COMPOSER: CARL ORFF

CARMINA BURANA

COMPOSITION FOR ORCHESTRA, CHORUS AND SOLOISTS BY CARL ORFF (1895-1982)

BASED ON GOLIARD POEMS IN LATIN FROM 13TH CENTURY

20TH CENTURY USES IN MEDIA: COMMERCIALS, SPORTING EVENTS, MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS,

MOVIES – “EXCALIBER” AND “GLORY”

CARMINA BURANA (1937)

POETRY IS 800 YEARS OLD, IN LATIN AND FOUND IN A BENEDICTINE MONASTERY IN

GERMANY

CARMINA BURANA

POEMS COMPRISE OF RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL, MORAL , SECULAR AND

SATIRICAL VERSES IN LATIN.

MOST IMPORTANT SOURCE OF LATIN, SECULAR POETRY OF THE 13TH

CENTURY.

CARMINA BURANA

THE MUSIC OF “CARMINA BURANA” IS COMPRISED OF:

• DRIVING RHYTHMS• CHANTS• MEDIEVAL ORGANUM

CARMINA BURANA

ENTIRE COMPOSITION IS BASED ON 24 POEMS (24 MUSICAL SELECTIONS) AND A REPRISE ENDING (RETURN TO FIRST POEM).

O FORTUNA

1. O Fortuna (Chorus)

O Fortune

O Fortuna,velut Lunastatu variabilis,semper crescisaut decrescis;vita detestabilisnunc obduratet tunc curatludo mentis aciem,egestatem,potestatemdissolvit ut glaciem.

O Fortune!Like the moonever-changing,rising firstthen declining;hateful lifetreats us badlythen with kindnessmaking sport with our desires,causing powerand poverty aliketo melt like ice.

Sors immaniset inanis,rota tu volubilis,status malus,vana salussemper dissolubilis,obumbrataet velatamichi quoque niteris;nunc per ludumdorsum nudumfero tui sceleris.

Dread destinyand empty fate,an ever-turning wheel,who make adversityand fickle healthalike turn to nothing,in the darkand secretlyyou work against me;how through your trickerymy naked backis turned to you unarmed.

Sors salutiset virtutismichi nunc contraria.est affectuset defectussemper in angaria.Hac in horasine moracorde pulsum tangite;quod per sortemsternit fortem,mecum omnes plangite!

Good fortuneand strengthnow are turned from me.Affectionand defeatare always on duty.Come now,pluck the stringswithout delay;and since by fatethe strong are overthrownweep ye all with me.