Emperors Hymn

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Emperor's Hymn (Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser, i.e. God preserve the Emperor Francis). Tune found in many hymn-books under the name Austria. The nat. hymn of Austria from the time of comp. of the tune by Haydn in 1797 to the creation of the Republic in 1918. Thereafter the tune was officially retained, but other words adopted, Sei gesegnet ohne Ende (Thine be never-ending blessings) by Ottokar Kernstock. The orig. words were by Lorenz Leopold Haschka (1749–1827). Haydn, whose instructions were to compose something approaching in merit the Eng. nat. anthem, took a folk melody of his childhood, which probably suggested itself to him as fitting metrically and rhythmically the opening lines, and altered and extended its later part. For the tune in Ger. see Deutschland über Alles.