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Revision as of 01:56, 9 January 2022 by SUM1(talk | contribs)(Added original lyrics (on other wikis))
The original song dates in the oral tradition to 1640, based on the events of June 1640 known as Corpus de Sang during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) between Spain, England, France and Austria, the event that started the Reapers' War or Guerra dels Segadors, also known as the Catalan Revolt,[3] where Catalans fought against the Count-Duke of Olivares, the chief minister of King Philip IV of Spain. The song describes the event, an uprising of peasants due to the large presence of the Royal army in the Principality of Catalonia, as they were required to lodge and provision the troops, creating a large tension and discomfort and leading to episodes such as religious sacrileges, destruction of personal properties, and rape of women by the soldiers. The second part of the song tells the arrival of the rebel reapers in Barcelona, who kill various guards, the royal officers and the viceroy of Catalonia, Dalmau de Queralt, ending with the exhortation to Catalans to take the arms, as they are at war.
In the 19th century, the text was compiled in the Romancillero Catalán, a book of folk traditions written by Manuel Milà i Fontanals. The music was standardized by Francesc Alió in 1892.[3] Its modern lyrics were written by Emili Guanyavents, who won a competition convened by the political party Unió Catalanista in 1899, simplifying the text to three verses. At the time, the change of lyrics caused some controversy among conservative elements, as Guanyavents, coming from sectors close to anarchism, gave them a revolutionary tone.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, Els Segadors became one of the most relevant symbols of catalanism and Catalonia itself, increasing its popularity during the Second Spanish Republic and the Civil War. Despite an attempt of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan autonomous government) in 1931 to replace it with another song, El Cant del Poble, Els Segadors remained highly popular, treated by Catalan government and population as the national anthem. The dictatorship of Francisco Franco (1939-1975) banned the public use of Catalan national symbolism, among them Els Segadors. Tolerated songs, such as the Virolai or La Santa Espina, were often played in its place to express Catalan identity.
After decades used de facto, sometimes alongside the Cant de la Senyera, the Catalan government officially adopted Els Segadors as the national anthem of Catalonia on 25 February 1993, by law of its parliament. The official version was made in 1994. The new Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006 confirms this decision by its article 8.4.[4]
Ai ditxosa Catalunya
qui t'ha vista rica i plena!
Ara el rei nostre senyor
declarada ens té la guerra.
Lo gran comte d'Olivar
sempre li burxa l'aurella:
“Ara és hora, nostre rei,
ara és hora que fem guerra”.
Contra de los catalans
ja ho vegeu quina n'han feta:
seguiren viles i llocs
fins al lloc de Riudarenes,
n'han cremada una església
que Santa Coloma es deia,
cremen albes i casulles
los calzes i les patenes.
I el Santíssim Sagrament
alabat sigui per sempre.
Mataren un sacerdot
mentres que la missa deia.
Mataren un cavaller
a la porta de l'iglésia,
Don Lluís de Furrià
i els àngels li fan gran festa.
El pa que no era blanc
deien que era massa negre,
lo daven an els cavalls
sols per assolar la terra.
Lo vi que no era bo
etgegaven les aixetes,
lo tiraven pels carrers
sols per a regar la terra.
A presència dels seus pares
deshonraven les donzelles.
En daven part al virrei
del mal que aquells soldats feien:
“Llicència els he donat io
molta més se'n poden pendre”.
A vista de tot això
s'és esvalotat la terra.
Entraren a Barcelona
mil persones forasteres,
entren com a segadors
com érem a temps de sega.
De tres guàrdies que n'hi ha
ja n'han morta la primera.
En mataren el virrei
a l'entrant de la galera.
Mataren els diputats
i els jutges de l'Audiència.
Anaren a la presó
donen llibertat als presos.
Lo bisbe els va beneir
amb la mà dreta i esquerra:
“Ont és vostre capità,
a ont és la vostra bandera?”
Varen treure el bon Jesús
tot cobert amb un vel negre:
“Aquí és nostre capità
aquí és nostra bandera.
A les armes catalans
que us han declarat la guerra”.
Ay, dichosa Cataluña
quién te ha visto rica y llena.
Ahora el rey nuestro señor
declarada nos tiene la guerra.
El gran Conde de Olivares
siempre le hurga la oreja:
"Ahora es la hora, rey nuestro
ahora es hora que hagamos guerra".
Contra de los catalanes
ya véis la que han hecho:
Siguieron villas y lugares
hasta el lugar del Riu d'Arenas,
han quemado una iglesia
que Santa Coloma se llamaba,
queman albas y casullas
los cálices y las patenas.
Y el Santísimo Sacramento
alabado sea por siempre.
Mataron a un sacerdote
mientras decía la misa.
Mataron a un caballero
a la puerta de la iglesia,
Don Luis de Furrià
y los ángeles le hacen gran fiesta.
El pan que no era blanco
decían que era demasiado negro,
se lo daban a los caballos
solo por asolar la tierra.
El vino que no era bueno
abrían los grifos [o espitas],
lo tiraban por las calles
solo por regar la tierra.
En presencia de sus padres
deshonraban a las doncellas.
De ello daban parte al Virrey,
del mal que esos soldados hacían:
"Licencia les he dado yo
mucha más se pueden tomar".
A la vista de todo esto
se ha alborotado la tierra.
Entraron en Barcelona
mil personas forasteras,
entran como segadores
ya que estaban en tiempos de siega.
De tres guardias que hay
ya han matado a la primera.
Mataron al Virrey
a la entrada de la galera.
Mataron a los diputados
y a los jueces de la Audiencia.
Fueron a la prisión
dan libertad a los presos.
El obispo los bendijo
con la mano derecha e izquierda:
"¿dónde está vuestro capitán?
¿dónde está vuestra bandera?"
Sacaron al buen Jesús
todo cubierto con un velo negro:
"Aquí está nuestro capitán
aquí está nuestra bandera.
A las armas catalanes
que os han declarado la guerra".
Recordings and variations
Contemporary Catalan composer Jordi Savall made a version of the folk song, using the original narrative (which dates back to the seventeenth century) combined with the modern lyrics and refrain, which were added later.[citation needed] The song has also been recorded and interpreted by major artists, included on albums such as Traditional Catalan Songs (Victoria de los Ángeles).
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