By Estrella Gutiérrez
CARACAS, Apr 8 1997 (IPS)

What do the tunes of U.S. musicians Stevie Wonder and the late Jimmy Hendrix have in common with Charley Garcia of Argentina and Ilan Chester of Venezuela?

Answer: All have produced their own version of their country’s national anthem; and the difference?

The efforts of Messrs Wonder, Hendrix and Garcia were lauded by their fellow compatriots while Ilan’s interpretation has been roundly abused in his home country.

It all started for Ilan, as he is known professionally, when the publicity agency Nolck/Fisher, Justus decided to give clients and friends a new version of the national anthem as a new year’s gift. The agency asked Ilan, arguably the most famous musician in Venezuela who recently has distanced himself from concerts and recording, to compose the new tune.

The result came in a limited edition of a CD music-video featuring an extremely modern triptych cover depicting the three-colored Venezuelan flag. Trouble began, however, when the agency sold a local TV station the audio-visual rights of their suprise gift.

The privately-owned Channel 2 started transmitting Ilan’s version of the national anthem in the obligatory slots; at the start of broadcasting, at midday and midnight.

Immediately protest calls started arriving, many taking an ugly, racial twist, with critics accusing Ilan of lacking respect for the Venezuala as he was a Jew from Israel and, therefore, had no right to interpret the anthem. In fact Ilan has been a follower of the Hare Krishna faith since he was a boy.

Others, through the popular “Correo del Pueblo” column in the newspaper ‘El Universal,’ described Ilan’s work as an attack on the national symbols and added the music was either “not very martial” or “effeminate and sensual.”

Some outraged Venezualans called for “sanctions” against Ilan and the nationalistic ‘Bolivaran Society ‘ called on President Rafael Caldera to ban the transmission of any unofficial version of the national anthem.

Historians pointed out the paradox that the national anthem “Gloria al bravo pueble” (Glory to the brave people) was first sung as a lullaby in 1810 to camouflage the message of the independence fighters battling their Spanish rulers. Who exactly wrote the music and lyrics of the tune, which was adopted as the anthem in the late 19th century still has never been decided.

Ilan’s version of the national anthem, is not the first to be produced as an alterative. Renowned protest singer Ali Primera gave his own rendition of the song in the 1970’s, which was accepted without undue fuss. Not so in the case of Colombia’s Alfredo Gutierrez, one of the main members of “Corraleros de Majagual.” When he sang the Venezuelan anthem to the rhythm of a vallenato in the Western city of Maracaibo he was beaten up, arrested and allegedly tortured – creating a diplomatic incident.

There were some favourable judgements of Ilan’s version, both in the “People’s Post,” which dedicated whoe pages to the argument, and in the electronic version of the ‘El Nacional’ paper, which showed the music video as a basis for commen.

It is above all young people, never previously interested in the anthem, who have learnt Ilan’s version by heart with delight, for its catchy ballad style, using only one instrument – a piano – and respecting the lyrics.

“I had never been moved to tears, nor had I felt the impact of the National Anthem as deeply as with the beautiful Ilan version,” said Antonio Brito, going on to criticise the obtuse and prehistoric objectors who want the anthem to go into the 21st century without being updated or changed.

But the young need to be involved, he said.

“This is how we young people become attached to our symbols,” said 22 year-old Maria Eugenia Salgueiro, who said there was no way the official national anthem could attract her attention, if not telling her to turn off the radio or television, while Ilan’s “gives me goosebumps,” she said.

Vicepresident of Channel 2, Vladimir Gessen, said his station would continue transmitting Ilan’s version of the anthem on more than the obligatory occasions, as it has been proven that “each time it is played, people keep watching, while they used to change channels.”

Rodolfo Nolck, leader of the agency which had the idea, said that despite the criticisms and taboos, Ilan’s creation had achieved what it aimed to: “awakening pride, confidence and optimism,” in a people with a broken self-esteem.

He added that his agency had decided to share Ilan’s work, but on the condition that it not be sold, nor be sponsored nor appropriated, while Gessen stressed that the video showed children, youth and old people – from all racial backgrounds – looking active and confident of the future.

The purists say it is dangerous for children and young people to learn the Ilan version instead of the offical anthem, which many claim not to know, despite the fact it is part of a daily ritual in the schools.

The one person who has not given an opinion to date, is Ilan himself. The charistmatic 44 year-old singer-songwriter, had already written the informal anthem of Caracas, with his “Canto al Avila” (Song to the Avila), the great mountain which dominates the northern end of the valley, separating it from the sea.

Ilan sprang to fame in Venezuela as the leading figure of the urban music movement of the 1980’s, when Venezuela joined the list of nations in crisis, and his lyrics depicting daily life and touches of social criticism were sung to a catchy ballad rhythm.

He retired following a series of big concerts in the last three months of 1996, claiming he was tired of “show business” and wanted to dedicate himself to composing for others and his six children, along with the creation of a natural Krishna centre.

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