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national anthems have been created because actions of national unity
or war; others have been composed in order to stimulate love and loyalty
for the motherland. During the XIXth century it took more than 30
years of public biddings, tests before the Mexican National Anthem
became a reality.
In 1821, the
first composition of the National Anthem was undertaken by José
Torrescano, although it was never accepted institutionally or by
the Mexican civil society.
After 18 years,
the Academy of San Juan de Letran invited people to compose for
the wording of a national anthem; 30 versions were received and
two selected (one by American Andrew David Bradburn and another
by the poet Félix María Escalante). Bradburn's work
was put to music by the Austrian Henry Hertz, but the anthem was
not well received; another failed attempt was made by the poet of
Cuban origin, Juan MIguel Lozada and the European composer Carlos
Boscha.
Finally in 1853,
Minister Miguel Lerdo de Tejada, on behalf of Antonio López
de Santa Anna's regime, convened a literary-musical contest "
to create a really patriotically song that, adopted by the Supreme
Government, be named the National Anthem", as the invitation
of 12 November 1853 proclaimed.
The qualifying
jury, formed by writers José Bernardo Couto, Manuel Carpio
and José Joaquín Pesado, declared, after studying
all literary compositions, that considered most worthy was one entitled
"Let us fly to combat, to revenge and that one who shies away,
submerges in the dust his coward head front".
The author of
the accepted wording was the poet from San Luis Potosí, maestro
Francisco González Bocanegra. The winning melody was composed
by Juan Bottesini, although unaccepted by a demanding on aesthetics
people. Therefore there was another public competition for a composition
to put music to González Bocanegra's wording.
Fifteen musical
compositions entered in the competition. One with the epigraph "God
and Liberty" was chosen; the initials "J.N." were
found inside the envelope containing the composition. An announcement
was published asking the author to identify himself. On 12 August
1854, the MInistry of Foment, Colonization, Industry and Trade announced
that the author of the beautiful music was don Jaime Nunó,
Catalan music director of military bands, who, after living in Havana,
Cuba, was resident in Mexico.
The composition
was adopted as the National Anthem and interpreted for the first
time on the night of 15 September 1854 at Santa Anna Theatre, which
soon afterwards changed its name to the National Theatre. This first
interpretation was made by an Italian opera company which visited
Mexico and was directed by maestro Juan Bottesini. The Anthem was
first interpreted by the tenor Lorenzo Salvi and the magnificent
soprano Claudia Florenti.
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