De Brevitate Vitae (on the Shortness of Life) is a song in Latin that is a popular academic commercium song in many European countries. In many modern Western nations it is sung as an anthem at University graduation ceremonies. The melody is inspired by a medieval hymn by Strada, bishop of Bologna in 1267. Although this sounds very dignified, the song has been adopted by students as a form of prank and the lyrics are in fact pretty cheerful.

It has been known as a beer-drinking song in German and Dutch (and also United Kingdom and even Australian) universities by many generations of students. In Belgian universities, where drinking and singing is actually a common activity for students, it is one of the 'official' songs which are sung as the opening of these singing activities. The lyrics reflect a joyful embracing of the bacchanalian mayhem of life (especially life as found in fraternities and sororities) while simultaneously retaining the grim knowledge that one day we will all die.

The song contains humorous and ironic references to sex and death, and many versions have appeared following efforts to bowdlerise this song for performance in public ceremonies. In private, students will typically sing ribald words.

The song is sometimes known by its opening words "Gaudeamus igitur" or simply "Gaudeamus". The many centuries of use have given rise to numerous slightly different versions.

Johannes Brahms quoted the hymn in the final section of his Academic Festival Overture.

An excellent performance of the first, most characteristic strophe was recorded in mid-twentieth century by the American-Italian singer Mario Lanza, and is still available, under the title "Gaudeamus Igitur".

See also

• Anthem
• Ribaldry

External links

• De Brevitate Vitae performed by the University of Stuttgart in mp3 format
• Latin lyrics set by C. W. Kindeleben (1781) with English translations

commercium songs

Студентски химн (Gaudeamus Igitur) | Gaudeamus igitur | Gaudeamus Igitur | Gaudeamus igitur | Gaudeamus igitur | Gaudeamus igitur | Gaudeamus igitur | Gaudeamus Igitur | Гаудеамус | De Brevitate Vitae