Bardengesang auf Gibraltar: O Calpe! Dir donnert's am Fusse
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
in 1782 to celebrate the Great Siege of Gibraltar
Great Siege of Gibraltar
The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the American War of Independence. This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782...
. The song's lyrics were written by the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n poet and bibliographer Michael Denis
Michael Denis
Johann Nepomuk Cosmas Michael Denis, also: SinedSined is an anagram of Denis. the Bard, was an Austrian poet, bibliographer, and lepidopterist....
(1729–1800).
History
Mozart never visited GibraltarGibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
and his homeland of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
was not involved in the war between France, Spain and Britain which included the Great Siege. However, given that Mozart was Austrian, and that Gibraltar was originally taken in 1704 by the Grand Alliance of Powers on behalf of the Archduke of Austria, when the Great Siege came about between the same opponents as 80 years previously Austria was supportive of the defenders.
Furthermore, Mozart was not keen on the French but did have a fondness for the British and two of his English students were among his favourites.
In a letter of 28 December 1782 Mozart wrote:
German
Doch blickt dein tausendjähriger Gipfel
Ruhig auf Welten umher.
Siehe! Dort wölket sich hinauf,
Über die westlichen Wogen her,
Wölket sich breiter und ahnender auf.
Es flattert, o Calpe! Segelgewölk!
Flügel der Hilfe!
Wie prächtig wallet die Fahne Britanniens,
Deiner getreuen Verheißerin!
Calpe! Sie wallt! Aber die Nacht sinkt!
Sie deckt mit ihren schwarzesten,
Unholdsten Rabenfittichen Gebirge,
Flächen, Meer und Bucht und Klippen,
Wo der bleiche Tod des Schiffers,
Kiele spaltend, sitzt.
Hinan!
Aus tausend Rachen heulen Stürme.
Die Fluten steigen an die Wolken,
Zerplatzen stürzend über Felsen.
Schon treiben von geborst'nen Schiffen
Der Feinde Trümmer auf den Wogen.
Hinan! Hinan!
Catalan
mentre el teu cim mil·lenari
observa serè el món al seu voltant.
Mira! Allí dalt, el cel s'ennuvola
sobre les onades de l'Oest;
els núvols són cada cop més amenaçadors.
Esbateguen, oh Calp –el mar, cobert de veles!–
ales de socors!
Que magnífica oneja la bandera de Britània,
la teva lleial protectora!
Oh, Calp! Sí, oneja! Però cau la nit!
Ella cobreix amb les seves més negres
i sinistres ales de corb, muntanyes,
planes, mars i badies; i esculls,
on la mort pàl·lida espera els navegants,
destrossant les quilles de les seves naus.
Endavant!
De mil goles sorgeix la tempesta.
La marea puja fins a tocar els núvols
i l'onatge espetega impetuós contra els esculls.
Ja van a la deriva sobre les onades
les restes dels vaixells enemics destrossats.
Endavant! Endavant!
