The UEFA Champions League is an annual European Championship, held since 1955 under the name of the European Cup, and in 1992 it switched to its current name with its new version (UEFA Champions League).
This tournament is considered one of the most prestigious competitions in the world at the club level. Still, the tournament was also known for its hymn, which the hearts of players and fans feel enthusiastically. The English composer Tony Britten, who graduated from the Royal College of music, was assigned to write an anthem for the competition in the style of one of the most famous composers: Georg Friedrich Haendel (1685-1759) who is considered one of the most important authors of the Baroque musical era, the anthem was built on one of Haydn’s four coronations.
The anthem of the UEFA Champions League is accompanied by the start of each match in the annual championship, and the competition begins and ends with it. It was performed by the British Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the ecclesiastical choir. The text of the anthem is based on the three official European languages: English, French and German.
Coronation Anthems
Haendel composed many pieces, such as sonnets and concertos, such as the Water Music and the Music For The Royal Fireworks. He also wrote opera and oratorio pieces (i.e. Reynaldo, Christ, Judas Maccabeus) and interested in the role of the choral group.
A Coronation Anthem is a hymn written to accompany the coronation of a king. Many composers have written Coronation Anthems, but the most famous was composed by Georg Haendel where he wrote four hymns with texts drawn from the King James Bible, dedicated to being played in the coronation of the British king.
It is believed that he wrote it between September 9 and October 11 of 1727, and Haendel’s author was used in every British royal coronation, starting in the same year. Each of these chants was a separate work but was published together at a later time: (The King Shall Rejoice), (Zadok the Priest), (Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened), (My Heart is Inditing).
As for the anthem of the Champions League, it was built on the anthem of Zadok the Priest, which is a song that extends for more than five minutes. It was written on Ri Major for (2 soprano – 2 alto – tenor and two basses, and the chorus) and an orchestra composed of (2 Oboes – 2 bassoons – 3 Trumpets and Timpani) in addition to the strings.
“Magic… it’s magic above all else. When you hear the anthem it captivates you straight away.”—Zinedine Zidane.
Orchestral music is preparing for a surprise by the use of steady layers of smooth fabric and tendency followed by an energetic, full-force (forte tutti) entrance, surprising and exciting, amplified by three trumpet machines.
Tony Britten nailed it
in 1992, UEFA hired the composer Tony Britten to create the anthem, and it took him few days to release the masterpiece. Tony admits: “every time I hear it, I get royalties and I feel proud of it.”
“They said they liked the Haendel’s coronation Zadok the Priest, so I snatched it. Then they said that it needed lyrics. They wanted something great; They wanted to embody the grandeur of the competition in one song” Tony declared to MyLodon magazine.
After worldwide success, Tony life changed, and his career developed he began to turn to the movies and TV.
The Champions League anthem lyrics
Ce sont les meilleures équipes
Es sind die allerbesten Mannschaften
The main eventDie Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The championsUne grande réunion
Eine grosse sportliche Veranstaltung
The main eventDie Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The championsIls sont les meilleurs
Sie sind die Besten
These are the championsDie Meister
Die Besten
Les grandes équipes
The champions
