The "Mexican National Anthem", also known by its incipit "Mexicans, at the Cry of War", is the official national anthem of the United Mexican States. Its lyrics, composed by poet Francisco González Bocanegra after a national contest in 1853, allude to historical Mexican victories in battle and cries of defending the homeland. In 1854, Jaime Nunó composed the music to the lyrics after a request from González. The national anthem, consisting of ten stanzas and a chorus, effectively entered into use on September 16, 1854.
Composition
Lyrics competition
On November 12, 1853, President Antonio López de Santa Anna announced a competition to write a national anthem for Mexico. The competition offered a prize for the best poetic composition representing patriotic ideals. Francisco González Bocanegra, a talented poet, was not interested in participating in the competition. He argued that writing love poems involved very different skills from the ones required to write a national anthem. His fiancée, Guadalupe González del Pino (or Pili), had undaunted faith in her fiancé's poetic skills and was displeased with his constant refusal to participate in spite of her constant prodding and requests from their friends. Under false pretenses, she lured him to a secluded bedroom in her parents' house, locked him into the room, and refused to let him out until he produced an entry for the competition. Inside the room in which he was temporarily imprisoned were pictures depicting various events in Mexican history which helped to inspire his work. After four hours of fluent (albeit forced) inspiration, Francisco regained his freedom by slipping all ten verses of his creation under the door. After Francisco received approval from his fiancée and her father, he submitted the poem and won the competition by unanimous vote.David Kendall National Anthems—Mexico González was announced the winner in the publication Official Journal of the Federation (DOF) on February 3, 1854.
Music competition
A musical composition was chosen at the same time as the lyrics. The winner was Juan Bottesini, but his entry was disliked due to aesthetics. This rejection caused a second national contest to find music for the lyrics.Embassy of Mexico in Serbia and Montenegro Mexican Symbols—Himo. Retrieved March 19, 2006. At the end of the second contest, the music that was chosen for González's lyrics was composed by Jaime Nunó, the then Catalonian-born King of Spain's band leader. At the time of the second anthem competition, Nunó was the leader of several Mexican military bands. He had been invited to direct these bands by President Santa Anna, whom he had met in Cuba. About the time that Nunó first came to Mexico to start performing with the bands, Santa Anna was making his announcement about creating a national anthem for Mexico. Nunó's anthem music composition was made like masterpieces of classical music, with a high quality in composition, and was chosen. Out of the few musical compositions submitted, Nunó's music, titled "God and Freedom" ("Dios y libertad"), was chosen as the winner on August 12, 1854. The song was officially adopted as the Mexican national anthem on Independence Day, September 16 of that same year. The inaugural performance was directed by Juan Bottesini, sung by soprano Claudia Florenti and tenor Lorenzo Salvi at the Santa Anna Theatre.Secretary of External Relations History of the Mexican Anthem. Retrieved March 15, 2006.
Lyrics Current lyrics Since 1943, the full national anthem officially consists of the chorus and the first, fifth, sixth, and tenth stanzas (with the chorus interspersed between each stanza and performed again at the end). The modification of the lyrics was ordered by President Manuel Ávila Camacho in a decree printed in the Diario Oficial de la Federación.Administration of Ernesto Zedillo National Symbols of Mexico . Retrieved March 15, 2006.
When the national anthem is played at sporting events such as the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup, an abridged form (chorus, stanza I, chorus) is used. An unofficial semi-abridged form (chorus, stanza I, chorus, stanza X, chorus) has gained some acceptance in television and radio programming.
Spanish originalIPA transcriptionEnglish translationMexicans, at the cry of war, assemble the steel and the bridle, 𝄆 and may the Earth tremble to its core to the resounding roar of the cannon. 𝄇
Encircle, O Fatherland!, thy temples with olives peace by the divine archangel, for in heaven thine eternal destiny by the finger of God it was written. If, however, a foreign foe would dare to profane Thy ground with their sole, think, O beloved Fatherland!, that Heaven 𝄆 hath given a soldier in every son. 𝄇
War, war! with no mercy to any who shall try to tarnish the coats of arms of the Fatherland! War, war! The national banners Shall be drenched in the waves of blood. War, war! On the mountain, in the valley, The cannons thunder in horrid unison and the sonorous echoes resound 𝄆 with bellows of Union! Liberty! 𝄇
O Fatherland, if however thy children, defenseless With their necks bent beneath the yoke, May thy fields be watered with blood, May their footsteps be printed with blood. And thy temples, palaces and towers Shall collapse with horrid clamor, And thy ruins continue on, whispering: 𝄆 Of one thousand heroes, the Fatherland once was. 𝄇
Fatherland! Fatherland! Thy children assure to breathe until their last for thy sake, if the bugle with its bellicose accent calleth them together to battle with courage. For thee, the olive wreaths! For them, a reminder of glory! For thee, a laurel of victory! 𝄆 For them, a tomb of honor! 𝄇
Original lyrics The following is the original and complete version of the anthem as it became known in 1853.
Spanish originalEnglish translationMexicans, at the cry of war, assemble the steel and the bridle, 𝄆 and may the Earth tremble to its core to the resounding roar of the cannon. 𝄇
Encircle, O Fatherland!, thy temples with olives the divine archangel of Peace, for in heaven thine eternal destiny was written by the finger of God. If, however, a foreign foe would dare to profane Thy ground with their sole, think, O beloved Fatherland!, that Heaven 𝄆 hath given a soldier in every son. 𝄇
In bloody battles thou sawest them, their chests palpitating for thy love, face the shrapnel calm, and seek death or glory. If the memory of ancient deeds of thy children inflameth the mind, the laurels of triumph, thy forehead 𝄆 they will return immortal to adorn. 𝄇
Like the holm oak struck by lightning, to the deep torrent collapseth discord, defeated, impotent, it fell to the feet of the archangel. No more, the blood of thy children, spilleth in fight of brothers; just find the steel in his hands 𝄆 whoever insulted thy sacred name. 𝄇
Of the immortal warrior of Zempoala the terrible sword defendeth thee, and its invincible arm upholdeth thy sacred tricolor banner. He will be, of the happy Mexican, the caudillo in peace and in war. because he knew how, his guns of brilliance, 𝄆 to surround in the fields of honor. 𝄇
War, war! with no mercy to any who shall try to tarnish the coats of arms of the Fatherland! War, war! The national banners Shall be drenched in the waves of blood. War, war! On the mountain, in the valley, The cannons thunder in horrid unison and the sonorous echoes resound 𝄆 with bellows of Union! Liberty! 𝄇
O Fatherland, if however thy children, defenseless With their necks bent beneath the yoke, May thy fields be watered with blood, May their footsteps be printed with blood. And thy temples, palaces and towers Shall collapse with horrid clamor, And thy ruins continue on, whispering: 𝄆 Of one thousand heroes, the Fatherland once was. 𝄇
If to the fight against enemy host, the war horn summoneth us, the sacred flag of Iturbide, Mexicans! brave, keep going. And to the fierce bridoons, let serve them the defeated ensigns as a carpet; the laurels of triumph give shade 𝄆 to the forehead of the brave commander. 𝄇
To the patriotic homes returneth proud the warrior to sing his victory, showing off the palms of glory that he knew how to conquer in the fight. Their bloody laurels will turn into garlands of myrtles and roses, since the love of daughters and wives 𝄆 also knoweth how to reward the brave. 𝄇
And he who, to the blow of burning shrapnel, succumbeth in the altars of the fatherland, will obtain in reward a tomb where the light of glory shineth. And, of Iguala, the dear ensign linked to his bloody sword, crowned with an immortal laurel, 𝄆 will form the cross from his grave. 𝄇
Fatherland! Fatherland! Thy children assure to breathe until their last for thy sake, if the bugle with its bellicose accent calleth them together to battle with courage. For thee, the olive wreaths! For them, a reminder of glory! For thee, a laurel of victory! 𝄆 For them, a tomb of honor! 𝄇
Copyright status An urban legend about the copyright status of the anthem states that years after its first performance, Nunó's family sold the musical rights to a German music publishing company named Wagner House. Originally, Nunó was supposed to have turned the music rights over to the state in exchange for a prize from the Mexican government. However, according to the myth, the copyright changed hands again, this time to Nunó himself and two Americans, Harry Henneman and Phil Hill.LA Weekly Don't Cry for Me, Mexico; Article about the copyright situation. September 22, 1999.
In reality, this is not correct. It is true that Nunó, Henneman and Hill did register the music with the company BMI (BMI Work #568879), with the Edward B. Marks Music Company as the listed publisher of the anthem.BMI Repertoire . Retrieved March 16, 2006. This might be the version that some have suggested is copyrighted in the United States.San Diego Union Tribune Mexicans celebrate 150 years of national anthem with worldwide sing-along September 15, 2004. Retrieved March 15, 2006. However, United States copyright law declares the Mexican anthem to be in the public domain inside the United States, since both the lyrics and music were published before 1923.US Copyright Office Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States. Retrieved March 16, 2006. Furthermore, under Mexican copyright law, Article 155 states that the government holds moral rights, but not property rights, to symbols of the state, such as the national anthem, coat of arms and the national flag.Secretary of Education Mexican Copyright Law. Retrieved March 15, 2006
National regulations In the second chapter of the Law on the National Arms, Flag, and Anthem (), the national anthem is described in very brief terms. While Articles 2 and 3 discuss in detail the coat of arms and the flag, respectively, Article 4 mentions only that the national anthem will be designated by law. Article 4 also mentions that a copy of the lyrics and the musical notation will be kept at two locations, the General National Archive and at the National Library, located in the National Museum of History ().