Virgin Islands March

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The Virgin Islands March ( German  Virgin Islands-march ) is the national anthem of the United States Virgin Islands . It was the unofficial national anthem of the United States until it was declared an official symbol of the state in 1963 .

Emergence

The Virgin Islands March was composed in 1919 by Alton Augustus Adams (1889–1987), a conductor in the Navy, who himself came from the Virgin Islands.

melody

The hymn, written at a brisk march and in the tried and tested, popular gesture of the American marching band tradition, is similar in structure and effect to John Philip Sousa's famous The Stars and Stripes Forever . It is introduced by a rather long instrumental prelude (18 bars) in B flat major , which in turn begins with a short fanfare. The stanzas (16 bars) begin with the quieter trio in E flat major . After an interlude (8 bars) the stanza melody is repeated. The standard arrangement for a wind orchestra therefore only provides for two stanzas "in one piece".

text

Text and notes of the national anthem
original English text free German translation

All hail, our Virgin Islands.
Em'ralds of the sea
Where beaches bright with coral sand
And trade winds bless our native land.
All hail, our Virgin Islands,
Bathed in waters blue.
We give our loyalty,
full to thee,
and pledge allegiance forever true.

To thee, our Virgin Islands,
Loving voices raise
A song in praise of brotherhood
Where right makes might to fight for good.
To thee, our Virgin Islands,
Haven of the free,
We sing our love to thee,
Joyously,
Our own fair islands of liberty.

March on, oh Virgin Islands,
In the joyful throng.
Uphold the right and right the wrong
Where only peace and love belong.
March on, oh Virgin Islands,
Democratic land.
Together, hand in hand,
Take your stand,
Forever soldiers in freedom's band.

God bless our Virgin Islands,
Humbly now we pray,
Where all mankind can join today
In friendly warmth of work and play.
God bless our Virgin Islands,
Beautiful and tall,
Beneath a sunny sky,
Hilltops high
Hold out a welcome for one and all.

Hail to our Virgin Islands,
The emeralds of the sea!
From beaches, shimmering from the coral sand,
and the trade wind our home is blessed.
Hail to our Virgin Islands,
Which washed over by the blue sea!
We swear our loyalty to
you
and take the oath for ever. To

you, our Virgin Islands,
singing voices filled with love
A song in praise of brotherhood,
Where the law gives us strength to always fight. To
you, our Virgin Islands,
the port of the free,
let us sing our love
with joy!
To you, our lovely islands of freedom!

Forward, you Virgin Islands,
In the joyous entourage!
Hold up the right and remove the wrong,
where only peace and love should reign.
Forward, you Virgin Islands,
your democratic country!
Together, hand in hand,
let's stand up for one another
As eternal soldiers of the Freedom Corps.

God protect our Virgin Islands,
We humbly pray for that,
Where today all humanity can share
in the friendly warmth of work and play.
God keep our Virgin Islands!
Pretty and proud,
Under the sunny sky,
Her high hills
greet everyone and everything.

See also

Web links