University of Pittsburgh Alma Mater Totally Explained

Everything about University Of Pittsburgh Alma Mater totally explained

The Alma Mater of the University of Pittsburgh was adopted soon after the University changed its name in 1908 from the Western University of Pennsylvania to its current moniker. Lyrics were written by George M. P. Baird, class of 1909 and were set to the tune of what was then the Austrian National Anthem (adopted as the German National Anthem in 1922). A new tune for the Alma Mater hymn was composed by Charles W. Scovel, class of 1883, but it wasn't widely adopted and was either lost or became obscure.

Lyrics

Alma Mater, wise and glorious,
    Child of Light and Bride of Truth,
Over fate and foe victorious,
    Dowered with eternal youth,
Crowned with love of son and daughter,
    Thou shalt conquer as of yore,
Dear old Pittsburgh, Alma Mater,
    God preserve Thee evermore!
    Where the West-road opens free,
When twin rivers forest bounded,
    Merge and journey toward the sea,
In the dawning of the nation
    Ere the clouds of strife had cleared,
'Rose Thy rough-hewn habitation,
    By our prophet fathers reared.
    All who gather at Thy knee,
Castes and classes, creeds and races,
    Mother, are as one to Thee;
Thou who unto knowledge bore us,
    In the good old days long gone,
Raise Thy Gold and Blue high o'er us,
    Land and we'll follow on.
    Child of Light and Bride of Truth,
Over fate and foe victorious
    Dowered with eternal youth,
Crowned with love of son and daughter,
    Thou shalt conquer as of yore,
Dear Old Pittsburgh, Alma Mater,
    God preserve Thee evermore.

Music

The official alma mater of the University of Pittsburgh is set to the tune of Joseph Haydn's 1797 music for "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" ("God save Francis the Emperor") and was used as the official anthem of the Austrian emperor until the end of the monarchy in 1918. Haydn also used the tune in the second movement of one of his string quartets, the "Kaiserquartett". It was adopted as the music for the German national anthem, "Das Deutschlandlied", in 1922 during the time of the Weimar Republic and is still used as the German national anthem today. The tune is also used in the English-speaking world as a hymn tune, often used for the hymn "Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken" by John Newton. In this context, the tune is called "Austria", "Austrian Hymn", or "Emperor's Hymn" (External Link

) The tune is also used for the hymn "Not Alone for Mighty Empire" by William Merrill. (External Link

)

Abandoned Alma Mater

Lyrics to a possible predecessor of the current University of Pittsburgh Alma Mater appeared in the 1914 Owl student yearbook. The author was credited as simply "B.-'09" and although no mention was made of possible accompanying music, the Owl contained the following lyrics. The current Alma Mater first appeared in the 1916 Owl.              Alma Mater
A Chant for Unwreathed Victory
                  ————
   O Thou, who tread'st, with valiant feet,
     The rugged road of hostile years,
Whose lot hath been the glean-ed ears
     Snatched from a world of garnered wheat,
O hungered tender of the vine
     Wright of unguerdoned husbandry,
O thirst-irked treaderout of wine
     Red crushed for others' revelry,
Wreathed in new song, I bring to Thee
     The love of those whose hearts are thine.
     In thy firm hand the torch of truth,
Thy cheeks flushed with eternal youth
     Thy sapphire eyes thought-starred with light ;
Strong limbed and goddess molded, free,
     Aureant armored, laurel crowned,
And 'neath thy fountain brests close bound
     With cinctures of self mastery
Hear thou the song we sing for Thee
     In whose fair strength our hope is found.
     Mingled with labor's sweat and tears, —
Strong in a faith that knows no fears,—
     'Gainst scourge of flame and jealous thrust
Hast reared Thy pillared citadel ;
     O keeper of the sacred fire,
O warder of Pirene's well
     O pioneer of hearts' desire,
On in they triumph mounting higher
     To thunderous song no storm can quell.
     Thy lavish palms, our avarice,
Thou giv'st beyond great rubies' price,
     A niggard alms we grudge to Thee ;
We buy world-laughter and reproach
     In love of show and civic guad,
For alien brows Thy cruse we broach,
     Thy wealth we squander far abroad ;
How long shall scorn and churlish pence
     Be bartered for thine opulence?
     Thy righteous cause till men shall rise
To aid Thee in thy high emprise
     And guard thee in thine hour of need ;
God rear thy temples on the height,
     Loosen thy burdens, set them free.
God give thee champions to fight
     The winning fight for truth and thee.
God give thee faith to keep aright
     Thine upwards path of destiny.
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