Il Canto degli Italiani

Il Canto degli Italiani

English: The Song of the Italians
Holographic copy of 1847 of "Il Canto degli Italiani"
National anthem of  Italy
Also known as	Inno di Mameli (English: Mameli's Hymn) Fratelli d'Italia (English: Brothers of Italy)
Lyrics	Goffredo Mameli, 1847
Music	Michele Novaro, 1847
Adopted	12 October 1946 (de facto) 1950 (by Trust Territory of Somaliland) 4 December 2017 (de jure)
Relinquished	1960 (by Trust Territory of Somaliland)
Preceded by	"Marcia Reale" (1861–1946)
Audio sample
Italian Navy Band instrumental version (one verse and chorus) file help

"Il Canto degli Italiani" (Italian: [il ˈkanto deʎʎ(i) itaˈljaːni];^[1] transl. "The Song of the Italians") is a patriotic song written by Goffredo Mameli and set to music by Michele Novaro in 1847,^[2] currently used as the national anthem of Italy. It is best known among Italians as the "Inno di Mameli" (Italian: [ˈinno di maˈmɛːli]; transl. "Mameli's Hymn"), after the author of the lyrics, or "Fratelli d'Italia" (Italian: [fraˈtɛlli diˈtaːlja]; transl. "Brothers of Italy"), from its opening line. The piece, in 4/4 time signature and B-flat major key, has six strophes, and a refrain sung after each. The sixth group of verses, almost never performed, recalls the first strophe's text.

The song was very popular during Italian unification and the following decades. However, after the Kingdom of Italy's 1861 proclamation, the republican and Jacobin connotations of "Fratelli d'Italia" were difficult to reconcile with the new state's monarchic constitution. The kingdom chose instead "Marcia Reale" (Royal March), the House of Savoy's official anthem, composed by order of King Charles Albert of Sardinia in 1831.

After the Second World War, Italy became a republic. On 12 October 1946, it chose "Il Canto degli Italiani" as a provisional national anthem. The song would retain this role as de facto anthem of the Italian Republic, and after several unsuccessful attempts, gained de jure status on 4 December 2017.