“Rule Britannia” is a patriotic British national song, originating from the poem "Rule Britannia" by James Thomson, and set to music by Thomas Arne in 1740. The song was included in Alfred, a masque about Alfred the Great co-written by Thomson and David Mallet and first performed at Cliveden, country home of Frederick, Prince of Wales, to celebrate the accession of King George I and the birthday of the Princess Augusta. Britannia, the British national personification. ... Defense of the homeland is a commonplace of military patriotism: commemorating the students at the École Polytechnique, Paris, 1814 // Introduction Patriotism denotes positive attitudes by individuals to their own civic or political community, and to actions towards other countries, or to non-civic groups, are not generally described as patriotic... A song is a relatively short musical composition for the human voice (possibly accompanied by other musical instruments), which features words (lyrics). ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... James Thomson (September 11, 1700 – August 27, 1748) was a Scottish poet. ... Thomas Augustine Arne (1710-March 5, 1778) was an English composer, best known for the popular patriotic song, Rule Britannia, which is still frequently sung, notably at the Last Night of the Proms; and also his musical settings of songs from the plays of William Shakespeare. ... Events May 31 - Friedrich II comes to power in Prussia upon the death of his father, Friedrich Wilhelm I. October 20 - Maria Theresia of Austria inherits the Habsburg hereditary dominions (Austria, Bohemia, Hungary and present-day Belgium). ... Costume for a Knight, by Inigo Jones: the plumed helmet, the heroic torso in armour and other conventions were still employed for opera seria in the 18th century. ... Alfred (849? – 26 October 899) or Ælfred was king of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. ... David Mallet (or Malloch) (~1705 – 1765) was a Scottish dramatist. ... Cliveden is a mansion in Berkshire (though until the county borders changed in 1974 it was in Buckinghamshire) with an intriguing history. ... The Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales (Frederick Louis) (February 1, 1707 - March 31, 1751) was a member of the British Royal Family, the eldest son of King George II. He was born into the House of Hanover and was known as Prince Friedrich Ludwig of Hanover. ... George I King of Great Britain and Ireland George I (George Ludwig von Guelph-dEste) (28 May 1660–11 June 1727) was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) from 23 January 1698, and King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 1 August 1714, until his death. ...

History

This most popular of all British national airs was first heard in London in 1745 and achieved instant popularity. So well known was it that the composer Handel even quoted it in his Occasional Oratorio in the following year when it was sung to the words, "War shall cease, welcome peace!" Predictably "Rule, Britannia!" was seized upon by the Jacobites and James Thomson's words were altered to be anti-jacobite The Houses of Parliament and the clock tower containing Big Ben Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London (see Wiktionary:London for the name in other languages) is the capital of the United Kingdom and England. ... // Events May 11 - War of Austrian Succession: Battle of Fontenoy - At Fontenoy, French forces defeat an Anglo-Dutch-Hanoverian army including the Black Watch June 4 – Frederick the Great destroys Austrian army at Hohenfriedberg August 19 - Beginning of the 45 Jacobite Rising at Glenfinnan September 12 - Francis I is elected... George Frideric Handel (German Georg Friedrich Händel), (February 23, 1685 – April 14, 1759) was a German-born British Baroque music composer. ... This article concerns the political movement supporting the restoration of the House of Stuart, not the earlier Jacobean period. ...

At the time it appeared, the song was not a celebration of the existing state of naval affairs as Britain did not "rule the waves" — rather, it attempted to revive the era when, under Alfred the Great, the British ships outdid the Danish. However, over the next two centuries the Royal Navy became a dominant force on the oceans and protected Britain and her burgeoning Empire from a number of "haughty tyrants" and "foreign strokes". The jesting lyrics of the mid 1700s had assumed a material and patriotic significance by the end of the nineteenth century. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ... The British Empire was, at one time, the foremost global power, and the most extensive empire in the history of the world. ...

The melody was the theme for a set of variations for piano by Ludwig van Beethoven (WoO 79) and he also used it in "Wellington's Victory", Op. 91. In music, variation is a formal technique where material is altered during repetition; reiteration with changes. ... A grand piano A piano is a keyboard instrument, which is widely used in western music for solo performance, chamber music, and accompaniment, and also as a convenient aid to composing and rehearsal. ... Ludwig van Beethoven by Carl Jäger (Date unknown). ... The letters WoO, an abbreviation for the German Werk ohne Opuszahl (work without opus number), followed by a number are used to uniquely identify pieces of music that do not have opus numbers. ... Wellingtons Victory, Op. ...

Part of the tune's refrain — that which defiantly repeats "never, never, never," — may have provided the theme on which Elgar's Enigma Variations are based. Variations on an Original Theme for orchestra (Enigma),op. ...

Arthur Sullivan, Britain's leading composer during the reign of Queen Victoria, quoted from "Rule Britannia" on at least three occasions in composing music for his operettas written with W. S. Gilbert and Bolton Rowe. In Utopia, Limited Sullivan used airs from "Rule Britannia" to highlight references to Great Britain. In "The Zoo" (written with Rowe) Sullivan supplied the tune of "Rule Britannia" to an instance in which Rowe's libretto quotes directly from the patriotic march. Finally, to celebrate the jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887, Sullivan added a chorus of "Rule Britannia" to the finale of HMS Pinafore, which was playing in revival at the Savoy Theatre. Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (May 13, 1842 – November 22, 1900) was a British composer best known for his operatic collaborations with librettist William S. Gilbert. ... Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and Empress of India from 1 January 1877, until her death. ... Operetta (literally, little opera) is a performance art-form similar to opera, though it generally deals with less serious topics. ... Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (November 18, 1836 – May 29, 1911) was a British dramatist and librettist best known for his operatic collaborations with the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan. ... Utopia, Limited, or The Flowers of Progress is a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: HMS Pinafore H.M.S. Pinafore, or The Lass that Loved a Sailor is a comic Gilbert and Sullivan operetta in two acts, with music by composer Arthur S. Sullivan and libretto by William S. Gilbert. ... Savoy Theatre London, December 2003 The Savoy Theatre, which opened on 10 October 1881, was built by Richard DOyly Carte (1844 - 1901) on the site of the old Savoy Palace in London as a showcase for the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, which became known as the Savoy Operas...

"Rule Britannia" is traditionally performed at the BBC's Last Night of the Proms, normally with a guest soloist (past performers have included Bryn Terfel, Thomas Hampson and Felicity Lott, Terfel famously singing a verse in Welsh). However, in recent years the inclusion of the song and other patriotic tunes has been much criticised — notably by Leonard Slatkin — and the presentation has been occasionally amended. For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... A Promenade concert in the Royal Albert Hall, 2004. ... Bryn Terfel The Welsh baritone Bryn Terfel, CBE (born November 9, 1965) is one of the best-known contemporary opera and concert singers. ... Thomas Hampson Thomas Hampson (born June 28, 1955) is an American opera singer (baritone). ... Dame Felicity Lott (born May 8, 1947) is an English soprano universally known as Flott. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... Leonard Slatkin (born September 1, 1944) is an American conductor. ...

It also plays a prominant role in the BBC Radio 4 UK Theme by Fritz Spiegl, symbolically drawing the four nations together in the final section. The BBC Radio 4 UK Theme is a piece of music played at 5:30 every morning when Radio 4 starts broadcasting, taking over from the BBC World Service which provides overnight programming on Radio 4s frequencies. ... Fritz Spiegl (January 27, 1926 - March 23, 2003) was an Austrian-born musician, journalist, broadcaster, humorist and collector who since 1939 had lived and worked in England. ...

The song is also sung by supporters of Scottish football club Rangers F.C. due to its Protestant-Unionist fan base, symbolising loyalty to Britain, a contrast to Old Firm rivals the Irish-Catholic fan based Celtic F.C.. Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Rangers Football Club is a football club from Glasgow, Scotland, which plays in the Scottish Premier League. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... In Scotland, unionist is most often used to refer to all who support the union between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom (it is sometimes regarded as a pejorative term). ... The name Old Firm is a collective term for the Glaswegian football clubs, Rangers and Celtic. ... Glasgow Celtic Football Club, more commonly referred to simply as Celtic (pronounced sel tik), is based in the Scottish city of Glasgow. ...

The melody of the song's chorus was appropriated in the Marx Brothers' film Duck Soup as the song "Hail, Freedonia!", the national anthem of the fictional country of Freedonia. The Marx Brothers were a team of sibling comedians that appeared in vaudeville, stage plays, film and television. ... For other uses, see Duck Soup (disambiguation). ...

Lyrics

When Britain first at Heav'n's command

Arose from out the azure main;

This was the charter of the land,

And guardian angels sang this strain;

Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never shall be slaves.

The nations not so blest as thee,

Shall in their turns to tyrants fall;

While thou shalt flourish great and free,

The dread and envy of them all.

Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never shall be slaves.

Still more majestic shalt thou rise,

More dreadful from each foreign stroke;

As the loud blast that tears the skies,

Serves but to root thy native oak.

Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never shall be slaves.

Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame,

All their attempts to bend thee down

Will but arouse thy generous flame;

But work their woe, and thy renown.

Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never shall be slaves.

To thee belongs the rural reign;

Thy cities shall with commerce shine;

All thine shall be the subject main,

And every shore it circles thine.

Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never shall be slaves.

The Muses, still with freedom found,

Shall to thy happy coast repair;

Blest Isle! With matchless beauty crowned,

And manly hearts to guide the fair.

Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never shall be slaves.

n.b. Although the lyrics are always set out as above, the lines are not sung this way; there is much repetition within verses. Thus, the first verse becomes:

When Britain first at Heav'n's command

Arose from out the azure main;

Arose, arose from out the azure main;

This was the charter, the charter of the land,

And guardian angels sang this strain;

Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:

Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.

See also

• UK topics

This is a list of topics related to the United Kingdom. ...

Other uses

• Rule Britannia is also a novel by Daphne du Maurier.

Daphne du Maurier DBE (13 May 1907 – 19 April 1989) was one of the most successful Cornish novelists of all time. ...

External links

• Piano version (9KB, MIDI file)
• Orchestral version (121KB, MP3 file)
• BBC Symphony Orchestra, Bryn Terfel, Last Night of the Proms, Live 1994 copyright BBC and Teldec Classics GmbH, (4:27min, ca 4MB, MP3 file)
• Beethoven Haus Bonn, Variationen über das englische Volkslied "Rule Britannia" für Klavier (D-Dur) WoO 79