Stories of Famous Songs, Vol 1

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STORIES OF
picture by Pils, representing de Lisle singing the " Marseillaise," well known from the engraving. Finally, there is no simpler method of settling this vexed question than by referring to " La Verite sur la Paternite de la Marseillaise: par A. Rouget de Lisle," published in 1865. The writer was a nephew of the original Rouget, and, says W. F. Waller in "Notes and Queries," he showed, by precise documentary and other evidence, that Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle was a captain of engineers, quartered at Stras-bourg in 1792; that when Dietrich, Mayor of Strasbourg, wanted a patriotic song for the Bas Rhin volunteers—then under orders to join Liickner's corps—to sing, the engineer cap-tain went home to his lodgings, and on the night of April 24th composed the words and music of a song which he called " Chant de Guerre pour PArmee du Rhin," the title which appears on the first edition of the song, pub-lished by Dannbach of Strasbourg, and dedi-cated to Marechal Liickner. This " Chant de Guerre" was sung at Dietrich's house on April 25th. The scene is familiar enough, as shown in the engraving from Isidore Pils's picture. Band parts were ready next day, and the band of the Garde Rationale played the " Chant" on Sunday, April 29th. It was a matter of two
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