Encyclopedia of National Anthems

National anthems encompass a wide variety of music, from folk tunes to religious praises, from patriotic hymns to victory marches. Some songs exalt the beauty of the nation, while others boast an historical event. More than a few are simply brief fanfares without words. Yet strangely, the uniqueness of each anthem makes them similar, because it reflects the cultural and linguistic diversity of the world, and every nation's priceless contribution. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, this exhaustive reference source is an up-to-date collection of national anthems from most of the 192 sovereign countries in the world. Besides providing music sheets arranged for piano, the book also includes lyrics in the original language of each country along with an English translation, if applicable. Non-Latin texts are also displayed as much as possible, usually coming with a transliterated version in the sheet music so that they can be sung. In addition to the anthems, each entry includes a quick fact box containing historical background of the country, facts about the nation itself, and a short account of how the song came to be the national anthem.