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| Els Segadors | |
|---|---|
| Name | Els Segadors |
| Composer | Traditional Catalan folk melody; music arranged by Francesc Alió |
| Lyricist | Traditional lyrics adapted by Àngel Guimerà and others |
| Language | Catalan |
| Published | Traditional; anthem version adopted 1993 |
| Genre | Hymn; folk song |
Els Segadors is the official national anthem of Catalonia, originating from a 17th-century folk song tied to the Reapers' War (Guerra dels Segadors). Its text and melody evolved through oral tradition, poetic adaptation, and musical arrangement in the 19th and 20th centuries before formal adoption by the Parliament of Catalonia. The song has been invoked in political mobilizations, literary works, and cultural commemorations across Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona, and the Catalan Countries.
The anthem traces roots to the Reapers' War (1640–1659), a peasant uprising that intersected with the Thirty Years' War and resulted in the Treaty of the Pyrenees. Contemporary chronicles by officials in Barcelona and correspondence involving the Count-Duke of Olivares record disturbances in Catalan rural districts like Ripoll and Vic. Oral tradition preserved a lament and rallying cry among harvesters that folklorists such as Marià Aguiló and ethnomusicologists including Francesc Alió collected during the 19th century. Poets and dramatists — notably Àngel Guimerà and members of the Renaixença movement — adapted the verses for stage and print, while composers and arrangers connected to institutions like the Orfeó Català shaped the melody into a concert piece. Political episodes in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the rise of the Second Spanish Republic and the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, framed its use among exile communities in Perpignan and cultural associations such as the Federació Nacional d'Estudiants de Catalunya.
The anthem's lyrics juxtapose pastoral imagery from locales like Pla de Lleida with calls to action referencing violence in episodes associated with Barcelona uprisings. Literary contributors from the Renaixença and early modern Catalan theatre edited stanzas; revisions by Francesc Alió and later editorial committees standardized a performable text for choirs linked to the Orfeó Català and municipal bands in Tarragona. Musically, the melody employs modal traits common in Iberian folk songs collected by Catalan folklorists and features a march-like rhythm adapted for chorus and brass ensembles associated with civic institutions such as the Generalitat de Catalunya's ceremonial bands. Arrangements appear in repertoires of conservatories like the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu and in symphonic settings produced by orchestras including the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya.
Formal recognition culminated in a parliamentary law ratified by the Parliament of Catalonia in 1993, following debates that involved political parties such as Convergència i Unió, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, and Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya. Prior to legal adoption, the anthem functioned as a symbol in municipal ceremonies presided over by figures like presidents of the Generalitat de Catalunya and in mass gatherings at landmarks like Plaça Sant Jaume and the Montjuïc stadium. The process mirrored similar cultural codifications enacted by legislatures in autonomous communities across Spain, intersecting with constitutional questions addressed in cases before the Spanish Constitutional Court and legislative discussions in the Cortes Generales.
As a mobilizing symbol, the anthem features in demonstrations organized by groups such as the Assemblea Nacional Catalana and during electoral campaigns by parties like Junts per Catalunya. It recurs in literary references by writers from the Noucentisme movement and in visual arts exhibited at institutions like the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. The anthem's presence in education programs at universities such as the University of Barcelona and in regional ceremonies underscores its role in civic identity formation. Internationally, diaspora communities in cities like Buenos Aires, Montreal, and Perpignan have deployed the song during commemorations connected to associations like the Casal Català network.
Professional recordings appear on labels that produce Catalan choral and orchestral music, performed by ensembles such as the Orfeó Català choir, the Cor de Cambra del Palau de la Música Catalana, and the Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya. Historic field recordings by collectors affiliated with the Institut d'Estudis Catalans and broadcasters such as Ràdio Barcelona preserve variant stanzas and regional melodic inflections from Empordà, Urgell, and Segrià. The anthem is programmed at state ceremonies in venues including the Palau de la Generalitat and at international cultural festivals featuring artists associated with the Sardana tradition and contemporary Catalan composers.
Debate surrounds the anthem's lyrical references to rebellion and violence, prompting critiques from political actors such as members of Partido Popular and commentators in national media like El País and ABC (newspaper). Legal challenges and public controversies have engaged institutions including the Spanish Constitutional Court and municipal councils in Barcelona and Girona, especially during heightened periods of independence debate involving mass mobilizations tied to the 2017 Catalan independence referendum. Scholarly critique appears in journals published by the Institut d'Estudis Catalans and in essays by historians of the Reapers' War, who debate authenticity of the text and the ethics of commemorating armed revolt in civic symbols.
Category:Catalan culture Category:Anthems