glory, for our glory!

Reign to the fear of your enemies,

Orthodox Tsar!

God save the Tsar!

Before his death, Zhukovsky wrote to Lvov:

Our double work together will outlive us for a long time. A folk song, once heard, having received the right of citizenship, will remain alive forever as long as the people who appropriated it live. Of all my poems, these humble five, thanks to your music, will outlive all their brothers.

The first listening to the anthem took place in the Imperial Court Singing Chapel in St. Petersburg, where Emperor Nicholas I, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Tsarevich Alexander Nikolaevich and the Grand Duchesses arrived on November 23, 1833. The performance was carried out by court singers and two military bands. Thanks to the sublime, choral melody, the anthem sounded extremely powerful.

The appearance of the official anthem in the Russian Empire is associated with the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 and the glorification of Emperor Alexander I. www.globallookpress.com

The Emperor listened to the music several times and really liked it. The Emperor approached A.F. Lvov, hugged him, kissed him deeply and said:

Thank you, it couldn't be better; you completely understood me.

The first public performance of the National Anthem took place in Moscow at the Bolshoi Theater on December 6 (19), 1833.

The orchestra and the entire theater troupe took part in the performance of the “Russian Folk Song” (as the anthem “God Save the Tsar!” was named in the poster). This is how an eyewitness described this memorable evening:

I am returning now from the Bolshoi Theater, delighted and touched by what I saw and heard. Everyone knows Zhukovsky’s Russian folk song “God Save the Tsar!” Lvov composed music for these words. As soon as the words of the chant “God Save the Tsar!” were heard, all three thousand spectators who filled the theater rose from their seats, following the representatives of the nobility, and remained in this position until the end of the singing. The picture was extraordinary; the silence that reigned in the huge building breathed majesty, the words and music so deeply affected the feelings of all those present that many of them shed tears from excess emotion. Everyone was silent during the singing of the new anthem; it was only clear that everyone was holding back their feelings in the depths of their souls; but when the theater orchestra, choirs, regimental musicians numbering up to 500 people began to repeat together the precious vow of all Russians, when they prayed to the Heavenly King for earthly things, I could no longer restrain the noisy delight; The applause of the admiring spectators and the cries of “Hurray!”, mingling with the choir, orchestra and the brass music that was on stage, produced a roar that seemed to vibrate the very walls of the theater. These animated delights of Muscovites devoted to their Sovereign only stopped when, at the unanimous universal demand of the audience, the people's prayer was repeated several times. For a long, long time this day in December 1833 will remain in the memory of all residents of Belokamennaya!

The anthem was performed for the second time on December 25, 1833, on the day of the Nativity of Christ and the anniversary of the expulsion of Napoleon’s troops from Russia, in all halls of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg during the consecration of banners and in the presence of high military ranks. On December 31 of the outgoing year, the commander of the Separate Guards Corps, Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich gave the order:

The Emperor was pleased to express his permission to play newly composed music at parades, parades, divorces and other occasions instead of the currently used anthem, taken from national English.

By the Supreme Decree of December 31, 1833, it was approved as the National Anthem of Russia. The Emperor ordered that on the day of the liberation of the Fatherland from enemies (December 25), the Russian anthem should be performed annually in the Winter Palace.

On December 11, 1833, the first public orchestral and choral performance of the anthem “God Save the Tsar” took place at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. The next day, rave reviews appeared in the newspapers. Director of the Moscow Imperial Theaters M.P. Zagoskin wrote:

I cannot describe to you the impression that this national song made on the audience; all the men and women listened to her standing, shouting “Hurray!”

The anthem was performed several times.

The majestic and solemn official anthem of the Russian Empire "God Save the Tsar!" existed until the February Revolution of 1917.

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The national anthem is not just one of the symbols of the country, it is also a reflection of the era. The main song of the state should contain not just a set of memorable words, but also certain ideological postulates of its time. This is exactly what the anthem “God Save the Tsar,” which was the main song of Russia from 1833 to 1917, successfully did.

For the first time in Russia they thought about their own anthem at the end of the 18th century, after victories in the Russian-Turkish wars. In 1791 the poet Gabriel Derzhavin, inspired by the capture of Ishmael by the army under the command of Alexandra Suvorova, wrote the song “Roll the Thunder of Victory.” Created the music for the work Osip Kozlovsky, and within a short time the song gained extremely great popularity in Russia. I liked the song and, so to speak, “at the very top.” Thanks to this, “Roll the Thunder of Victory” became the unofficial anthem of the Russian Empire for a quarter of a century. Unofficial, because no one made an official decision about this.

A new patriotic impulse swept Russia after the victory in the war with Napoleon. Famous writer and statesman, mentor of the Tsarevich Alexander Nikolaevich, future emperor Alexandra II, Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky wrote in 1815 the poem “Prayer of the Russian People”, which began with the terms:

God save the Tsar!

The glorious one has long days

Give it to the earth!

The work, the first two stanzas of which were published in the magazine “Son of the Fatherland” for 1815, was to the taste Alexander I, and in 1816 it was approved as the official anthem of the Russian Empire.

True, a purely Russian incident occurred here. The anthem had lyrics but no original music. However, the emperor and those close to him decided that the music of the English anthem “God save the king” would be quite suitable for this.

Photofact AiF

Pushkin and incorrect borrowing

Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky, an incredibly talented man, remained in history in the shadow of his younger friend and another genius - Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. And, imagine, even Pushkin indirectly participated in the story with the anthem.

In the same 1816, when Zhukovsky’s text became the national anthem, the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum celebrated its 5th anniversary. The director of the institution turned to the lyceum student Pushkin, who wrote his loyal poem called “The Prayer of the Russians.” The young poet added two verses of his own to Zhukovsky’s original lines.

It is important to note that the text of the anthem approved by Alexander I was also called “The Prayer of the Russians,” which gave rise to subsequent confusion.

Zhukovsky was very unlucky in this story. Some believe that his “Prayer of the Russian People” is a free translation of the text of the English anthem, others point to Pushkin, believing that the “Sun of Russian Poetry” is the real author of the anthem. Although, if we can talk about “incorrect borrowing,” it would be by Pushkin from Zhukovsky, but not vice versa.

Photo fact: AiF

Lvov, Zhukovsky and a drop of “Sun”

For the next 17 years, Russia lived with an anthem with words by Zhukovsky and British music, until the next Russian emperor Nicholas I after one of his foreign visits, he did not ask a very logical question: how long will the Russian anthem have someone else’s music?

According to legend, a competition was supposedly organized among the best Russian composers, at which the music was chosen. In fact, Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich did not deign to compete. In his circle at that time there was Alexey Lvov, a talented composer and violinist who successfully combined music studies with public service. The emperor commissioned him to write music. Lvov was inspired by the idea and created music, as they say, on the fly.

Photofact AiF

And then Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky did what the creator of the Soviet anthem would later repeat Sergei Vladimirovich Mikhalkov— he wrote a corrected version of the text:

God save the Tsar!

Strong, Sovereign,

Reign for glory, for our glory!

Reign to the fear of your enemies,

Orthodox Tsar!

God save the Tsar!

When they say that Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin was the author of the anthem “God Save the Tsar,” they mean the line “Strong, sovereign,” which was not in the first version of Zhukovsky’s anthem. But the line “strong power” was in the text written by Pushkin at the Lyceum.

Photofact AiF

The most enduring anthem

The new version of the anthem was first heard on December 18, 1833 under the title “Prayer of the Russian People” and received the highest approval. Since 1834 it has become the official anthem of the Russian Empire.

Today, “God Save the Tsar” is the most enduring national anthem. It existed in this status for more than 80 years.

The extreme brevity of the anthem is striking - only six lines, designed to be repeated three times in verses, and 16 bars of music. As they say, everything ingenious is simple.

After the revolution of 1917, “God Save the Tsar” disappeared from the life of our state for a long time, returning about 40 years later. In Soviet cinema, the anthem was performed either by ideological monarchists (strongly negative characters) or by positive heroes who used it to achieve their goals. This was most clearly manifested in the film “New Adventures of the Elusive,” where a Soviet intelligence officer, trying to establish contacts with a white counterintelligence officer, asks the artists in a restaurant to perform “God Save the Tsar,” which turns into a fabulous fight between representatives of different political views. It must be said that this film episode could easily be repeated in our present life, if someone suddenly suddenly wants to perform “God Save the Tsar” in a restaurant.