The Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80, was one of a pair of contrasting orchestral overtures (the other being the Tragic Overture, Op. 81) written consecutively by Johannes Brahms. Brahms composed the Academic Festival Overture during the summer of 1880 as a musical "thank you" to the University of Breslau, which had awarded him an honorary doctorate during the previous year. Initially, Brahms had contented himself with sending a simple handwritten note of acknowledgment to the University, since he loathed the public fanfare of celebrity. However, the conductor Bernard Scholz, who had nominated him for the degree, convinced him that protocol required him to make a grander gesture of gratitude. The University expected nothing less than a musical offering from the composer. Orchestra at City Hall (Edmonton). ... Overture (The Who) is also a song by the rock band The Who. ... Johannes Brahms (May 7, 1833 – April 3, 1897) was a German composer of Romantic music, who predominantly lived in Vienna, Austria. ... 1880 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Uniwersytet Wrocławski (called Wroclaw University) is one of the nine universities of Wroclaw, Poland. ... An Honorary degree (Latin: honoris causa ad gradum) is a degree awarded to someone by an institution that he or she may have never attended, it may be a bachelors, masters or doctorate degree - however, the latter is most common. ... Conductor can mean different things in different contexts: In science and engineering, a conductor is material which contains movable electric charges in which an electric current can be produced. ...

Brahms, who was known to be a curmudgeonly joker, filled his quota by creating a "very jolly potpourri of student drinking songs", entitled the Academic Festival Overture. The work sparkles with some of the finest virtues of Brahms' musical technique. The inventive treatment of the tunes appropriated from the student ditties (which include "Wir hatten gebauet ein stattliches Haus", "Fuchslieds", and most memorably in the triumphant finale, "Gaudeamus igitur") fully engages Brahms' sophisticated mastery of counterpoint and thematic development. Brahms manages to evoke ravishing euphoria without sacrificing his commitment to classical balance. The blend of orchestral colors is carefully planned and highlighted in the piece, which calls for one of the largest ensembles for any of his compositions: piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, timpani, bass drum, triangle, and strings. The fantasia (also English fantasy, German fantasie, French fantaisie) is a musical composition with its roots in the art of improvisation. ... De Brevitate Vitae is a song in Latin that is a popular academic commercium song in many European countries. ... Counterpoint is a very general feature of music (especially prominent in much Western music) whereby two or more melodic strands occur simultaneously – in separate voices, either literally or metaphorically (if the music is instrumental). ... In music, a theme is the initial or primary melody. ... The Classical period in Western music occurred in a large part of the 18th century, and into the early 19th century. ... Orchestra at City Hall (Edmonton). ... This article is about the instrument. ... This article pertains to the musical instrument. ... Modern Oboe The Oboe is a musical instrument of the woodwind double reed family. ... A bass clarinet, which sounds an octave lower than the more common Bâ™­ soprano clarinet. ... A Fox Instruments bassoon; view detail. ... The contrabassoon or double bassoon is a larger version of the bassoon sounding an octave lower. ... The horn is a brass instrument that consists of tubing wrapped into a coiled form. ... Trumpeter performing with the United States Air Forces in Europe Band The trumpet is the highest brass instrument in register, above the tuba, euphonium, trombone, sousaphone, and french horn. ... Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. ... A bass drum is a large, heavy drum that produces a thump of low but indefinite pitch. ... The triangle is an idiophonic musical instrument of the percussion family. ... A string instrument (also stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ...

The Overture consists of four continuous sections:

• Allegro (C minor)
• Maestoso (C major)
• Animato (E minor)
• Maestoso (C major).

The composer himself conducted the premiere at a special convocation at the University on January 4, 1881, to the chagrin (and mischievous delight) of many of the academics in the audience. Due to its structural refinement, its lyrical warmth, as well as its excitement and humor, the work has remained a solid staple of today's concert-hall repertoire. A typical performance lasts around 10 minutes. A conductors score and batons Conducting is the act of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. ... A Convocation is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose. ... January 4 is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Plato is credited with the inception of academia: the body of knowledge, its development and transmission across generations. ...

External links

Program notes from the:

• Los Angeles Philharmonic
• New Jersey Symphony