Well, the earlier Russian National Anthem was the Apolytkion of the Cross: O Lord, save Thy people - there's a moving scene in Eisenstein's film Ivan the Terrible showing the Muscovites having a procession out from Moscow to the monastery where the Tsar was, to bring him back to the capital. The music is lovely and not difficult.
The later Russian National Anthem, God Save the Tsar, comes from the opera A Life for the Tsar and has nice music - which has been received into English hymn-books for the hymn God the Omnipotent.
The Austrian National Anthem God Protect Our Emperor also has nice music and is used for the English hymn Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken.
Fr. Serge
