Österreichische Bundeshymne or Austrian National Anthem by W. A. Mozart

For many years Austria's National Anthem was based on a melody composed by Haydn. However that melody was also used as the German National Anthem which during the 2nd World War became associated with Nazi Germany and the attrocities committed at that time in Europe. Shortly after WWII therefore, Austria adopted a new Anthem and this was based on a melody composed a few years earlier than the Haydn theme by another famous Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The melody comes from a song called the Bundeslied used in Mozart's Freimaurerkantate or Freemasons Cantata K.623 one of his last major works before his untimely death that same year in 1791. The arrangement below is for piano and can be played as a solo, or to accompany singers and other instruments. The Anthems of other selected countries can be found in our article National Anthems and Patriotic Songs.