Editing God Save the Tsar!

{{Short description|Former national anthem of the Russian Empire}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2014}}
{{Infobox anthem
| title         = {{lang|ru|Боже, Царя храни!}}
| transcription = {{translit|ru|italic=no|Bózhe, Tsaryá khraní!}}
| english_title = God Save the Tsar!
| image         = Боже, Царя храни (Anthem of Russian Empire).png
| prefix        = Former national
| country       = [[Russian Empire|Russia]]
----
Former royal anthem of [[Principality of Bulgaria|Bulgaria]] (1878–1908)
| composer      = [[Alexei Lvov]]
| author        = [[Vasily Zhukovsky]]
| adopted       = 31 December 1833
| until         = 15 March 1917
| predecessor   = "[[The Prayer of Russians]]"
| successor     = "[[Worker's Marseillaise]]" (Russia)<br>"[[Anthem of His Majesty the Tsar]]" (Bulgaria)
| sound         = Bozhe, tsarya khrani!.ogg
| sound_title   = Choral version (recorded in 1915)
}}

"'''God Save the Tsar!'''" ({{Lang-rus|Боже, Царя храни!|p=ˈboʐɨ tsɐˈrʲa xrɐˈnʲi}}) was the [[national anthem]] of the [[Russian Empire]]. The song was chosen from a competition held in 1833 and was first performed on 18 December 1833. It was composed by violinist [[Alexei Lvov]], with lyrics written by the [[court poet]] [[Vasily Zhukovsky]]. It was the anthem until the [[February Revolution]] of 1917, after which "[[Worker's Marseillaise]]" was adopted as the new national anthem until the overthrow of the [[Russian Provisional Government]] by the [[Bolsheviks]] in the [[October Revolution]] of the same year.

==Lyrics==
{{Listen
| title        = Instrumental version
| type         = music
| filename     = God Save the Tsar (instrumental).ogg
| description  = 
| filename2    = Боже, Царя храни!.ogg
| title2       = Circa 1897 recording, Columbia Phonograph Company (wax cylinder)
| description2 = 
| title3       = English Version
| type3        = music
| filename3    =
| description3 = 
}}
{| class="wikitable"
! [[Russian language|Russian]] original
! [[Romanization of Russian|Transliteration]]
! [[Help:IPA/Russian|IPA]] transcription
! [[English language|English]] translation
|- style="valign:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|<poem lang="ru">𝄆 Боже, Царя храни!
Сильный, державный,
Царствуй на славу, на славу намъ! 𝄇

𝄆 Царствуй на страхъ врагамъ,
Царь православный!
Боже, Царя храни! 𝄇</poem>
|<poem>𝄆 Bózhe, Tsaryá khraní!
Sílnyy, derzhávnyy,
Tsárstvuy na slávu, na slávu nam! 𝄇

𝄆 Tsárstvuy na strakh vragam,
Tsar pravoslávnyy!
Bózhe, Tsaryá khraní! 𝄇</poem>
|<poem>𝄆 [ˈbo.ʐɨ tsɐ.ˈrʲæ xrɐ.ˈnʲi ‖]
[ˈsʲilʲ.nɨj {{!}} dʲɪr.ˈʐav.nɨj {{!}}]
[ˈtsar.stvʊj nɐ ˈsɫa.vʊ {{!}} nɐ ˈsɫa.vʊ nam ‖] 𝄇

𝄆 [ˈtsar.stvʊj nɐ ˈstrax vrɐ.ˈgam {{!}}]
[ˈtsarʲ prə.vɐ.ˈsɫav.nɨj ‖]
[ˈbo.ʐɨ tsɐ.ˈrʲæ xrɐ.ˈnʲi ‖] 𝄇</poem>
|<poem>𝄆 God, save the Tsar!
Strong and sovereign,
Reign for glory, for our glory! 𝄇

𝄆 Reign to make enemies fear,
Orthodox Tsar!
God, save the Tsar! 𝄇</poem>
|}

<score vorbi>
{
\new PianoStaff <<
\new Staff \relative c' {
\key f \major
<<
{ \voiceOne {
c'2 \f d4 d c4. a8 f2
f'2 e4 d c2-> d->
bes c4 c a2 a4 b
c2 b-> a
}}
\new Voice { \voiceTwo {
a2 bes4 bes a4. a8 f2
d'2 c4 bes a2 a
g2 g4 g f2 f4 a
a2 gis a \notemode {b2 \rest} \bar ":|."
}}
>>
}
\new Staff \relative c'{
\key f \major
f2 \f f4 f f4. f8 f2
bes,2 bes4 d f2-> fis->
g2 e4 e f2 f4 d
e2 e2-> a,2 r2
}
>>
}
</score>

==Influence==
Many composers made use of the theme in their compositions, most notably [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Tchaikovsky]], who quoted it in the [[1812 Overture]], the ''[[Marche Slave]]'', [[Festival Overture on the Danish National Anthem|his overture]] on the [[Kong Christian stod ved højen mast|Danish national anthem]], and the [[Festival Coronation March]]. During the [[Soviet Union|Soviet era]], authorities altered Tchaikovsky's music (such as the 1812 Overture and ''Marche Slave''), substituting other patriotic melodies, such as the "Glory" chorus from [[Mikhail Glinka]]'s opera ''[[A Life for the Tsar]]'', for "God Save the Tsar".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pages.stolaf.edu/music242-spring2014/portfolio/aftershocks-of-1812-nationalism-and-censorship-in-tchaikovskys-1812-overture/ |title=Aftershocks of 1812: Nationalism and Censorship in Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture |date=13 May 2014 |access-date=14 November 2014 |archive-date=28 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228053959/https://pages.stolaf.edu/music242-spring2014/portfolio/aftershocks-of-1812-nationalism-and-censorship-in-tchaikovskys-1812-overture/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Charles Gounod]] uses the theme in his Fantaisie sur l'Hymne National Russe (Fantasy on the Russian National Hymn). [[William Walton]]'s score for the 1970 film ''[[Three Sisters (1970 Olivier film)|Three Sisters]]'', based on [[Anton Chekhov|Chekhov]]'s play, is dominated by the theme.

In 1842, [[English people|English]] author [[Henry Chorley]] wrote "[[God, the Omnipotent!]]", set to Lvov's tune and published in 19th- and 20th-century hymnals as the ''Russian Hymn''.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Hymnal 1982 |publisher=[[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopal Church Publishing]] |year=1985 |location=New York |page=569 }}</ref> The ''Russian Hymn'' tune continues to appear in various modern English language hymnals, such as those of the [[United Methodist Church]], the [[Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)|Presbyterian Church]], the ''[[Lutheran Book of Worship]]'' of the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]], or as ''Russia'' in ''The Hymnal 1982'' of the [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|U.S. Episcopal Church]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Methodist Hymnal |publisher=[[United Methodist Church|The Methodist Publishing House]] |location=Nashville, Tennessee |year=1966 |page=544 }}</ref>

The same melody is also used with different lyrics for various institutional songs: Doxology of [[Phi Gamma Delta]], "Noble Fraternity" of [[Phi Kappa Psi]], [[West Chester University]] Alma Mater, "[[Hail, Pennsylvania!]]" ([[alma mater]] of the [[University of Pennsylvania]]),<ref>{{Citation |title=Hail, Pennsylvania! | date=17 October 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axioaLyZP9o |access-date=2023-12-20 |language=en}}</ref> "Dear Old Macalester" (alma mater of [[Macalester College]]),<ref>{{Citation |title=Dear Old Macalester | date=19 May 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y13-e2iEcbs |access-date=2023-12-20 |language=en}}</ref> "Hail, Delta Upsilon" ([[Delta Upsilon]] fraternity), "Firm Bound in Brotherhood" (official song of the [[Order of the Arrow]]),<ref>{{Citation |title=The Order of the Arrow Song (Firm Bound in Brotherhood) Piano | date=August 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHae1qWj5RI |access-date=2023-12-20 |language=en}}</ref> the ''UST High School Hymn'' of the [[University of Santo Tomas High School]] in [[Manila]],<ref>{{Citation |title=University of Santo Tomas High School Hymn/instrumental guitar | date=8 February 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-ElH_t7ILg |access-date=2023-12-20 |language=en}}</ref> and the alma mater of [[Texas Woman's University]], [[Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas]] in Dallas, Texas,  [[Westover School]] in [[Middlebury, Connecticut]] titled "Raise Now to Westover", [[Tabor Academy, Massachusetts|Tabor Academy]] in Marion, Massachusetts, [[Dimmitt High School]] in Dimmitt, Texas, [[Grant High School (Portland, Oregon)|Grant High School]] in [[Portland, Oregon]], Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida, Windber Area High School in Windber, Pennsylvania and the former St Peter's High School in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.

[[Maurice Jarre]]'s score for the [[1965 in film|1965 film]] ''[[Doctor Zhivago (film)|Doctor Zhivago]]'' uses this melody in several tracks, most notably in the [[Overture]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Macdonald |first= Laurence E. |author-link= |date=2013 |title=The Invisible Art of Film Music: A Comprehensive History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=clPmzY4YNNYC&pg=PT218 |location=Lanham, Maryland |publisher=Scarecrow Press |page=201 |isbn=978-0810883970}}</ref> The anthem, played by the [[Band of the Welsh Guards]], was used as the [[theme music]] for the epic [[BBC]] television adaptation of [[War and Peace (1972 TV series)|''War and Peace'' in 1972]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01k1vnv|title=War and Peace 28 September 1972, History of the BBC|website=BBC|date=20 October 2013 }}</ref> The [[Royal Scots Dragoon Guards]] continue to play "God Save the Tsar!" at formal events as a tribute to Nicholas II as the former colonel-in-chief of their predecessor, the [[Scots Greys]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/uk-world/273283/russia-love-remarkable-tales-east-coast-scots-ties-moscow/ | title=From Russia with love - remarkable tales of east coast Scots' ties with Moscow | date=26 August 2016 }}</ref>

In 1998, singer-songwriter [[Alexander Gradsky]], one of the best-known rock artists during the Soviet period, proposed using the theme again as the [[National anthem of Russia|Russian national anthem]], but with substantially different lyrics from those originally written by Zhukovsky.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Broad is my native land - Alexander Gradsky |url=https://alexandergradsky.com/publication/s00_24.shtml |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=alexandergradsky.com}}</ref>

In ''[[Fiddler on the Roof (film)|Fiddler on the Roof]]'' (1971), a character tells a popular joke: “[[Rebbe]], can we pray for the Tsar?” “Yes. ‘God save the Tsar… [[Antisemitism in the Russian Empire|keep him far away from us]]!’”

===Usage in Bulgaria===
The composition was used as the royal anthem of the [[Principality of Bulgaria]], having been imposed by the temporary Russian government and the Russian army commanders. The usage of it in Bulgaria was relinquished after the [[Bulgarian Declaration of Independence]] in 1908.<ref name=socbg>{{cite web|url=http://socbg.com/2014/04/%D1%85%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BD%D1%8A%D1%82-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%B1%D1%8A%D0%BB%D0%B3%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B7-%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8.html|title=Химнът на България през превратностите на времето|website=socbg.com|access-date=July 26, 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
*"[[The Prayer of the Russians]]", another anthem with a near-identical [[incipit]]
*"[[God Save the King]]", another anthem with a similar title
*"[[God Save the South]]", another anthem with a similar title
*"[[O Sanctissima]]", a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] [[Veneration of Mary in the Catholic Church|Marian]] hymn with a similar melody

==References==
{{Reflist}}

<!-- Good Link: https://nowcomment.com/documents/135674 -->

==External links==
{{Wikisourcelang|ru|Гимн Российской империи|''God Save the Tsar!'', in Russian}}
{{wikisource|The National Anthems of the Allies/Russia|''God Save the Tsar!'', with English lyrics}}
* [https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20101002054755/http://www.hymn.ru//index-en.html Russian Anthem Museum] {{in lang|en}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20050701001453/http://www.hymn.ru/] {{in lang|ru}}
* [http://www.nationalanthems.info/ru-17.htm National Anthem Info]
* Brandenburg Historica (C) 2014. "[http://stores.militaryhistoryshop.com/blog/military-music-and-tradition-in-imperial-russia/ Military Music and Tradition in Imperial Russia, 1700-1917]". Updated 22 August 2014.
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mejgZ5SNxZs „God Save the Tsar!“ in the House of the Union]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-1C7M6nJc8&feature=youtu.be Bozhe tsarya khrani!]

{{National anthems of Russia}}
{{National anthems of Bulgaria}}
{{Former anthems of Europe}}
{{National Anthems of North America}}
{{National Anthems of Asia}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:God Save The Tsar!}}
[[Category:1833 songs]]
[[Category:Historical national anthems]]
[[Category:Russian anthems]]
[[Category:European anthems]]
[[Category:Royal anthems]]
[[Category:God in culture]]
[[Category:God Save the King]]
[[Category:Royal Scots Dragoon Guards]]