Carmen Bristoliense
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The Carmen Bristoliense (Song of the Bristolians) is the school song of Bristol Grammar School, which is sung in Latin. The song was written in 1909 by the Headmaster (then Mr. Cyril Norwood), and set to music by the Director of Music (then Mr. C. W. Stear). It is traditionally sung in the final school assembly each term, and at other school or related events such as the annual prize giving ceremony and old boys' (and girls') dinners. The song consists of four verses and a chorus, although usually only the first verse and chorus are sung. These are reproduced below. (Note that the fifth line had to be updated from Norwood's original on the 400th anniversary of the School's founding.)
Nunc universo gaudio,
Ludo pensisque functi,
Scholam dilectam sedulo
Concelebremus cuncti.
Iam quadringentos amplius
Annos laudem meretur,
Merendo et durabimus,
Dum nostra urbs servetur.
Refrain: Sit clarior, sit dignior,
quotquot labuntur menses:
Sit primus nobis hic decor,
Sumus Bristolienses.
Laudemus iam gratissimi
Qui ante nos fuere:
Domi forisque splendidi
Scholam exornavere
Per illos est laudabilis,
Est musis cara sedes,
Et nos illos est laudabilis,
Est musis cara sedes,
Et nos illorum nominis
Nunc stamus hic haeredes
Refrain
Si ludi sit contentio,
Pro puerili parte,
Ne superemur proelio
Summa nitamur arte:
Et, si vocamur ad libros,
Intenti hoc agamus;
Ludo librisque nonne nos
Iam palmam auferamus?
Refrain
Sic placuit nil perperam
Nil improbi patrare,
Nam Scholam urbem patriam
Hic discimus amare:
In altiora tendimus,
Scholamque veneremur:
Dum adsumus, augebimus,
Nec post obliviscemur.
Refrain
Click here for a midi file of the music.
It has been a tradition to shout the word 'Quotquot', which began in around 1997 when a choir made up of mainly sixth form boys situated upon the stage shouted the words. Although everyone was quite confused when this happened, from the next assembly where the school song was sung (usually once a term, at the last assembly before breaking up for the holidays) 'Quotquot' was shouted by everyone. The tradition is very much to the amusement of both staff and pupils and is carried out whenever and wherever the song is sung. Before this it was tradition to shout "Shit clarior, Shit dignior" rather than the true words. A rather clumsy translation of the first verse is below.
Now with universal joy,
Having performed games and tasks,
Let us together celebrate
our beloved school attentively.
Now for more than four hundred years
It has deserved praise,
It will continue to endure and deserve,
Whilst it serves our city.
Let it be more famous, let it be more worthy,
However many months we must labour:
Let this be our first right,
We are Bristolians.
Click Here for more information about the school song.
