Story in Music 1 Marseillaise

Speaking of familiar national anthems, apart from "March of the Volunteers", it is the "Marseillaise". When I was a child, I felt that their passionate melodies were somewhat similar. Later I read some articles saying that both Tian Han and Nie Er were inspired by "Marseillaise" in the lyrics and composition of "March of the Volunteers". Also, shortly after the failure of the Paris Commune in 1871, one of the leaders of the Commune, Eugène Baudier, wrote the poem "Intrachonelle", which was sung to the tune of "Marseillaise". It was not until 1888 that the French worker composer Pierre Duguet composed the music for the poem, and the "Internationale" as we know it today was born.

Many years ago, I read Zweig's "When the Human Stars Shine" and learned about the story of Rouge de Lisle, the author of "La Marseillaise", and his process of writing this song. Zweig believes that in the long history, most of the passage of time is to welcome the arrival of a short and great moment, which can determine a person's life and death, the survival of a nation and even the future of mankind. This is the choice of fate. Destiny will choose geniuses, and great men will also tilt the balance in favor of mediocrity, although "very few of them can firmly grasp the opportunity, integrating themselves with the opportunity. Great things lose their master and become Throwing yourself into the arms of an ordinary person only takes a moment, and those who miss it will never get it again.

In 1792, the French Revolution broke out, which symbolized professionalism. The Bastille, where the monarchy ruled, had already been captured by the angry people of Paris. In April, news of the war between the Austrian and Prussian coalition forces and France reached Strasbourg. People took to the streets to shout and sing. The masses in the revolution were longing for something. This is the most inspiring and uplifting song of struggle that can fill the hearts of millions of French people. History has entrusted this important task to Captain Rouge of the Engineer Corps. On the evening of the 25th, a memorial ceremony was held for the heroic officers and soldiers who were about to go to the battlefield. After the banquet, Rouge, who was invited by the mayor, decided to compose a march. The amateur music lover had a sudden inspiration and completed the song in just three hours. It has nothing to do with Marseille. It is called "Battle Hymn of the Rhine Army". It was later named after Marseille's army sang it into Paris. Zweig called it a miracle in his book, and there was no shortage of praise, saying, "It was a night of genius." "Hot" became eternal on this night and became the pinnacle of his life. "Marseillaise" has a longer life than its author. Hundreds of years have passed by, and to this day, the French people need faith and courage. At that time, I would still hum this song.

Later, I read an article "The Counterrevolution that Sings to the Revolution" (Zhang Wei, China Youth Daily, October 20, 2010). The full text is as follows: < /p>

Claude Joseph Rouge de Lisle is one of the most qualified people in the history of human revolution, because he composed the famous revolutionary song "La Marseillaise". With this song, the French overthrew their kings several times and defeated their foreign enemies.

However, the author of the song could hardly be considered a revolutionary when the song spread throughout the country and was published in newspapers. At that time, Rouge de Lisle had been imprisoned for "counter-revolution". It is said that he was even ashamed to admit that he composed the song, so that for a long time. Here, people don't know who the author of the song is.

In France, where the revolution was raging, Rouge de Lisle was not one of those who hated the old system. On the contrary, his family had fought for freedom. His family was related to the nobility and he changed his surname when he was in military school. Music was just a way to show off his aristocratic origins.

In 1792, he served in Strasbourg. When Rouge de Lisle wrote "Battle Hymn of the Rhine Army", he probably didn't have a clear idea of ??the revolution. At that time, the king had not yet been beheaded, and the revolution had not yet turned into a great terror. If people later guessed it correctly, The engineer lieutenant wrote this piece to boost the morale of the army purely at the invitation of his good friend, the mayor of Strasbourg.

The process of creating this song has been described vividly. It is said that foreign troops had assembled not far away and the streets were full of angry citizens.

After a dinner party, Rouge de Lisle took advantage of the wine to write lyrics, compose music, and even "sing to his heart's content" before falling tiredly on the piano and falling asleep.

For some unexplainable reason - perhaps alcohol, perhaps infected by the excitement on the streets, he praised the revolution and criticized the king in his songs. But this may be the last time he did this in his life. In the words of someone at the time, writing this song "seemed to use up all his strength."

"Battle Hymn of the Army of the Rhine" was not a success at first, although Rouge de Lisle played it to the mayor and his wife, and received courtesy praise. But not long after, 500 revolutionaries who marched from Marseille to Paris to drive away the king accidentally learned this song and sang it all the way, arousing great revolutionary enthusiasm. From then on, it became known and sung under the name "La Marseillaise", and people sang it to attack the palace. However, its author was a royalist. When people fell into the embrace of the revolution, loyal to the "people" sincerely or falsely, he not only failed to use this song to seek the glory of the revolution, but instead became hostile to the revolution, voted against the new constitution, and was expelled from the army.

The revolution soon revealed a terrifying face that no one had expected. The king died on the guillotine, which made Rouge de Lille feel that Robespierre and his revolutionary colleagues were more like new tyrants and dictators. Not long after, the mayor of Strasbourg, who had supported him in composing the Marseillaise, was also guillotined. Rouge de Lisle protested publicly and was imprisoned for treason. According to the laws of the time, those found guilty of this crime would be sentenced to guillotine.

Fortunately, after the Thermidor coup, Robespierre was overthrown, "Marseillaise" was designated as the French national anthem, and its author was released. Since then, the fate of "Marseillaise" has been twists and turns: it was banned by Napoleon and abolished by the restored king. But its author has nothing to do with this ups and downs. Rouge de Lisle has become a cynical person, living a poor and unreasonable life. On the one hand, he did not like the era brought about by the revolution, and voluntarily left the army that restored him to his military duties; on the other hand, the reputation of composing "Marseillaise" has always followed him, and with the change of regime, it has gradually disappeared. He brings honor, and in one moment it brings him infamy.

A famous writer once explored the rest of his life: he was poor, said to have been a thief, and was chased by the police because of debts. But when Napoleon wanted to give him some funding, he rebuked the big man: "What did you make the revolution become? What did you make the Republic of China become?" Until later, he always thought because of his past. Proud to vote against Napoleon.

However, Rouge de Lisle, who once composed "Marseillaise" on a whim, could neither prevent the revolution from bringing about a new era, nor prevent his own work from being given a title that he could not accept at all. interpretation. Until his death, people awarded him a bonus and a fur coat as a symbol of honor because of this song. He didn't wear this coat for long before he died full of dissatisfaction with the new era and infinite nostalgia for the old era.

It was precisely because of this song that decades later, people moved his tomb to the French Invalides, where he lay next to Napoleon, the revolutionary he had always disliked.

Later, through the understanding of the Enlightenment, the Great Revolution, the alternation of the Bourbon dynasty and the Napoleonic dynasty..., and even the subsequent French and European history, through Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau I think I can understand Rouge through Zhao Yuesheng's "French Thought Corridor", especially Tocqueville's "The Old Regime and the Great Revolution". His "one night becomes eternity" is not entirely accidental, he has thoughts.

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