Sol canadien, terre chérie

'Sol canadien, terre chérie'

'Sol canadien, terre chérie'. One of the earliest Canadian patriotic songs. Isidore Bédard intended the words as a national song. Two stanzas were published anonymously in 1827 and all four in the Gazette de Québec 1 Jan 1829. At first they were sung to the tune of 'Ah! quel tourment,' while Le Chansonnier des collèges (2nd edn 1854) refers to the tune of 'Ah! quelle, quelle inquiétude.' The name of T.F. Molt is associated with two settings. The earlier bears his name as arranger and publisher but lacks a date. The second identifies him as composer and was issued posthumously by Senécal, Daniel & Cie as sheet music and as an insert in the February issue of Le Journal de l'instruction publique and also in the Recueil de chansons canadiennes et francaises, all in 1859. Both settings have been reprinted in CMH, vol 7. The Recueil (p 341) states that the song 'sums up admirably the feelings of French Canadians at the time of its composition. They were submissive to British rule, despite the daily strain placed on their loyalty by its oligarchic nature, because they abhorred the thought of annexation by the USA.'