National Anthem of El Salvador

	"Himno Nacional de El Salvador" - (Instrumental) "Himno Nacional de El Salvador" music by Juan Aberle, lyrics by Juan José Cañas
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The National Anthem of El Salvador was composed by the Salvadoran general Juan José Cañas and the Italian musician Juan Aberle, which was formally premiered on September 15, 1879, to be legally adopted by the Legislative Assembly as the national anthem of the Republic of El Salvador on November 13, 1953.

At the initiative of Dr. Francisco Dueñas, who at that time was the President of the Republic, the first National Anthem of El Salvador was composed in 1866 by the Cuban doctor Tomás M. Muñoz, who wrote the lyrics, and by the musician Salvadoran Rafael Orozco, to whom the music for it is owed. Said national anthem was legally adopted by Executive Agreement of October 8, 1866, published in the state newspaper El Constitucional No. 31, Volume No. 2, of October 11, 1866, to be officially released on January 24, 1867. This national anthem was sung until the overthrow of Dr. Dueñas through a coup in 1871. Later, at the initiative of the then President of the Republic, Dr. Rafael Zaldívar, in 1879 the current National Anthem of El Salvador would be composed by Cañas and Aberle as the authors of its lyrics and music, respectively.

By means of the Executive Agreement of June 3, 1891, published in the Official Gazette No. 128, Volume No. 30, of June 3, 1891, and General Carlos Ezeta being then President of the Republic, A new national anthem was legally adopted, at the initiative of this Head of State, which was known by the official name of “El Salvador Libre”, which was dedicated to the Salvadoran Army. The composition of the lyrics and music of this national anthem, which was previously officially released on May 2, 1891, was in charge of the Italian artist Césare Georgi Vélez.

General Ezeta was overthrown by a coup executed in 1894, and after his fall, the national anthem composed by Cañas and Aberle in 1879 was sung again, although the latter lacked official recognition. This situation was resolved by Legislative Decree No. 1231, of November 13, 1953, published in the Official Gazette No. 226, Volume No. 161, of December 11, 1953, through which the Assembly Legislative Assembly, at the request of the Salvadoran Academy of History, officially recognized as the National Anthem of El Salvador the one that was composed by Cañas and Aberle and solemnly premiered on September 15, 1879 on the esplanade of the old National Palace of El Salvador, at whose civic ceremony attended by members of the presidential cabinet of that time.

El Salvador Public School. In 1992, a reform passed to Article 15 of the Law of the Patriotic Symbols of 1972, establishes that the public execution of the National Anthem of El Salvador must begin with the choir and end with the first verse.

The National Anthem of El Salvador is made up of a chorus and three verses, although the last two of them have not been sung for many years. However, this custom would only obtain official recognition through Legislative Decree No. 342, of October 7, 1992, published in the Official Gazette No. 223, Volume No. 317, of December 3, 1992, through the which the Legislative Assembly decided to amend Article 15 of the National Symbols Law, in force since 1972, where it is established that the execution of the national anthem must begin with the chorus and end with the first stanza. It has become very common to just sing the chorus, nothing else, which is repeated, since it is the strongest musical part of the national anthem.

The official act in which the current National Anthem of El Salvador was sung for the first time, whose celebration took place in the Salvadoran capital, was described in the following terms by the edition of the Official Gazette corresponding to September 17, 1879:

At once, and in the spacious courtyard of the Palace, the beautiful patriotic hymn composed of the lords D. Juan J. Cañas and D. Juan Aberle, artists both of notable merit, the first of the hymn's lyrics, and the second of the music, were sung by all the youth of the Colleges and schools of this Capital.
This hymn composed for September 15 [sic] premiered with accompaniment of the military band and merited general approval.

Published in the Official Journal of September 17, 1879, Volume 7, Number 218, Page 1295.

Lyrics of the National Anthem of El Salvador

Nahuat Language Version

On September 1, 2009, during the inauguration of the civic month in Suchitoto, Cuscatlán, the National Anthem was interpreted in Náhuat by the Choir of the "Doctor Mario Calvo Marroquín" from Izalco, Sonsonate.