Abstract
Thomas Arne (1710-1778) seemed to have had a knack of penning a memorable and stirring British song, composing //Rule, Brittania!//, //A-hunting We Will Go// and - as arranged here - the (then-titled) //God Save The King// which has been the unofficial English national anthem for a quarter of a millennium. In fact, there is no prescribed ‘official’ anthem for England or the UK, it is only determined by custom or popular use, but //God Save The King// (renamed when needed to //God Save The Queen//) has been selected repeatedly by the British people over the years with only //Jerusalem//, //Rule, Brittania!// and //Land of Hope and Glory// coming in to any contention. In fact, although it is Arne who is usually credited as the composer and it is his version that we would be familiar today, he may not be the original writer of the melody: a much older keyboard piece from 1619 exists by one Dr. John Bull which shares many of its melodic characteristics. In addition much of the lyrical content was well known by the time Arne published the work in 1744, and some of the words may be traced as far back as the Bible. Since the 18th century verses have been added and removed (including some incendiary remarks about the Scots), so teasing out where credit should be given in such cases is virtually impossible. These difficulties of historical tracing aside, //God Save the Queen/King// has been indelibly embedded in culture of the British public heard over the years in countless state ceremonies, sporting events and public broadcasts...