National anthem of Chile
The Himno Nacional de Chile (National Anthem of Chile) is more commonly referred to as the Canción Nacional (National Song). It has a history of two lyrics and two melodies that made up three different versions. It was composed by Eusebio Lillo and Ramón Carnicer and has seven parts plus the chorus.
First National Anthem
The first National Anthem dates back to 1819 when the government enacted, on July 19, the creation of music and text for this purpose.
Renowned composer Manuel Robles and poet Bernardo de Vera y Pintado fulfilled this assignment, debuting their creation on August 20 1820 at the Domingo Arteaga theater, though to some historians, it had already being played at the Independence festivities in September of the previous year.
New version
The second National Anthem of Chile was created by Spanish composer Ramón Carnicer during exile in England as a consequence of his liberal ideas. Making echo of the critics received by then for the first anthem, the Chilean Minister in London, Mariano Egaña, asked Carnicer for a new composition based on the same text by Bernardo de Vera.
Thus, the Spanish musician composed this work in 1827, debuting it in Santiago on December 23 1828 in a concert by the Philharmonic Society, performed at the Arteaga theater.
Years later, towards 1847, the Government of Chile entrusted young poet Eusebio Lillo a new text to replace the fervid anti-Spanish poem by Vera y Pintado, which, after being analyzed by Andrés Bello, mantained the original Chorus verse ("Dulce patria, recibe los votos...").
Both the anthem by Carnicer as well as the text by Lillo had to overcome strong popular resistence before imposing itself over its ancestors.
Official version lyrics
This is the version that is most often played and which corrresponds to the chorus plus the fifth verse of the complete version.
- Puro Chile, es tu cielo azulado,
- Puras brisas te cruzan también,
- Y tu campo de flores bordado
- Es la copia feliz del Edén.
- Majestuosa es la blanca montaña
- Que te dio por baluarte el Señor, (repeat)
- Y ese mar que tranquilo te baña
- Te promete futuro esplendor. (repeat last two verses)
- Coro
- Dulce Patria, recibe los votos
- Con que Chile en tus aras juró
- Que o la tumba serás de los libres
- O el asilo contra la opresión. (repeat last two verses thrice, then repeat last verse twice)
During the military coup d'etat of 1973 the military dictated that two parts plus the chorus will be used (one was "Puro, Chile...", and the other one was about the military glories of the past). It was common as an act of protest by detractors to remain in silence in the second part.
Part III was removed when democracy arrived in 1990, and the anthem went back to part I plus the chorus.
Nowadays, supporters of the military government still sing part III.
Translation of the official version
- Chile, your sky is a pure blue,
- Pure breezes blow across you,
- And your field, embroidered with flowers,
- Is a happy copy of Eden.
- Majestic is the snow-covered mountain
- That was given to you by the Lord as a bastion,
- That was given to you by the Lord as a bastion,
- And the sea that tranquilly washes your shore
- Promises future splendour for you,
- And the sea that tranquilly washes your shore
- Promises future splendour for you.
- Chorus
- Gentle homeland, accept the vows
- Given, Chile, on your altars,
- That you be either the tomb of the free
- Or a refuge from oppression.
Full version lyrics
- Coro
- Dulce Patria, recibe los votos
- Con que Chile en tus aras juró
- Que o la tumba serás de los libres
- O el asilo contra la opresión.
- I
- Ha cesado la lucha sangrienta;
- Ya es hermano el que ayer invasor;
- De tres siglos lavamos la afrenta
- Combatiendo en el campo de honor.
- El que ayer doblegábase esclavo
- Libre al fin y triunfante se ve;
- Libertad es la herencia del bravo,
- La Victoria se humilla a sus pies.
- II
- Alza, Chile, sin mancha la frente;
- Conquistaste tu nombre en la lid;
- Siempre noble, constante y valiente
- Te encontraron los hijos del Cid.
- Que tus libres tranquilos coronen
- A las artes, la industria y la paz,
- Y de triunfos cantares entonen
- Que amedrenten al déspota audaz.
- III
- Vuestros nombres, valientes soldados,
- Que habéis sido de Chile el sostén,
- Nuestros pechos los llevan grabados;
- Los sabrán nuestros hijos también.
- Sean ellos el grito de muerte
- Que lancemos marchando a lidiar,
- Y sonando en la boca del fuerte
- Hagan siempre al tirano temblar.
- IV
- Si pretende el cañón extranjero
- Nuestros pueblos osado invadir;
- Desnudemos al punto el acero
- Y sepamos vencer o morir.
- Con su sangre el altivo araucano
- Nos legó por herencia el valor;
- Y no tiembla la espada en la mano
- Defendiendo de Chile el honor
- V
- Puro, Chile, es tu cielo azulado,
- Puras brisas te cruzan también,
- Y tu campo de flores bordado
- Es la copia feliz del Edén.
- Majestuosa es la blanca montaña
- Que te dio por baluarte el Señor,
- Y ese mar que tranquilo te baña
- Te promete futuro esplendor.
- VI
- Esas galas, ¡oh, Patria!, esas flores
- Que tapizan tu suelo feraz,
- No las pisen jamás invasores;
- Con tu sombra las cubra la paz.
- Nuestros pechos serán tu baluarte,
- Con tu nombre sabremos vencer,
- O tu noble, glorioso estandarte,
- Nos verá combatiendo caer.
