Walk upon England’s mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England’s pleasant pastures seen!
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark satanic mills?
Bring me my Bow of burning gold:
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire!
I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In England’s green & pleasant Land.
Whether you consider it a hymn or an anthem, chances are hearing Jerusalem gives you goosebumps. It has become so ubiquitous in English society that many have suggested it as an 'alternate' national anthem, but few are familiar with the origins of this stirring piece of music.
In 1916, when morale was at an extremely low point during the Great War, musician Hubert Parry was asked by then Poet Laureate Robert Bridges to compose music for a long forgotten poem which had been included in a 'patriotic' anthology that year. Following a meeting at the Queen's Hall in London, to inaugurate the Fight for Right movement intended "to brace the spirit of the nation”, Parry was inspired to compose the simple tune which still inspires audiences to sing along.
Parry gave the manuscript to his pupil Walford Davies, allegedly proclaiming :"There you are, my boy, do what you like with it." What Davies did was ensure its publication, and secured its popularity by travelling the country teaching the piece along the way.
The poem selected was by a then obscure English mystical poet of the nineteenth century, William Blake. Written in 1804, 'And did those feet' was from the preface of the epic poem Milton.
Academics have long debated the 'real' meaning of Blake's poem. There is certainly an apocryphal tale about Jesus, accompanied by Joseph of Arimathea, arriving in Glastonbury, and a notion in Revelations in which a new Jerusalem is founded.
His poetic musings have a dark edge, and although his imagery is religious he was the antithesis of a rabid patriot. Blake was a political reactionary and great supporter of the French Revolution and his words paint a metaphorical picture of making England suitable as a new Jerusalem, seemingly impossible while looking out over those 'dark satanic mills' and the horrors wrought by man on nature through the industrial revolution.
Blake got himself into a bit of bother over treasonable comments he made about George III in public, but George V didn't seem to mind, as he was so roused when he heard Elgar's 1922 orchestration of Jerusalem that he said he wanted it as the new national anthem. In a 2003 Music Choice poll, 51% of those asked said they would choose it as a song to represent their country.
And today, whether it is sung as a school song (as it was at my grammar school), by members of the Women's Institute, supporters of the English rugby team or most rousingly at the last night of the Promenade concerts it can never fail to move as a piece of music, particularly if you are English.
