Turns out the Dutch have been singing their national anthem wrong this whole time

Come time for national celebrations, the Dutch flash their patriotic spirit by chanting their national anthem. It’s a glorious time — but apparently, they’re singing technique is just a wee bit off. 🥴

If you’re not familiar with the Dutch national anthem, “Wilhelmus”, let us quickly brief you. The song, in all its essence, is all about a war between the Netherlands and Spain. 

In a language that very few Spaniards can understand, the hymn alludes back to that one time where the Dutch were under political control of the Spanish crown. 

And while the national anthem used to be sung as a battle song by soldiers who fought in the war, it’s now one step away from stealing Michael Bublé’s tempo in his (very) slow version of “White Christmas”. ❄️👌

The anthem can make anyone feel Dutch, even if they’re not! 🥴

A battle song turned romantic

According to the NOS, the Dutch have strayed a bit from the original version of the national anthem, taking a more solemn, sloth-like approach to singing it these days. 

If you find yourself at any international event celebrating the Dutch, you’ll notice that there’s a bit of a “romantic” tone behind the song. 

READ MORE | That time a Dutch football team signed a contract with an 18-month-old

Why? Well, during the Romanticism movement, the tough, battle song that soldiers once knew was transformed into a national anthem that even became popular for ballroom dancing. Say what? 🤨

Then, in the late 1800s, Austrian composer, Eduard Kremser, adapted the anthem once more… and guess what? The already sluggish tempo became even more slugged.

Too slow? Not according to musicians

It’s interesting to know that if the original pace of the anthem was played in this day and age, it would actually leave many Dutchies surprised.

READ MORE | Dutch citizens asked to sing national anthem to celebrate King’s Day

Several Dutch musicians and singers passionately chimed in on the topic, debating whether the national anthem is truly sung too slowly nowadays.

Double bassist, Rob Dirksen, tells the NOS he prefers to play the slower, turtle-like tempo. “This is what we made of it. It was not an anthem and now it has become at this pace.”

However, Dutch scholar and singer, Margot Kalse, begs to differ. She believes that the pace should vary per occasion. 

READ MORE | 11 Dutch songs to learn the language (and culture!) 

If it’s a football match, the battle version of the song should shine through, but if it’s for something like Remembrance Day, then the slower tempo would be a better fit.

There’s a possibility that we’ll hear the Wilhelmus being played much faster in the future, at least according to song expert, De Bruin — but it all depends on the Dutch and their haste-making ways. 😉

Do you think the Wilhelmus should be sung faster or slower? Tell us in the comments below! 👇

Feature Image:Depositphotos
Gaelle Salem
Gaelle Salem
Born and raised on the island of Sint Maarten, Gaelle moved to the Netherlands in 2018 to attend university. Still trying to survive the erratic Dutch wind and rain, she has taken up the hobby of buying a new umbrella every month. You can probably find her in the centre of The Hague appreciating the Dutch architecture with a coffee in one hand and a slice of appeltaart in the other.

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