In 1981, The New Yorker could still expect a majority of its readers to spot a reference to a 1928 operetta in one of its cartoons. Don't look for any similar cultural nods in today's magazine. This drawing was W. B. Park's first New Yorker sale. The original art was sold on eBay late in September.
" . . . or, to put it another way: Give me some men who are stout[-]hearted men who will fight for the right they adore." W. B. Park Original art The New Yorker, July 13, 1981, p. 25
Detail, top, with W. B. Park's signature
Detail, bottom, with W. B. Park's signature
Handwritten caption
The brown wrapper has layout instructions for scaling Park's signature to a smaller size. The artist's notation indicates that this was his first sale to the magazine, occuring on July 13, 1981.
" . . . or, to put it another way: Give me some men who are stout-hearted men who will fight for the right they adore." W. B. Park The New Yorker, July 13, 1981, p. 25
" . . . or, to put it another way: Give me some men who are stout[-]hearted men who will fight for the right they adore." W. B. Park Original art The New Yorker, July 13, 1981, p. 25
For those who today may be unfamiliar with Sigmund Romberg's "The New Moon," here's the rousing anthem to which the Park cartoon refers:
"Stout-Hearted Men"
Nelson Eddy
"The New Moon" (1928, 1940 film)
Sigmund Romberg, composer
Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist
Williams Steig's drawing on the left side of the page makes for quite a contrast with the Park cartoon. There is no caption, just a title, and no joke. The spread of the open magazine was balanced both graphically and in the tone of the drawings.
Tiger Hunt by Moonlight William Steig The New Yorker, July 13, 1981, p. 24
I bought my copy of Peter Arno'sCircus (1931) for $12.50 in late 1988. The cartoon collection was pushing sixty then, so it was not surprising if it was a bit beaten up with no dust cover in sight. That was really not a concern of mine at the time. I was happy enough to add it to my library in its imperfect state and to bring my Arno collection closer to completion. Besides, I wouldn't have known how to find a copy with a proper dust jacket if I'd wanted to. Before the internet, pretty much it either came your way or it didn't.
Now the book is pushing ninety and that missing original dust jacket is something of a collector's item. It's a real curiosity today too, a relic of the long-defunct circus sideshow. The cover depicts a circus "fat lady" named Fatima, the exotic name taken, apparently, from a song in the 1921 stage musical "Love Birds" by Sigmund Romberg which punned on the name's first syllable. Arno's stock Timid Man character, walking with his rail-thin wife, turns to contemplate the bountiful mysteries of Fatima, who regards him in turn with an alluring smile. That ability of Arno's to let us read his characters' unspoken desires is truly uncanny!
A copy of the book is currently offered for $250 on AbeBooks by Between the Covers. It includes the dust jacket and three additional Arno prints which do not appear in the book and which may have been provided by the publisher. The price is twenty times what I paid for my copy in 1988.
Peter Arno AbeBooks Listing Retrieved June 28, 2019
Arno knew his audience connected the name Fatima to the sideshow "fat lady." A 1928 Arno cartoon depicts a magic act at a circus sideshow. Signage across the background advertises "Fattest Woman—La Belle Fatima."
"Fake, ain't it?" Peter Arno The New Yorker, May 8, 1928, page 13
In an annual rite of passage, eager college freshmen are moving into dormitories on campuses all over the country. This raises a concern, namely: are they prepared, musically, for the oldest college student's song of them all?
Probably not. "Gaudeamus Igitur" is a traditional student song dating from the days when almost everyone studied Latin. It's been in its current form for well over two centuries. Christian Wilhelm Kindleben published his version of the verses in 1781 to be sung to a well-known melody of the time. The serious nature of some of the material did not preclude its use as a drinking song. In fact, it is the first line that sets the devil-may-care tone of the piece, and not the morbid musings on life's brevity.
I leave it to the reader whether "Long live all young women" is a faithful translation of Vivant omnes virgines.
My personal introduction to the song was in the operetta "The Student Prince" (1924). The score is by Sigmund Romberg and the lyrics are by Dorothy Donnelly, but in addition there is that one traditional student's song. It's quite enjoyable and quite the showstopper. Tenor Mario Lanza, who does not himself appear on screen in the 1954 MGM movie, reportedly performed each track of the recording in just one take:
Is this traditional song still performed? Yes, I'm sure it is, but probably not as much as in years gone by and probably only rarely with all ten verses. Even "The Student Prince" doesn't get past the first verse, which is sung a total of three times.
Speaking from my own experience, I'm pleased to report that "Gaudeamus Igitur" was performed at the Vassar College Fall Convocation on August 31, 1983. Don't worry if you don't have a program; I saved mine. Note that in this arrangement four verses were performed in the order 1, 4, 3, 10.
Vassar College, Fall Convocation August 31, 1983
"Gaudeamus!" Vassar College, Fall Convocation August 31, 1983
A lovely sound can be heard from the Men of the Robert Shaw Chorale, who consider "Guadeamus Igitur" to be a "Glee Club Favorite." The verses sung are 1 and 10.
"Gaudeamus Igitur" Men of the Robert Shaw Chorale From "23 Glee Club Favorites" (1962)
The famous student's song is even quoted in an orchestral showpiece. Brahms's Academic Festival Overture concludes with the triumphant theme, which begins in the finale at around 9:11 on this video recording.
Johannes Brahms, Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80, 1880
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, 1983
Leonard Bernstein, Conductor
Johannes Brahms, Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80, 1880
In 1953, the year prior to the release of the movie "The Student Prince" when the operetta was on no one's mind in particular, The New Yorker published a cartoon by Eldon Dedini of a monk singing in the shower. At this point, I bet you can guess what he's singing.
"Gaudeamus igitur, Juvenes dum sumus; Post jucundam juvenutem, Post molestam senectutem Nos habebit humus." Eldon Dedini The New Yorker, February 14, 1953, p. 40
The Robert Israel score to Harold Lloyd's "The Freshman" (1925) features the theme at about 7:01.
Harold Lloyd, "The Freshman" (1925)
Video added February 22, 2016
Most recently, the traditional school song appeared in the soundtrack for "Monsters University." The melody of "Gaudeamus Igitur" is prominent at the beginning of this clip as Mike and Sulley chase Archie the Scare Pig, the stolen mascot belonging to Fear Tech, Monsters University's rival college. Got that?
"Monsters University" (2013)
Animation Progression
Disney/Pixar
Sulley and Mike chase Archie the Scare Pig to the tune of "Gaudeamus Igitur" in Disney/Pixar's "Monsters University" (2013). The traditional school music during the early part of the chase is a really deft touch, and it's too bad they didn't put the same care into crafting a satisfying ending for this movie.
OK, you now know what I know about this song, and if you're musically inclined, you can even sing it, which I can't do for love or money. All together, now!
Note: Here's another handy Latin phrase for the college bound: "Dimidus Asinus Genius." Does it mean half-assed genius? Not exactly, but still that might have been the inside joke among Disney's top brass. I am the current owner of former Disney President Donn Tatum's Ludwig von Drake cufflinks bearing those inspiring Latin words and if you agree that that's certainly worth a blog post, check it out here.
My pleas to have Attempted Bloggery's contents inform our nation's college curricula have gone unheeded, perhaps because I chose to run my entire academic campaign on April Fools Day and I don't think it was taken seriously. Nevertheless, I would love to hear all about it if this blog should ever be referenced in any college syllabus or other academic course materials. Look, it could happen. There's got to be secondary source material for a senior Comics thesis in here somewhere. Yes, they teach courses in Comics now. I believe the subject has replaced Latin.
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