Description
"Tautiška giesmė" is the national anthem of the Republic of Lithuania. The author of the music and lyrics is Lithuanian journalist, poet and composer Vincas Kudirka. The song was first published in 1898 in the Varpas newspaper (September 6), and the first public performance took place on November 13, 1899 (after Kudirka's death) in St. Petersburg by a local choir under the direction of Czeslaw Sosnowski. Tautiška giesmė was first performed in Vilnius on December 3, 1905, on the eve of the meeting of the Grand Sejm. Finally, the Tautiška giesmė as the national anthem was approved by the declaration of the Lithuanian Seimas in 1919. During the Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1941 and from 1950 to 1988, the performance of the Tautiška giesmė was banned. After the occupation (1940–1941), the “International” served as the anthem. From 1950 to 1988 they used the Anthem of the Lithuanian SSR. In 1988, the Tautiška giesmė was restored as the anthem of the revived Republic of Lithuania, and in 1998 its centenary was solemnly celebrated. Arranged for guitar by Andrey Shilov (Pajarillo).