A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Emperor's Hymn, The

EMPEROR'S HYMN, THE. A hymn written in 1796 by Lorenz Leopold Hanschka during the patriotic excitement caused by the movements of the French revolutionary army, set to music for 4 voices by Haydn, and first sung on Feb. 12, 1797, at the Emperor's birthday. He afterwards employed it as the theme for 4 variations in his well-known quartet (op. 76, No. 3). (See A. Schmid, 'J. Haydn und N. Zingarelli,' Venice [App. p.627 "Vienna"] 1847.)