'Inno di Garibaldi' - Italian Risorgimento Song

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"L'Inno di Garibaldi" is a patriotic hymn of the Italian Risorgimento. The author of the text was, at the request of the same hero of the two worlds, the poet Luigi Mercantini (1821–1872), also known for his ode La spigolatrice di Sapri, a poignant romantic re-enactment of the republican and Mazzinian expedition by Carlo Pisacane. The hymn was very popular for a long time after the unification of Italy, especially among the communities of Italian emigrants. It gained new momentum at the time of the Great War, and during Fascism it was one of the few hymns of the Risorgimento not prohibited by the regime.
During the resistance it was adopted by the Communist partisan brigades (the so-called Garibaldi brigades) and used by the radio station Radio Bari as the closing theme for the Italia fights broadcast.
During the electoral campaign for the elections of April 18, 1948, the anthem was used for the propaganda of the Popular Democratic Front, which also used the image of Garibaldi as an electoral symbol.

The origin of the hymn dates back to a meeting held on December 19, 1858 in the house of the Bergamo patriot Gabriele Camozzi on the heights of Genoa, in which Nino Bixio, Mercantini, Garibaldi and his wife also participated, in which the formation of the body of volunteers hereinafter referred to as "Cacciatori delle Alpi". At a certain point in the meeting the hero of the two worlds said to the poet from the Marches: «You should write me a hymn for my volunteers! We will sing it while fighting, and we will sing it by returning victors! ». Mercantini replied laconically: "I'll try." In a subsequent meeting, held in the same place and with the same participants on December 31, Mercantini announces that he has composed the hymn, to which he has given the title of Italian Song, and that he has entrusted the composition of the music to his friend Alessio Olivieri , director of a military band. Accompanied by his wife on the piano, Mercantini sings the first verse of the hymn in his low voice, which arouses the acclamation and enthusiasm of those present. The hymn soon became very popular and known as the Battle Hymn of the Hunters of the Alps, and following the expedition of the Thousand it became known simply as Garibaldi's Hymn.