Cant de la Senyera

Cant de la Senyera of Lluís Millet recorded in a phonograph cylinder during a play of the Orfeó Català between 1898 and 1918. This copy is from the National Library of Catalonia.

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Cant de la Senyera ("Song of The Senyera [flag]") is a composition for mixed chorus with music by Lluís Millet, lyrics based on a poem by Joan Maragall, composed expressly to be the hymn of the Orfeó Català choral group in the Catalonia community of Spain. It debuted at Montserrat in 1896, in a ceremony in honor of the Senyera, a traditional flag of the crown of Aragon which serves as the basis for other regional flags, including that of Catalonia.

Prohibition

The song was prohibited from 1939 to 1960 under the regime of Spanish caudillo Francisco Franco, as part of Franco's ban on Catalan language and culture. In 1960, while Franco was on a rare visit to Barcelona, four of his ministers, including Minister of the Interior Camilo Alonso Vega, attended the centennial ceremony for Maragall at the Palace of Catalan Music. The Civil Governor of Barcelona, Felipe Acedo, had authorized the concert, but forbade the playing of the "Cant" despite its being based on Maragall's work.^[1] The orchestra played a musical arrangement of Cant de la Senyera, upon which a number of Catalan nationalists stood up and sang along,^[2]^[3] marking a key turning point in the history of Catalan nationalism, a happening known as the Fets del Palau de la Música ("Events of the Palace of Music"). Several people were arrested for singing along, and one, Jordi Pujol, who would later become President of Catalonia, was arrested, tortured, and sentenced to seven years in prison.^[4]

Role

The song served as a de facto Catalan anthem, alongside "Els Segadors", though the latter was only made official in 1993.

Lyrics

Catalan

Refrain:
Al damunt dels nostres cants
aixequem una Senyera
que els farà més triomfants.

Au, companys, enarborem-la
en senyal de germandat!
Au, germans, al vent desfem-la
en senyal de llibertat.
Que voleï! Contemplem-la
en sa dolça majestat!

Refrain

Oh bandera catalana!,
nostre cor t'és ben fidel:
volaràs com au galana
pel damunt del nostre anhel:
per mirar-te sobirana
alçarem els ulls al cel.

Refrain

I et durem arreu enlaire,
et durem, i tu ens duràs:
voleiant al grat de l'aire,
el camí assenyalaràs.
Dóna veu al teu cantaire,
llum als ulls i força al braç.

Refrain

English (unofficial translation)

Refrain:
On top of our songs
we raise a symbol
which will make them more triumphant.

Come, companions, let's hoist her
in sign of brotherhood!
Come, brothers, to the wind let's unfurl her
in sign of freedom.
Let her fly! Let's admire her
in her sweet majesty!

Refrain:

Oh Catalan flag!,
our heart to you is very faithful;
You will fly like gallant bird
over our longing:
to see you sovereign
we will lift our eyes to the sky.

Refrain:

And we'll take you everywhere raised,
we'll carry you, and you will take us:
fluttering at the wind's whims,
the way you'll mark.
Give voice to your singer,
light in the eyes and strength in the arms.

Refrain:

References

^ Manuel Vigil y Vázquez (1981). Entre el Franquismo y el Catalanismo: Con Picasso en Medio. Plaza y Janés. p. 95. ISBN 978-84-01-33197-8. - Don Felipe Acedo concluyó por autorizar el concierto, pero manteniendo la prohibición expresa y terminante de interpretar el Cant de la Senyera, prohibición mantenida no obstante advertírsele que- bastaba esa prohibición para que se
^ John Hargreaves (2000). Freedom for Catalonia?: Catalan Nationalism, Spanish Identity and the Barcelona Olympic Games. Cambridge University Press. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-521-58615-3.
^ Donald McNeill (1999). Urban Change and the European Left: Tales from the New Barcelona. Taylor & Francis. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-203-98191-7.
^ Michael Eaude (2008). Barcelona: the city that re-invented itself. Five Leaves. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-905512-14-0.

[Vázquez1981-1] Manuel Vigil y Vázquez (1981). Entre el Franquismo y el Catalanismo: Con Picasso en Medio. Plaza y Janés. p. 95. ISBN 978-84-01-33197-8. - Don Felipe Acedo concluyó por autorizar el concierto, pero manteniendo la prohibición expresa y terminante de interpretar el Cant de la Senyera, prohibición mantenida no obstante advertírsele que- bastaba esa prohibición para que se

[Hargreaves2000-2] John Hargreaves (2000). Freedom for Catalonia?: Catalan Nationalism, Spanish Identity and the Barcelona Olympic Games. Cambridge University Press. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-521-58615-3.

[McNeill1999-3] Donald McNeill (1999). Urban Change and the European Left: Tales from the New Barcelona. Taylor & Francis. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-203-98191-7.

[Eaude2008-4] Michael Eaude (2008). Barcelona: the city that re-invented itself. Five Leaves. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-905512-14-0.

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