Els
Segadors has been the national anthem of Catalonia since the end of the 19th century.
The current score was written by Emili Guanyavents in 1899. It uses elements which
have their origin in the oral tradition, and which had been previously collected
by the writer and philologist Manuel Milŕ i Fontanals in 1882. The musical version
is by Francesc Alió, who composed it in 1892, adapting the melody of a previously
existing song. This hymn is thus a reflection of an original song which has its
origin in the historical events of 1639 and 1640: the War of the Catalans against
King Philip IV, a war in which the peasants played a key role.
The hymn has the characteristics of a passionate call in favour of the defence of the freedom of the Catalan soil. It is solemn and firm, and unites the will of the people in favour of the survival of a nation which proclaims its full national character.
Els Segadors was declared the Catalan national anthem by an Act of the Catalan Parliament dated 25 February 1993. The official sound recording was made and released in 1994.
Bon cop de falç!
Bon cop de falç, defensors de la
terra!
Bon cop de falç!
Ara és hora, segadors!
Ara és hora d'estar alerta!
Per quan
vingui un altre juny
esmolem ben bé les eines!
(tornada)
Que tremoli l'enemic
en veient la nostra ensenya:
com fem
caure espigues d'or,
quan convé seguem cadenes!
(tornada)
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