With a range of one and a half octaves, “The Star-Spangled Banner” is known for being difficult to sing.
Although the song has four stanzas, only the first is commonly sung today. But that won’t be a problem for 14-year Jenna Welch of Seal Beach. She will be singing the National Anthem at the Cypress Community Festival at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 23, on the main stage of Festival.
Welch has studied singing with former songstress Amy Surratt, who sang at last year’s Festival.
She has been singing and performing since elementary school. She said she loves musical theatre and has been featured in such Broadway musicals as “Aladdin,” “Oklahoma,” “Wicked” and the “Best of Broadway.” Country music is her favorite style and Carrie Underwood is her favorite singer.
We, as Americans, sometimes forget our extensive and rich ancestry. As an example, how many of us know by heart our own National Anthem? We know the melody, but what about those words. Perhaps by reading a little about the historical aspects of how our National Anthem came about, we can better understand and record to memory this most important patriotic duty for each and every American.
It all started in 1814. Our National Anthem was actually a poem written by Francis Scott Key. He was inspired by the American victory and the sight of the large American flag flying triumphantly above Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. The poem was set to the tune of a popular British drinking song written by John Stafford Smith for the Anacreontic Society, a men’s social club in London. “The Anacreontic Song” became more popular in the United States and was renamed “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In 1889 The Navy recognized “The Star-Spangled Banner” for official use. And in 1931 President Herbert Hoover declared it the National Anthem by Congressional Resolution.
