Uruguay National Anthem

Himno Nacional de Uruguay

National Anthem of Uruguay

Written 1833

Adopted 1848

Lyrics Francisco Acuña de Figueroa

Music Francisco José Debali

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Key Facts

1. The anthem opens with the cry 'Orientales, la Patria o la Tumba!' (Easterners, the Homeland or the Grave!), a life-or-death pledge; the phrase is also used as the anthem's popular name.
2. Debali was born in the Kingdom of Hungary and settled in Montevideo in 1838, where he led the orchestra of the Casa de Comedias, the city's first theatre. His score reflects the Italian opera of the day; it has been compared with Donizetti's 'Lucrezia Borgia', but the musicologist Lauro Ayestarán concluded in 1953 that it is not a plagiarism.
3. Credit for the music was long disputed between Debali and Fernando Quijano, who is said to have advised him. A 1979 decree on the official score calls it Debali's original work, but Uruguay's Ministry of Education and Culture notes that the debate is still open.

Uruguay National Anthem Lyrics

[Coro] ¡Orientales, la Patria o la Tumba! ¡Libertad, o con gloria morir! Es el voto que el alma pronuncia, Y que heroicos sabremos cumplir. Libertad, libertad, Orientales! Este grito a la Patria salvó, Que a sus bravos en fieras batallas De entusiasmo sublime inflamó. De este don sacrosanto la gloria Merecimos: tiranos temblad! Libertad en la lid clamaremos, Y muriendo, también libertad! [Coro]

Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals

Analysis

Editorial

The words are by Francisco Acuña de Figueroa (who also wrote Paraguay's anthem) and the music by Francisco José Debali; the words were approved in 1833 and the music in 1848. Usually only the chorus and the first stanza are sung, yet the music still runs to 105 bars and almost five minutes, making it one of the longest national anthems in the world. Uruguayans are called 'Orientales' (Easterners) because the country lies east of the Uruguay River.