Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2014 November 21

Welcome to the Wikipedia Entertainment Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

November 21

American academic anthem

I was watching The House on 92nd Street recently, and when they cut to a view of a university (sorry, I don't know which one) the soundtrack orchestra played a familiar melody, I just don't know what it is. I've heard it in Hollywood films before, sometimes with a choir, when the scene changes to a university. Sorry I can't be more specific, but does this mean anything to anyone? Alansplodge (talk) 21:57, 21 November 2014 (UTC)

Can you find it on youtube or someplace? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 22:05, 21 November 2014 (UTC)

Just a guess: look up gaudeamus igitur and see if it's that. --65.94.50.4 (talk) 22:37, 21 November 2014 (UTC)

That's the one! Not just in the USA then. Thanks. Apologies Bugs, but the elderly PC I'm using has given up on the sound front at the moment, but I realise that it would have been more helpful to add a link. Alansplodge (talk) 00:10, 22 November 2014 (UTC)

Resolved

I must disagree. I believe that it is Pomp and Circumstance Marches#March No. 1 in D. The article includes a recording. (When the built-in speakers on my old laptop died, I could still get sound through the headphone jack.) —Nelson Ricardo (talk) 05:01, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

Which article? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 05:06, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

Um . . . the article I linked to? —Nelson Ricardo (talk) 05:30, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

I know what "Gaudeamus Igitur" and "Pomp and Circumstance" sound like. What I'd like to see, if it's available, is a clip of the usage of whichever song, in that film or TV show. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 06:40, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

Here, at 6' 46 (I linked to the spot). Clearly "Gaudeamus". ---Sluzzelin talk 09:09, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

Yes, for sure. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 15:08, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

Followup question: What is the building seen in that clip? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 15:15, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

A Neo-Romanesque building, not unsimilar to Glatfelter Hall (part of Gettysburg College) or Thompson Hall, but I couldn't locate it. Maybe even Richardsonian Romanesque, but I'm no expert. onthesetofnewyork.com has a page on THo92St, but doesn't mention the supposed university building shown with the music. This might get more attention as a new question at the Humanities desk. ---Sluzzelin talk 17:04, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

Aha, it's Altgeld Hall! ---Sluzzelin talk 17:16, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

Confirmed: "The campus building depicted as the place where Dietrich graduated is actually Altgeld Hall on the University of Illinois campus in Urbana. 294 miles from Columbus, OH." [1]. Alansplodge (talk) 21:55, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

The only thing against that theory is that "Land of Hope and Glory" is one of the most famous tunes ever written, and is particularly renowned in Alansplodge's Britain, where it has assumed the status of an unofficial national anthem. I'd be very surprised if Mr Splodge did not know it almost ab utero. That alone suggests the one he's after is something else. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 06:00, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

Quite right. I can even recite the words from memory. [2] Even though my computer won't play me the tune, I took the trouble to Google the sheet music [3], and my rather elementary sight reading skills confirmed that "Gaudeamus Igitur" is indeed the melody in question. Thanks for your interest everybody. Alansplodge (talk) 14:52, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

I'm sorry for leading you astray, but as an American, hearing someone refer to "American academic anthem" brings to mind "Pomp and Circumstance". I've never even heard of "Gaudeamus Igitur", and it sounds thoroughly unfamiliar to me. —Nelson Ricardo (talk) 17:08, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

"Gaudeamus Igitur" is probably not so well known in America now. But it certainly was in the 1950s when Tom Lehrer wrote "Bright College Days", which included this line: "Turn on the spigot / Pour the beer and swig it / And Gaudeamus Igit- / a-tur!" ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:40, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

We Britons are not given to ostentatious displays of patriotism, but look what Elgar does to us! (if you're in a hurry, cut straight to the 3 minute mark). Alansplodge (talk) 19:40, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

That bit was a little misleading (sorry, Alan). It's obviously in Latin, hardly the first language that springs to mind when thinking of American universities; and Western Europe is where it has been famous since the late 13th century. So much so that when Johannes Brahms chose some well-known university tunes to quote in his Academic Festival Overture, written to thank the University of Breslau for conferring on him an honorary degree, "Gaudeamus igitur" was at the top of the list, and it formed the triumphant climax of the work. Gaudeamus igitur lists a pile of universities where it is still regularly sung, including 6 or 7 American ones. Here's Lenny B "using the music to accompany his conducting performance" (the whole thing is recommended, but if you absolutely have to cut to the tune in question, it comes in at around 9:05). -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 19:05, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

Apparently it's also used in ceremonies at both Oxford and Cambridge, but I didn't work hard enough to get to university, hence my surprising (to me at least) ignorance. In my defence, our article has a long list of Hollywood films that include the tune, and I've added The House on 92nd Street. I've also had a bash at improving the historical information, since a quick Google quickly showed that it wasn't as old as we were telling people it was (mostly late 18th century rather than 13th century). It's funny the paths that the RefDesk can lead you down.... Alansplodge (talk) 19:40, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

And some people try and claim the Ref Desk serves no useful purpose and should be shut down. Phooey! to them. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 21:07, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

Hear, hear! Alansplodge (talk) 21:50, 23 November 2014 (UTC)

By way of additional confirmation... it occurred to me that I actually have a copy of The House on 92nd Street that I taped from TCM a while ago. The theme in question occurs about 7 minutes into the movie, and I do recognize it as gaudeamus igitur. --65.94.50.4 (talk) 06:59, 25 November 2014 (UTC)