Exultate Deo

Our superb choir sings the Grace Anthem (Palestrina) in place of the spoken grace before we start feasting at our Gaudy. The singing is superb, and the sound resonates fabulously in our Great Hall (used as one of the recurrent sets in the Harry Potter films.) Such singing is a great moment at the beginning of any such feast, and it makes one realise how wonderfully privileged we are. The conductor here is our Director of Muusic, Stephen Darlington, wearing his D. Mus. robes.

(Gaudy or gaudie (from the Latin, "gaudium", meaning "enjoyment" or "merry-making") is a term used to reflect student life in a number of the ancient universities in the United Kingdom as well as other institutions such as Durham University. It is generally believed to relate to the traditional student song, De Brevitate Vitae (On the Shortness of Life), which is commonly known as the Gaudeamus by virtue of its first line.

At the University of Oxford a gaudy ('gaude' at New College, Oxford, pronounced the same) is a college feast. It is often a reunion for its alumni. The origin of the term may be connected to the traditional student anthem, Gaudeamus.

Gaudies generally involve a celebratory formal dinner, generally in black tie and academic gowns (scarlet festal robes for doctors), and may include events such as chapel services, lectures or concerts beforehand. For reunions, the invitees are generally graduate alumni from a number of (usually two or three) consecutive matriculation years, in this instance 1972-1976. Typically, gaudies are held for each year-group on around a ten-year cycle.)

Here is the champagne being poured out for the pre-dinner drinks in Tom Quad. Are there enough filled glasses? Oh, here are some of our alumni drinking it up!

As ever, an overindulgent meal, and I'll tell you the menu

First course

Baked asparagus with buffalo mozarella and Parma ham
White asparagus ribbons and basil salad
Maple syrup dressing.
wine: Chablis premier cru Les Vaillons 2008


Main Course

Braised Ox cheek and fillet steak with herb and pepper gratin,
Horseradish potato mash, girolles, spinach, broad beans
and baby purple carrots.
wine: Châteu Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Leognan 2000


"Pudding"

Summer pudding with clotted cream brûlée, strawberry sorbet and
Elderflower Champagne jelly.


Port: Delaforce Quinta Da Corte 1997

Then cognac and single malt.

Phew! Gaudeamus indeed!