Explosiones de patriotismo con el paso marcado

In 1898, amid the growing wave of wartime patriotism in Spain, the Marcha de Cádiz became an omnipresent sound in urban public spaces, frequently mentioned in the press. Originating from the zarzuela Cádiz (1886), with music by Federico Chueca y Joaquín Valverde, the march transcended the theater and resonated in social gatherings, bullfights, and military ceremonies. This article examines its role in the construction of national identity, analyzing how it contributed to the creation of nationalist phonospheres in urban environments. The piece functioned as a sonic force that was both unifying and controlling. The study contextualizes its widespread dissemination through the press (1887–1898), highlighting its performative impact in generating patriotic sentiment and its role as a nationalist propaganda tool that also silenced dissent through its repeated performances in celebrations, political mobilizations, and acts of social cohesion.