The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1984, Síða 40

38
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
SUMMER, 1984
particular attention when it was sung by the
choir during the commemoration services
in the Cathedral at Reykjavik on Sunday,
the 2nd of August, 1874. On that day there
were sung seven commemorative poems
which Jochumsson had been commissioned
to write, most of them composed in the
course of a single day — such could be his
speed in writing poetry. But the anthem is
one of the few poems he wrote for the
celebrations of his own accord.
From all parts of Iceland people flocked
to the ceremony and dignitaries came from
various European countries and from
America. From Denmark came King Chris-
tian the Ninth, the first of its sovereigns
ever to visit the country. On this occasion
he presented to his people a constitution
containing important new reforms (such as
the granting of legislative power and partial
control over financial affairs). This was
one of the stages in the gradual recovery of
national independence which had been lost
1262-64; next came Home Rule (an Ice-
landic minister in charge of Icelandic
affairs resident in Reykjavik) in 1904;
fourteen years later Iceland became a
sovereign state in union with Denmark (the
King of Denmark being also King of Ice-
land) and finally came the foundation of a
republic (with an Icelandic president) on
the 17th of June, 1944.
While independence was still a thing of
the distant future, there was no question of
there being a national anthem in the usual
sense. However, when Icelanders wished
to sing in praise of their motherland, place
of honour was during the nineteenth century
given to Eldgamla Isafold by Bjami
Thorarensen (1788-1841), written in
Copenhagen, probably during 1808 9. But
there were two reasons why this could not
become established as the national anthem
despite its general popularity. One was that
apart from the first and final verses the
poet’s nostalgia finds expression there in
taunts against Denmark, where the poet
was then living. A weightier reason,
however, was that it was sung to the tune of
the British national anthem — although set
originally, it seems, to a tune by Du Puy.
During the last quarter of the nineteenth
century, O gud vors lands was often sung
in public by choral societies. But it was not
until during the period between Home Rule
and Independence, i.e. from 1904- 1918,
that it became established by tradition as
the national anthem. When sovereignty
was officially proclaimed, it was played as
the national anthem of Iceland at the
ceremony, and such it has remained ever
since. The Icelandic Government acquired
the ownership of the copyright of the
melody — which formerly had been held
by a Danish music-publishing firm — in
1948, and that of the works in 1949.
Still, undeniably O, gud vors lands has
its drawbacks as a national anthem. True,
Icelanders do not much object to the poem
on account of its being more in the manner
of a hymn than a patriotic song. But the
melody ranges over so wide a compass that
it is not within everyone’s power to sing.
People therefore often turn to other patriotic
songs when they wish to sing in praise of
their country, and especially popular during
the last few decades have been “Islands-
visur” (Eg vil elska mitt land) by Jon
Trausti (pen-name of Gudmundur Mag-
nusson, 1873-1918) sung to a tune by the
Rev. Bjami Thorsteinsson (1861— 1938),
and “Island ogrum skorid”, a verse from a
poem by Eggert Olafsson (1726- 1768),
melody by Sigvaldi Kaldalons (1881 -1946).
But neither these nor others have succeeded
in ousting O, Gud vors lands from its place
as the national anthem.
It is in fact all the more venerated in that
it is the less hackneyed through frequent
use. People respond deeply to the sublime
poetry of the words — especially the first
verse, which is usually the only one sung
— and the solemn and moving music finds
its way right to the hearts of Icelanders.