El Salvador

Words by: Juan José Cañas
Music by: Juan Aberle
Adopted: 1853

One of the longest national anthems in existence (just counting one verse, that is), the Salvadoran anthem is a typical example of what I call a "Latin American epic anthem". It was commonly adopted as the National Song on September 15, 1879 but did not have official recognition until December 11, 1953.

The Official National Anthem was composed by an Italian composer that arrived in the country at the end of the 18th Century as the Director of an Opera Company and written by General Juan José Cañas, an inspired poet and distinguished military that took arms with the National Army against filibusters, around the year 1856. It was composed by recommendation of President Dr. Rafael Zaldívar and was sung for the first time on September 15, 1879 at the prior National Palace by children and young students from government and private schools of the capital city, and the anthem was very well recieved after that initial performance.

Special thanks to: José Quintanilla for some of this information.