Academic Festival Overture

There is perhaps nothing that tickles audiences more than watching those they hold in high esteem show their humorous sides. Whether it’s a CEO opening a speech with a self-deprecating joke or the Pope wearing a baseball cap, people love to feel that their heroes have a sense of humor. The music world has its own share of jokesters. Consider Mozart’s “A Musical Joke” for string quartet and two horns, purposefully composed with compositional “errors,” or Haydn’s “Farewell Symphony,” where the players were told to slowly leave the stage one by one (in hopes of gently alerting the king that the court orchestra was tired and wanted to go home), or Erik Satie’s Three Pieces in the Form of a Pear, which legend says were composed as a response to Debussy telling Satie that he needed to “pay more attention to form” in his music. Add to this list one of Brahms’ most beloved overtures. Faced with composing a work for the most pompous of university ceremonies, Brahms responded with a boisterous survey of student drinking songs, the Academic Festival Overture.

Although Brahms never attended university, he did spend one glorious summer at age 20 in Göttingen, where he joined his friend, the violinist Joseph Joachim, and enrolled in the local university’s classes on philosophy and history. For two months, Brahms and Joachim immersed themselves not only in their academic studies, but also in the rowdy camaraderie of the local students. Beer-fueled debates and late-night song fests complemented their intellectual pursuits, and Brahms reportedly thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of his “university experience.” Those memories resurfaced 26 years later, when Brahms received notice that the University of Breslau intended to award him an honorary doctorate, proclaiming him “the foremost composer of serious music in Germany.” Flattered, Brahms sent a casual note of thanks to the university faculty, remarking that he hoped to get to Breslau soon to enjoy a few “doctoral beers.” Shortly after sending his note, he was contacted by a friend at the University who strongly suggested that the appropriate way to express his gratitude would be for Brahms to compose something fitting for the occasion. The following summer, while on vacation, Brahms finally sat down to write his musical thank you. Although the University had unabashedly asked for a full symphony, what they got was a glorious ten-minute overture that anyone in attendance would certainly have recognized as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the “after-hours” joys of student life.

There is an atmosphere of anticipation as the overture opens with hushed strings presenting a rhythmic statement drawn from one of Brahms’ favorite marches, the Rákóczi March. This introductory material grows in intensity, culminating in a bold, full-orchestra statement. There is a sudden pause, then the trumpets announce the first of the student songs, “Wir hatten gebauet ein stattliches Haus (We Have Built a Stately House).” This tune originated in the East German town of Jena as a protest song after the student union there was forcibly disbanded 60 years prior. The tune was still considered quite controversial and would definitely have been perceived as a somewhat “pro-student” and “anti-establishment” statement by Brahms. A return to the opening march music provides an interlude before the introduction of another student song, “Alles schweige! Jeder neige (Everyone Be Silent).” This tune was traditionally sung by students as part of a ceremony where they pledged their loyalty to Germany. Brahms excerpts part of the melody in a lush presentation by the upper strings. The atmosphere takes a decidedly rowdier turn when the bassoons suddenly announce the third student song, a freshman hazing tune called “Fuchslied (Song of the Fox).” Similar to the English tune “A-Hunting We Will Go,” it is a boisterous melody that would have been immediately recognized by the full student body, as well as the faculty in attendance. What follows is a magnificent development section where all three tunes are interspersed with the opening march music in a gorgeous amalgamation that could only have been conceived by Brahms. This glorious mélange leads directly to the grand finale, a magisterial presentation of “Gaudeamus igitur,” a traditional graduation day melody (and common drinking song) whose opening line is, "Let us rejoice, therefore, while we are young." With ceremonial brass, swirling strings, and powerful percussion, Brahms puts a triumphant exclamation point on this humorous homage to youth, student life, and those glorious early years where anything and everything seems possible.