In all probability some drinking did occur at Society meetings, but the primary purpose of the Society (and its song) was to promote an interest in music. [The song] was commonly used as a sobriety test: If you could sing a stanza of the notoriously difficult melody and stay on key, you were sober enough for another round.
You can listen to a version of the Anacreontic Song on YouTube and hear why why this song is so remarkable. Learn more at Scribal terror. http://scribalterror.blogs.com/scribal_terror/2009/08/name-that-tune.html
Swell.
Neat... Great-
From now on whenever I hear the US-anthem I'll think Schköll! Zum Wohl! Santé! Bottems Up! Lachayem! Yassu! Nazdaroviev! ...and so on...
includes video of it being sung