The Anacreon Song* "To Anacreon in Heaven"

"The Anacreontic Song", also known by its incipit "To Anacreon in Heaven", was the official song of the Anacreontic Society, an 18th-century gentlemen's club of amateur musicians in London.

 

Composed by John Stafford Smith, the tune was later used by several writers as a setting for their patriotic lyrics.

These included two songs by Francis Scott Key, most famously his poem "Defence of Fort McHenry".

 

The combination of Key's poem and Smith's composition became known as "The Star-Spangled Banner", which was adopted as the national anthem of the United States of America in 1931.

 

'The Star-Spangled Banner(별이 빛나는 깃발)'

1814년 프랜시스 스콧 키(Francis Scott Key)가 쓴 "맥헨리 요새의 방어전(Defence of Fort McHenry)"이라는 시를 원문으로 , 영국의 작곡가, 존 스태퍼드 스미스(John Stafford Smith)의 권주가(勸酒歌)인 "To Anacreon in Heaven"을 개사하였다.

Lyrics

The lyrics are "a good-natured takeoff on a bit of pseudoclassical mythology". The following is taken from the first Longman and Broderip edition:

 

First known publication of the lyrics of "The Anacreontic Song", from The Vocal magazine, 1778. The reference to "Rowley's" was removed in later versions.

1.

To Anacreon in Heav'n, where he sat in full Glee, 천국의 아나크레온에게, 그가 온전한 기쁨 속에 앉아 있는 곳,

A few Sons of Harmony sent a Petition,   몇몇 조화의 아들들이 청원서를 보냈어요.

That he their Inspirer and Patron would be; 그가 그들의 영감과 후원자가 될 것이라고;

When this answer arriv'd from the Jolly Old Grecian 이 답변이  Jolly Old Grecian 에서 도착했을 때

"Voice, Fiddle, and Flute, 목소리,바이올린, 플루트,

"no longer be mute,  더 이상 벙어리가 되지 말고

"I'll lend you my Name and inspire you to boot, 나는 여러분께 내 이름을 빌려주고 영감을 줄 것입니다,

"And, besides I'll instruct you, like me, to intwine  게다가 나처럼  뒤엉키게  여러분을 지시할 것입니다.

"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."  "백커스의 덩굴과  비너스의  도금양(桃金孃)"

 

 * Myrtle [mə́ːrtl] : 도금양(桃金孃) , Venus의 신목(神木)

* Bacchus[bǽkəs] : [로마신화] 주신(酒神) 바쿠스 ; 그리스 신화의 Dionysus에 해당함.

 

 

2

The news through Olympus immediately flew;When Old Thunder pretended to give himself Airs."If these Mortals are suffer'd their Scheme to persue,"The Devil a Goddess will stay above Stairs."Hark! already they cry,"In transports of Joy,"Away to the Sons of Anacreon we'll fly, "And there, with good Fellows, we'll learn to intwine"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine.

 

3

"The Yellow-Hair'd God and his nine fusty Maids,"From Helicon's banks will incontinent flee, "Idalia will boast but of tenantless Shades,"And the bi-forked Hill a mere Desart will be"My Thunder no fear on't,"Shall soon do it's Errand,"And dam'me! I'll swinge the Ringleaders, I warrant."I'll trim the young Dogs, for thus daring to twine"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

 

4

Apollo rose up, and said, "Pry'thee ne'er quarrel,"Good King of the Gods, with my Vot'ries below:"Your Thunder is useless"—then shewing his Laurel,Cry'd "Sic evitabile fulmen,  you know!"Then over each head"My Laurels I'll spread;"So my Sons from your Crackers no Mischief shall dread,"Whilst snug in their Club-Room, they jovially twine"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

 

5

Next Momus got up with his risible Phiz,And swore with Apollo he'd chearfully join—"The full Tide of Harmony still shall be his,"But the Song, and the Catch, and the Laugh shall be mine."Then, Jove, be not jealous"Of these honest fellows."Cry'd Jove, "We relent, since the Truth you now tell us;"And swear by Old Styx, that they long shall intwine"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

 

6

Ye Sons of Anacreon, then join Hand in Hand;Preserve Unanimity, Friendship, and Love!'Tis your's to support what's so happily plann'd;You've the sanction of Gods, and the Fiat of Jove.While thus we agree,Our Toast let it be.May our Club flourish happy, united, and free!And long may the Sons of Anacreon intwineThe Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine.

 

 

 

"To Anacreon in Heaven" The Anacreon Song

To Anacreon in Heaven · John Townley The Top Hits of 1776

(61) To Anacreon in Heaven - YouTube

 

 

The song was written for the Anacreontic Society, probably around 1771.

The tune (...) is now thought to have been written "collectively" by members of the society, led by John Stafford Smith (...). The society met every two weeks to get drunk, sing songs and to indulge in some debauchery.

 

Anacreon himself was a Greek poet from about 570BC who was noted for his erotic poetry (...) and his drinking songs.

To Anacreon in Heav'n, where he sat in full glee,
A few sons of harmony sent in a petition
That he their Inspirer and patron would be;
When this answer arriv'd from the Jolly Old Grecian
"Voice, fiddle and flute,
"no longer be mute,
"I'll lend you my name and inspire you to boot,
"And, besides, I'll instruct you, like me, to intwine
"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

(...)

Ye Sons of Anacreon, then join hand in hand;
Preserve unanimity, friendship and love!
'Tis yours to support what's so happily plann'd;
You've the sanction of Gods and the fiat of Jove.
While thus we agree
Our toast let it be:
"May our club flourish happy, united and free!
"And long may the sons of Anacreon intwine
"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

Source: http://www.miketodd.net/encyc/anacreo... ; Song performed by John Townley, from "The Top Hits Of 1776", Adelphi Records; Picture: "Drinking-song", Mihály Zichy, 1874

 

The National Anthem Was Set to the Tune of a British Drinking Song

 

Even before Congress declared "The Star-Spangled Banner" the official anthem of the United States in 1931, its complicated melody and soaring pitches were controversial.

The composition, argued the Music Supervisors National Conference in 1930 (now the National Association for Music Education), "was too difficult a musical composition to be rendered properly by schoolchildren, informal gatherings and public meetings where the singing of the national anthem [is] appropriate," according to a 1930 New York Times article.

 

Although Francis Scott Key penned the words in 1814 during the War of 1812, the melody is actually much older. It's based off an 18th-century British pub song called "To Anacreon in Heaven." That's right: a song to be sung whilst drunk. Listen here (audio, and inspiration for this post, via the National Museum of American History).

The song had been the de facto anthem since President Wilson ordered it played at military events. But many were not happy with merely codifying what had become complacency. A 1927 New York Times editorial, "Wanted, A National Anthem," voiced the common concerns. (Find more historical Times shade-throwing here.)

 

Many patriotic songs in the American playlist have origins in recycled tunes. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" has its melodic roots in a folk song, "John Brown's Body." "My Country Tis of Thee" is a direct rip of "God Save the Queen," the British national anthem. This historical remixing underscores a sense of America as a melting pot, that old ideas turn new (although sometimes that appropriation is for the worse).

"The Star-Spangled Banner" may be tough to sing, but when it's sung correctly, it makes for a transcendent, powerful moment.

 

 

Who Wrote To Anacreon in Heaven?

The words of Ralph Tomlinson's "To Anacreon in Heaven" are unknown to most Americans, except for musicologists who study late 18th century European lyrics.

The tune however, is universally known to all as "The Star-Spangled Banner."

 

What is the British drinking song?

Although Francis Scott Key penned the words in 1814 during the War of 1812, the melody is actually much older. It's based off an 18th-century British pub song called "To Anacreon in Heaven." That's right: a song to be sung whilst drunk.

 

The original role of the Song

An early reference to the Anacreontic Song is found in the long-unpublished journals of gentleman-composer John Marsh (1752–1828). Writing of 11 December 1773, he recalls:

 

Mr Bowen... invited me to accompany him on the Saturday following to a concert at the London Coffee House called the Anacreontic Meeting, which I of course readily accepted of & played with Mr Smith the leader after wh'ch we sat down a pretty many of us to supper after which catches & glees were performed, in which a Mr Webster, a young man with a very fine bass voice much distinguish'd himself. The Anacreontic Song was also sung by him, in the last verse of which we stood hand in hand all around the table, this concert being in fact the origin of the Society held afterwards for many years at the Crown and Anchor.

 

Another reference is found in the long-unpublished Recollections of Richard John Samuel Stevens (1757–1837). In this passage, Stevens is speaking of the year 1777:

 

The Evenings entertainment began at seven O Clock, with a Concert, chiefly of instrumental Music; it was not very uncommon to have some Vocal Music interspersed with the Instrumental. Mr. Sabattier was the Manager of this department, and generally stood behind the Person who was at the Piano Forte. At ten O Clock the Instrumental Concert ended, when we retired to the Supper rooms. After Supper, having sung "Non nobis Domine" we returned to the Concert Room, which in the mean time had been differently arranged. The President, then took his seat in the center of the elevated table, at the upper end of the room, supported on each side, by the various Vocal performers. After the Anacreontic Song had been sung, in the Chorus of the last verse of which, all the Members, Visitors, and Performers, joined, "hand in hand," we were entertained by the performance of various celebrated Catches, Glees, Songs, Duettos, and other Vocal, with some Rhetorical compositions, till twelve O Clock.

 

Parke, writing in the early nineteenth century, recalls:

 

 

After the concert an elegant supper was served up; and when the cloth was removed, the constitutional song, beginning, 'To Anacreon in Heaven,' was sung by the chairman or his deputy.

 

The Anacreontic Song served as the "constitutional song" of the Society. After the initial concert and meal, the Song would be sung in order to open the after-supper, more light-hearted part of proceedings. The verses, which are difficult to sing because of their wide range, would be sung by a solo singer, with the entire Society joining in the refrain. Although it is often described as a "drinking song", Lichtenwanger states that "To Anacreon in Heaven" "was not a barroom ballad, a drinking ditty to be chorused with glasses swung in rhythm", but "convivial, ... in a special and stately way".

 

Composition and authorship

Words

Early publications of the song ascribe its lyrics to the Society's president, Ralph Tomlinson. Tomlinson was baptized in Plemstall, Cheshire, in 1744; by 1766 he was a lawyer working in London. Tomlinson likely became president of the Society following the death of the previous president, George Bellas, in January 1776.  He died in March 1778 at the age of thirty-three.

Music

 

Portrait of John Stafford Smith, around 1820

While many early publications of the Song attribute the words to Tomlinson, none name the creator of the music. The identity of the composer was a subject of controversy until the discovery, in the mid-twentieth century, of a passage in a then-unpublished manuscript of Recollections written by Richard John Samuel Stevens (1757–1837), a member of the Anacreontic Society. Writing of the year 1777, Stevens recalled:

 

As I have mentioned the Anacreontic Society, it may not be improper to give some account of that Popular meeting. It was first held at the London Coffee House, on Ludgate Hill, but the room being found too small, it was removed to the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand, then kept by one Holloway. The President was Ralph Tomlinson Esqre, very much of a Gentleman, and a sensible, sedate, quiet man: I believe that he was a Solicitor in Chancery. He wrote the Poetry of the Anacreontic Song; which Stafford Smith set to Music: this Song was sung by Webster, when I first attended the Society.

 

 

 

Beginning of the Canon "O Remember" by John Stafford Smith. It "gain'd a Prize Medal" from the London Catch Club in 1773.

In this passage, Stevens identified the composer as John Stafford Smith (1750–1836). Smith, the son of the organist of Gloucester Cathedral, was sent at a young age to sing in the Chapel Royal, and thereafter soon established himself in the capital. Like Stevens himself, Smith was a young professional musician active primarily in the chapels and churches of London. Smith was a published composer by 1772, subsequently winning two composition prizes from the London Catch Club in 1773. Both Smith and Stevens were likely among the "honorary members" of the Anacreontic Society who played in its concerts without having to pay the subscription fee; Smith is probably the "leader" identified by Marsh in his recollection of 1773 excerpted above.

Smith outlived both Ralph Tomlinson and the Anacreontic Society by several decades before dying in 1836.