The Mexican National Athem

Impotant Dates for the National Athem:

• 1853: The lyrics of the Mexican National Anthem are composed by Francisco Gonzales Bocanegra
• 1854: The music of the Mexican National Anthem is arranged by Jaime Nuno
• 1943: The Mexican National Anthem is officially adopted.
  

The Lyrics

Coro (chorus):
Mexicanos, al grito de guerrael acero aprestad y el bridón.Y retiemble en sus centros la Tierra,al sonoro rugir del cañón.¡Y retiemble en sus centros la Tierra,al sonoro rugir del cañón!

Estrofa (verse) I:
Ciña ¡oh Patria! tus sienes de olivade la paz el arcángel divino,que en el cielo tu eterno destinopor el dedo de Dios se escribió.Mas si osare un extraño enemigoprofanar con su planta tu suelo,piensa ¡oh Patria querida! que el cieloun soldado en cada hijo te dio.

Estrofa (verse) V:
¡Guerra, guerra sin tregua al que intenteDe la patria manchar los blasones!¡Guerra, guerra! Los patrios pendonesEn las olas de sangre empapad.¡Guerra, guerra! En el monte, en el valleLos cañones horrísonos truenen,Y los ecos sonoros resuenenCon las voces de ¡Unión! ¡Libertad!

Estrofa (verse)VI:
Antes, patria, que inermes tus hijosBajo el yugo su cuello dobleguen,Tus campiñas con sangre se rieguen,Sobre sangre se estampe su pie.Y tus templos, palacios y torresSe derrumben con hórrido estruendo,Y sus ruinas existan diciendo:De mil héroes la patria aquí fue.

Estrofa (verse)X:
¡Patria! ¡Patria! Tus hijos te juranExhalar en tus aras su aliento,Si el clarín con su bélico acentolos convoca a lidiar con valor.¡Para ti las guirnaldas de oliva!¡Un recuerdo para ellos de gloria!¡Un laurel para ti de victoria!¡Un sepulcro para ellos de honor!

The Mexican National Anthem

The National Anthem of Mexico (Spanish: Himno Nacional Mexicano) was officially adopted in 1943. The lyrics of the national anthem, which allude to Mexican victories in the heat of battle and cries of defending the homeland, were composed by poet Francisco González Bocanegra in 1853, after his fiancée locked him in a room. In 1854, Jaime Nunó arranged the music which now accompanies González's poem. The anthem, consisting of ten stanzas and a chorus, entered into use on September 16, 1854. From 1854 until its official adoption, the lyrics underwent several modifications due to political changes in the country. Unofficially, the anthem is sometimes called "Mexicanos, al grito de guerra" (Spanish for "Mexicans, at the cry of war") which is also the first line of the chorus.

The Lyrics

On November 12, 1853, President Antonio López de Santa Anna announced a competition to write a national anthem for Mexico. The competition offered a prize for the best poetic composition representing patriotic ideals. Francisco González Bocanegra, a talented poet, was not interested in participating in the competition. He argued that writing love poems involved very different skills from the ones required to write a national anthem. His fiancée, Guadalupe González del Pino (or Pili), had undaunted faith in her fiancé's poetic skills and was displeased with his constant refusal to participate in spite of her constant prodding and requests from their friends. Under false pretenses, she lured him to a secluded bedroom in her parents' house, locked him into the room, and refused to let him out until he produced an entry for the competition. Inside the room in which he was temporarily imprisoned were pictures depicting various events in Mexican history which helped to inspire his work. After four hours of fluent (or maybe forced) inspiration, Francisco regained his freedom by slipping all ten verses of his creation under the door. After Francisco received approval from his fiancée and her father, he submitted the poem and won the competition by unanimous vote. González was announced the winner in the publication Official Journal of the Federation (DOF) on February 3, 1854.

The Music

At the same time the lyrics were chosen, a set of music was chosen. The winner was Juan Bottesini, but his entry was disliked due to aesthetics. This rejection caused a second national contest to find music for the lyrics. At the end of the second contest, the music that was chosen for González's lyrics was composed by Jaime Nunó, a Spanish-born band leader. At the time of the second anthem competition, Nunó was the leader of several Mexican military bands. He had been invited to direct these bands by President Santa Anna, whom he had met in Cuba. About the time that Nunó first came to Mexico to start performing with the bands, Santa Anna was making his announcement about creating a national anthem for Mexico. Out of the few musical compositions submitted, Nunó's music, titled "God and Freedom" (Dios y libertad), was chosen as the winner on August 12, 1854. The anthem was officially adopted on Independence Day, September 16 of that same year. The inaugural interpretation was directed by Juan Bottesini, sung by soprano Claudia Florenti and tenor Lorenzo Salvi at the Santa Anna Theatre (now known as the National Theatre of Mexico).