Gaudeamus igitur

Score of the "Gaudeamus igitur".

Gaudeamus igitur (Latin: 'Let us rejoice then') is the university anthem par excellence. It is a student song by an anonymous author. It was actually titled De brevitate vitae ('On the brevity of life') and was first sung at German universities in the mid-18th century.

Although its lyrics are not very academic, most European universities take it as their own anthem, singing it in the great academic solemnities; however, many choirs perform only a few verses.

No one knows the exact origin or the name of the composer. The music is believed to be by Johann Christian Günther (1717) and was rewritten in 1781 by Christian Wilhelm Kindleben (Berlin, 1748-Dresden, 1785), an evangelical theologian. There is another university anthem, much less known, Veni Creator, with a more religious content.

Song lyrics

Gaudeamus igitur

iuvenes dum sumus. (bis)

Post iucundam iuventutem,

post botherm senectutem,

we have been humus.

Ubi sunt qui ante nos

in the world?

Vadite ad superos,

Transite ad inferos,

ubi iam fuere.

Vita nostra brevis est,

brief finietur.

Venit mors velociter,

rapit nos atrociter,

nemini parcetur.

Vivat Academia,

vivant professors.

Vivat membrum quodlibet,

vivant membra quaelibet,

semper sint in flore.

Vivant omnes virgines,

easy, formosae

vivant et mulieres

haveae, nurses

bonae, laborious.

Vivat nostra societas!

Vivant studiosi!

Crescat a veritas,

fraternite floret,

prosperous homeland.

Vivat et res publica,

et qui illam regit.

Vivat nostra civitas,

Maecenatum charitas,

quae nos hic protectit.

Pereat tristitia,

pereant osores.

Pereat diabolus,

quivis antiburschius,

I dare you.

Quis confluxus hodie

Academicorum?

E longinquo convenerunt,

Protinusque successerunt

I commune forum.

Alma Mater floreat

quae nos polivit,

and conmilitons

dissites in regions

sparsos Congregationvit.

Let us therefore rejoice,

while we're young.

After the fun youth,

after the uncomfortable old age,

He'll get us the land.

Where are the ones before us

They went through the world?

Go up to the world of heaven,

go down to hell,

where they are now.

Our life is short,

It's over soon.

Death comes quickly,

drags us cruelly,

He doesn't respect anyone.

Viva la Universidad,

The teachers live.

Live each and every one

of its members,

They always shine.

Live all the virgins,

easy, beautiful!

women also live

tender, kind,

Good and hardworking.

Long live our society!

Live those who study!

To grow the only truth,

to flourish the fraternity

and the prosperity of the homeland.

Live also the State,

and who runs it.

Long live our city,

and the generosity of patrons

that welcomes us here.

Sadness dies,

die those who hate.

The devil died,

Anyone against the students,

and those who mock.

Why today such a crowd

of academics?

Despite the distance they agree,

Over time forecast

In a common forum.

Flower the University

that has educated us,

and has brought together dear companions

by remote regions

They were scattered.

Origin of the letter

The handwriting may be from the 13th century, based on a Latin manuscript dated 1287 found at the National Library in Paris. The words of some verses are almost identical, although the expression "gaudeaumus igitur" does not appear. There is music in the manuscript but it bears no resemblance to the melody known today.

A German translation of all the verses was made around 1717 by Johann Christian Günther and begins with „Brüder, laßt uns lustig sein“. This German text, without music, was printed in the Sammlung von Johann Christian Günthers (Frankfurt and Leipzig, 1730).

Apart from the 1267 Latin manuscript, the earliest known version is found in a handwritten student songbook, dated between 1723 and 1750, which is now in the Westdeutsche Bibliothek in Marburg. It differs considerably from the current version.

The first known appearance of the modern version of the Latin text is in Christian Wilhelm Kindleben's „Studentenlieder“, edited by Halle in 1781. On page 56 Kindleben states that he has made important changes to the Latin text. No copy of that work has survived, but there is a facsimile reprint of 1894 at Harvard University.

The melody

In 1782 the melody was so well known that, in the Akademisches Liederbuch by August Niemann (Dessau and Leipzig), currently at Yale University, it is indicated how three poems should be sung with this melody. The first known printed document of the current tune is in the „Lieder für Freude der Geselligen Freunde“ published in Leipzig in 1788, on page 24.

Later elaborations

Several composers have incorporated the melody of «Gaudeamus igitur» into some of their works. The best known is perhaps the “Academic Overture” („Akademische Festovertüre“, Op. 80) by Johannes Brahms. He composed it for a specific occasion: the awarding of an honorary doctorate by the University of Breslau in 1881. He uses well-known melodies from various German student songs; the "Gaudeamus" appears solemnly at the end of this work.

A fragment of the score appears in the march «Virgen de los Estudiantes», composed by Abel Moreno and dedicated to the Virgen de la Angustia, of the Brotherhood of Students of Seville.

In Málaga, the Students' Brotherhood (which carries out a procession on Holy Monday) is characterized by this hymn, which was adapted into a processional march by the composer Perfecto Artola, and at many points along the route the men on the throne sing part of the college anthem. In addition, some processional marches that are dedicated to the holders of said brotherhood, have some sounds inspired by Gaudeamus. Clear examples are: "Christ of the Students" (Francisco Grau), "Under your Mantle of Grace and Hope" (José Antonio Molero), "Nostalgia for a Holy Monday" (Víctor Ferrer) and "Maryam" (Francisco Javier Criado)..