“Lepanto” was written about the Battle of Lepanto, in which the vastly outnumbered Holy League beat the Ottoman Empire’s galleys, thus helping change the course of history. (The gates of Vienna also came into it, on a different front of the war.) It also refers to the historical fact that Cervantes fought in the great and chivalrous Battle of Lepanto… and then went home and wrote Don Quixote.
“Lepanto” by G.K. Chesterton, 1911
10:29.
This is really, really good. Is there sheet music available anywhere?
Ohh, that was excellent. Thank you for this and for all your other work here.
This is very good. I had been trying for some time to come up with a good and consistent tune to assist me in my memorization of the thing, but there were many problems to be overcome. You seem to have done it handily, and as a wholly commendable battle march at that. Well done.
“Is there sheet music available anywhere?”
No, I’m afraid not. I’m good at coming up with tunes, but I’m not real competent with writing down music.
But I’m glad you all enjoyed it. As you can tell, I love this poem!
[…] of Chesterton, and of martial religion, Maria Lectrix has recorded a sung version of Chesterton’s long poem Lepanto. This is a fine poem, full of gallantry and fighting […]
Superb! Many thanks!
Really nice and enjoying. Thanks
I like Lepanto, even though I personally hate the idea of the Crusades in any form. But Chesterton was really making the case that the Turks were the inheritors in a long list of tyrants, a list that includes the Egyptians and the Babylonians. Not that the Spanish are any better, in fact, I consider Lepanto the last time that the Hapsburgs do anything really for the benefit of all of Europe, rather than to advance their dynasty.
This is awesome – you have done the church a great favor.