Imperial march
The Kaisermarsch ( WWV 104 ) is a patriotic march in B flat major by Richard Wagner , which was written on the occasion of the founding of the German Empire on January 18, 1871. The client was the publisher CF Peters from Leipzig, who wanted a “festival overture for the resurrection of emperor and empire” and offered a fee of 1,500 Swiss francs .
Wagner completed the imperial march on March 15, 1871 in Tribschen . In the composition, he worked melody quotes from the Luther song A solid castle is our God one. He wrote the text of the final “Volksgesang” himself. The vocal melody is colla parte with instrumental parts and is left out in today's performances.
The premiere took place on April 14, 1871 in the Berlin Concerthaus on Leipziger Strasse under the direction of Benjamin Bilse . On May 5, Wagner himself conducted the piece at the Royal Court Opera in the presence of Kaiser Wilhelm I.
text
Salvation! Hail to the emperor! King Wilhelm!
All Germans Hort and Freedom Guard!
Highest of the crowns,
How dearly adorns your head!
Gloriously won
Should peace be worth your while!
The newly green oak was
created through you by the German Empire.
Hail his ancestors!
His flags!
Who led you, who we carried,
When with you we beat France!
Enemy for defiance,
Friend for protection!
The German Reich to all people
For good and good!
Web links
- Kaiser-Marsch for large festival orchestra by Richard Wagner , score
- In Franconia: Wagner's unknown works
- Fischer / Senkel / Tanner: Forging an Empire in 1871: event, description, staging; P. 106 ff.