Events in Music
- 1780-01-03 Danish national anthem "Kong Kristian stod ved højen mast" 1st sung
- 1792-04-25 "La Marseillaise", later the national anthem of France, is composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg
- 1792-07-30 500 Marseillaisian men sing France's national anthem for 1st time
- 1795-07-14 The French National Convention decrees "La Marseillaise" by Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle France's national anthem
- 1848-05-13 First performance of Finland's national anthem "Maamme", composed by Fredrik Pacius, Swedish words by Johan Ludvig Runeberg
- 1880-06-24 First performance of "O Canada," the song that would become the national anthem of Canada, at the Congrès national des Canadiens-Français
- 1883-08-17 The first public performance of the Dominican Republic's national anthem, Himno Nacional
Lift Every Voice and Sing
1900-12-12 James Weldon Johnson's poem "Lift Every Voice and Sing", is set to music by his brother J. Rosamond Johnson; the hymn becomes known as the Black national anthem [1] [2]
- 1922-09-02 German President Friedrich Ebert declares "Deutschland Uber Alles" the German national anthem
- 1931-03-03 "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially becomes US national anthem by congressional resolution; lyrics by Francis Scott Key in 1814, set to John Stafford Smith's 18th century tune "The Anacreontic Song"
- 1932-05-10 Government declares "Wilhelmus" as the Netherlands' national anthem
- 1943-12-20 "Internationale" is no longer used as USSR National Anthem
- 1954-08-04 The Government of Pakistan approves the National Anthem, written by Hafeez Jullundhry and composed by Ahmed G. Chagla
- 1960-04-15 Guy Carawan sings "We Shall Overcome" to a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in Raleigh - popularising the song as a protest anthem
Music History
1973-04-01 John Lennon and Yoko Ono form a new country with no laws or boundaries, called Nutopia, its national anthem is silence
- 1980-07-01 'O Canada' officially becomes the national anthem of Canada
- 1984-04-19 Advance Australia Fair is proclaimed as Australia's national anthem, with green and gold the national colors
- 1985-02-07 "New York, New York" becomes the official anthem of New York City
French Revolution
1989-07-14 Jessye Norman sings French national anthem, La Marseillaise at the Place de la Concorde, Paris, to celebrate 200th anniversary of the French Revolution
- 1999-08-09 The Diet of Japan enacts a law establishing the Hinomaru as the official national flag, and "Kimi Ga Yo" as national anthem.
- 2004-08-17 The National Assembly of Serbia unanimously adopts new state symbols for Serbia: Boze Pravde becomes the new anthem and the coat of arms is adopted for the whole country.
- 2005-11-17 Italy's choice of national anthem, "Il Canto degli Italiani", becomes official in law for the first time, almost 60 years after it was provisionally chosen following the birth of the republic.
Birthdays in Music
- 1673-01-06 James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, English aristocrat, eponym of Handel's Chandos Anthems, born in Herefordshire, England (d. 1744)
- 1750-03-30 John Stafford Smith, British organist and composer ("The Anacreontic Song", later used for American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner"), baptized in London, England (d. 1836)
- 1762-03-24 Marcos Portugal [Marcos Antonio da Fonseca Portugal], Portuguese-Brazilian opera, sacred music, and national anthem composer (Portugal - "Hymno Patriótico", 1809; Brazil - "Hino da Independência", 1822), born in Portugal (d. 1830)
- 1772-03-30 Johann Wilhelm Wilms, German-Dutch organist and composer (Wien Neêrlands Bloed - Dutch national anthem, 1815-1932), baptized in Witzhelden, Duchy of Berg (d. 1847)
- 1798-04-08 Dionysios Solomos, Greek poet of the Greek national anthem, born in Zakynthos Island, Greece (d. 1857)
- 1799-03-07 František Ladislav Čelakovský, Czech linguist, poet (national anthem, folk song), and Slavist, born in Strakonice, Austrian Empire (now Czech Republic) (d. 1852)
- 1801-06-03 František Jan Škroup, Czech composer (Kde domov můj? - Czech national anthem), born in Osice, Czech Republic (d. 1862)
- 1804-02-05 Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Finnish poet (Finland's national anthem "Maamme"), born in Jakobstad, Finland (d. 1877)
- 1808-02-04 Josef Kajetán Tyl, Czech playwright, writer and author of the Czech national anthem (Kde domov můj), born in Kutná Hora, Bohemia, Austrian Empire (d. 1856)
- 1808-11-17 Alberich Zwyssig, Swiss monk and composer (Swiss psalm - Swiss National Anthem), born in Bauen, Switzerland (d. 1854)
- 1809-03-19 Fredrik Pacius, German-Finnish composer (Finnish and Estonian national anthems), conductor, and music educator, known as "the Father of Finnish music", born in Hamburg, Germany (d. 1891)
- 1809-03-31 Otto Jonas Lindblad, Swedish composer (Kungssången - Royal Anthem), born in Karlstorp, Sweden (d. 1864)
- 1815-03-04 Mykhailo Verbytsky, Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest and composer (Prostachka; The State Anthem of Ukraine), born in Nadsyannia, Russian Empire (now Poland) (d. 1870)
- 1821-12-08 Josip Runjanin, Croatian Serb composer (Croatian National Anthem) and soldier, born in Vinkovci (d. 1878)
- 1824-09-08 Jaime Nunó, Spanish composer (Mexican national anthem), born in Sant Joan de les Abadesses, Catalonia (d. 1908)
- 1835-05-11 Kārlis Baumanis, Latvian composer (Dievs, svētī Latviju! (“God bless Latvia!”), the national anthem of Latvia), born in Viļķene Parish, Courland Governorate, Russian Empire (d. 1905)
- 1847-06-28 Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson, Icelandic composer (Lofsöngur - National Anthem of Iceland), born in Seltjarnarnes, Iceland (d. 1927)
- 1883-03-27 Jan Kunc, Czech composer (Czech State Anthem), born in Doubravice nad Svitavou, Margraviate of Moravia, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1976)
- 1884-07-13 John Francis Larchet, Irish arranger (Irish national anthem), composer (By the Waters of Moyle), and musical director (Abbey Theatre - Dublin, 1908-35), born in Sandymount, Ireland (d. 1967)
- 1885-09-17 Uzeyir Hajibeyov, Soviet composer who composed the anthem used by Azerbaijan during the Soviet period, born in Agjabadi, Russian Empire (d. 1948)
- 1898-07-06 Hanns Eisler, Austrian composer (East German National Anthem), born in Leipzig, German Empire (d. 1962)
- 1907-07-22 Zubir Said, Singaporean composer (Singapore's national anthem), born in Fort De Kock, Dutch East Indies (now Bukittinggi, Indonesia) (d. 1987)
- 1920-04-26 Padú del Caribe [Juan Chabaya Lampe], Aruban pianist and composer, known as the "Father of the Caribbean" ("Aruba Dushi Tera" - Aruba's national anthem), born in Oranjestad, Aruba, Kingdom of the Netherlands (d. 2019)
Jason Aldean (47 years old)
1977-02-28 American country singer ("Dirt Road Anthem"), born in Macon, Georgia
Deaths in Music
- 1563-03-12 John Bull, English composer, musician and organ builder, credited with composing Britain's national anthem "God Save The King/Queen" (debated), dies at about 68
- 1830-02-17 Marcos Portugal [Marcos Antonio da Fonseca Portugal], Portuguese-Brazilian opera, sacred music, and national anthem composer (Portugal - "Hymno Patriótico", 1809; Brazil - "Hino da Independência", 1822), dies at 67
- 1832-06-27 Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisla, French army officer, and composer ("La Marseillaise" -the French national anthem), dies at 72
- 1836-09-21 John Stafford Smith, British organist, and composer ("The Anacreontic Song", later used for the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner"), dies at 86
- 1847-07-19 Johann Wilhelm Wilms, German-Dutch organist and composer (Wien Neêrlands Bloed - Dutch national anthem, 1815-1932), dies at 75
- 1852-08-05 František Ladislav Čelakovský, Czech linguist, poet (national anthem, folk song), and Slavist, dies at 53
- 1854-11-19 Alberich Zwyssig, Swiss composer (Swiss National Anthem), dies at 46
- 1856-07-11 Josef Kajetán Tyl, Czech playwright, writer and author of the Czech national anthem (Kde domov můj), dies of an unknown illness at 48
- 1857-02-09 Dionysios Solomos, Greek poet of the Greek national anthem, dies at 58
- 1862-02-07 František Jan Škroup, Czech composer (Kde domov můj? - Czech national anthem), dies at 61
- 1864-01-24 Otto Jonas Lindblad, Swedish composer (Kungssången - Royal Anthem), dies at 54
- 1865-12-18 Francisco Manuel da Silva, Brazilian composer (Brazilian National Anthem), dies at 70
- 1870-12-07 Mykhailo Verbytsky, Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest and composer (Prostachka; The State Anthem of Ukraine), dies at 55
- 1877-05-06 Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Finnish poet (Finland's national anthem "Maamme"), dies at 73
- 1878-02-02 Josip Runjanin, Croatian Serb composer (Croatian National Anthem) and soldier, dies at 56
- 1891-01-08 Fredrik Pacius, German-Finnish composer (Finnish and Estonian national anthems), conductor, and music educator, known as "the Father of Finnish music", dies at 81
- 1905-01-10 Kārlis Baumanis, Latvian composer (Dievs, svētī Latviju! (“God bless Latvia!”), the national anthem of Latvia), dies at 69
- 1908-07-18 Jaime Nunó, Spanish composer (Mexican national anthem), dies at 83
- 1927-02-23 Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson, Icelandic composer (Lofsöngur - National Anthem of Iceland), dies at 79
- 1948-11-23 Uzeyir Hajibeyov, Soviet composer who composed the anthem used by Azerbaijan during the Soviet period, dies at 63
- 1962-09-06 Hanns Eisler, Austrian composer (East German National Anthem), dies at 64
- 1965-09-16 Ahn Eak-tai, Korean cellist, composer (Aegukga - national anthem of South Korea), and conductor, dies at 58
- 1967-08-10 John Francis Larchet, Irish arranger (Irish national anthem), composer (By the Waters of Moyle), and musical director (Abbey Theatre - Dublin, 1908-35), dies at 83
- 1976-09-11 Jan Kunc, Czech composer (Czech State Anthem), dies at 93
- 1987-11-16 Zubir Said, Singaporean composer who composed Singapore's national anthem, dies at 80
- 2019-11-28 Padú del Caribe [Juan Chabaya Lampe], Aruban pianist and composer, known as the "Father of the Caribbean" ("Aruba Dushi Tera" - Aruba's national anthem), dies at 99