I don’t mean national anthems, but in this case unrelated tunes or pieces of music that “remind people of home” or are heavily associated with your country/it’s history.
I think in the case of the UK, Elgar’s Nimrod has become the quintessential British tune. It’s played regularly at ceremonies on Remembrance Sunday. And you’ll often hear it in ads or publicity for “Best of British”-type products. But while Elgar was British, Nimrod itself isn’t about Britain in particular. As far as I can tell it’s just an adopted tune (I could be wrong).
In Ireland’s case, while it isn’t as widespread in marketing as Nimrod might be, the opening of Seán Ó Riada’s “Mise Éire” is very commonly played at solemn occasions, state funerals, commemorations, or other national occasions. It was originally the score to a documentary on the 1916 Rising, but it’s since been associated with the state itself and with commemorating the war of independence.
Are there other examples which exist in your country that play a similar role?
19 comments
[Oginski’s Polonez](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3aFnCanJ-k) is a great example of shared/mixed Lithuanian-Polish identity, this song being associated with Poland by Poles and Lithuania among Lithuanians.
Jean Sibelius’ Finlandia, and especially the Finlandia Hymn that ends it. The pieceis about the struggles of the Finnish peaople, and it has since it was first performed been a symbol for Finland, on par with the national anthem. If not higher.
While I was living in NYC I heard echoes of a police parade where they were using bagpipes. The Scottish bagpipe is the closest (sound and appearance) to ours (Galician), so I was immediately transported home, goosebumps all through my body.
As a proper piece, a *muiñeira* (equivalent to the Irish *jig*) will definitely do the trick, and as a specific song, the “*Sementeira*”.
The Blue Danube waltz by Johann Strauss.
Probably the Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II
Maybe [Visa från Utanmyra](https://youtu.be/t2D5HlKLh34) by Jan Johansson. A solemn little Jazz tune with some vibes of Swedish folk music. Been used in movies, tv, commercials and as lounge and elevator music.
[Verdes Anos – Carlos Paredes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2TLCGcj6y8)
It’s a great piece, but it appeals to a melancholic state, which looks out of place when it’s played during times of celebration
For Estonia:
– [Homeland Melody](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziQsftebsbg)
– [Suite from the Music to the Film “Spring”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLP6fAE9cqM)
[Maksim Mrvica – Croatian Rhapsody](https://youtu.be/o3kuoEMyJGI) is maybe the most known instrumental piece, partly due to being a famous 2000s telenovela’s intro
if you are out of Catalonia, [L’emigrant](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWKF3mluv9A), the Emigrant. This version is played in a Gypsy style by the great Peret (sorry, not instrumental, but I had to post it)
The tone colour of any sardana too, specially [Juny](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iRx3yFZxu4), by Juli Garreta. In a visit to Barcelona by Igor Stravinsky, after hearing Juny he asked «More Garreta, please, more Garreta».
And, of course, [El Cant dels Ocells](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKoX01170l0), the song of the birds, a traditional Christmas song that cellist Pau Casals used to play at the beginning of all his concerts during his exile. He played it in the White house (video) and in the UNO. PS. He wrote the music for the UNO anthem. [Here when he played the song of the birds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T8DjwLt_c4) at the UNO with an extract of the previous speech. [The full speech](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMp1LcJLTmU) (just 4 min).
If I’m ever abroad and hear something similar to [this](https://youtu.be/1mTTyfH-wr4), I’ll definitely be reminded about Portugal. Can’t disassociate *rancho folclórico* music from Portugal and its culture as well
[Na Golici](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJcevebMrqU) if this kind of music counts.
Must be some pieces by Edvard Grieg..
[Dovregubbens hall](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nMUr8Rt2AI&ab_channel=SeattleSymphony) (in the hall of the mountain king)
[Morgenstemning](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqHUBgDcRIs&ab_channel=Raaf) (morning mood)
[Norsk Dans nr.2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYrCj4lweLg&ab_channel=avihu4)
Is the kind of music that plays into the soul of norway… .. Dovregubbens hall was originally written to the play, Peer Gynt, by probably norway most famous writer/author historically, Henrik Ibsen.. Some other famous composers has copied the structure in “Dovregubbens hall”.. like Maurica Ravel in his Bolero.. Morgenstemning is also typical music that is often used in national romantic sentments.. like advertisements etc.. And “Norsk Dans” nr.2″ has been the the intro-theme for one of norway longest running tv-show Norge Rundt (Around Norway)…A bit funny .. the [ice cream truck](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-hPjr7sg6M&t=4s&ab_channel=VzoRSniping%7CGTAVGaming) in norway also uses that melody now.. Maybe not that famous outside norway.. but it’s the kind of melodic piece every norwegian must have heard..
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7gFNaGYEs8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7gFNaGYEs8)
Na Golici, I believe it is the most often played instrumental song in the world, or at least it was when I heard that. It was used in sports events a lot then, particularly ice hockey. It is the quintessential song in a certain type of a party here, and most everyone can dance to it if sufficiently drunk.
Beethovens 9th [Ode to Joy](https://youtu.be/t3_YzOyn4Qw?t=189), though it was briefly used as an anthem of the united German team in the olympic games of 1956/60/64.
In movies, games and and memes mostyl military marches are used, like the infamous [Erika](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAzVYCs4BMY). Other ones would be [Lili Marleen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjXC4N1HXf0) or the
[Yorckscher Marsch](https://youtu.be/Lb2_vOMRZ1Y?t=139), by Beethoven and the central piece of the Prussian grand tattoo.
And then there are probably dozens of inofficial anthems of the several regions of Germany.
Brahm’s Hungarian dances or the music of Liszt Ferenc, most famously Hungarian Rhapsody no 2.
I don’t know which music is associated with Ukraine, but I know which is not despite being pretty famous.
“Carol of the Bells” is known as American Christmas song by most of the world, but in fact it’s composed by Ukrainian composer and based on a traditional Ukrainian folk chant. I hope this comment will help to create this associations in a future 🙂
Pretty much anything played on (our version of) the bagpipes I suppose. I can’t really think of any other instrumental tunes that have the same effect with the possible exception of tunes more associated with the pipes.
I can’t speak for anyone else but personally I never fail to get emotional when I hear [“Härlig är jorden”.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCPXgLjTHxQ) I used to hate that fucking song as a kid and every time it was played in church you had to stand up. After a while I came to associate it with funerals as it’s usually sung at them. Growing older I started to like it, it sounds kinda sad but triumphant in equal measure, like a wedding march but instead of the bridal couple entering the church, it’s the soul of the deceased who is ascending to heaven, which is a bit ironic because the song is about how wonderful *Earth* (not Heaven) is.
Another psalm that really lays it on thick with pitch-black Scandinavian grieving is [Gammal fäbodpsalm.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tVmxsbzoB8) I think I’ve *only* heard it at funerals, and people always start to silently sob and it’s while this plays that it is customary to break through your collected Scandinavian exterior and gently weep and sob in your pew.