MUSIC OF THE MONTH

Carl Orff was born in Munich, Germany in 1895. He started studying the piano at age 5, and, soon after, studied the organ and cello. He started writing music as a teenager, which is also when he got to know various works of German poetry.

Today, Orff is really only remembered for one piece. In 1934, he came across Johann Schmeller's German translation of a 12th century Latin collection of poems, Carmina Burana. With the help of his friend, Michel Hofmann, Orff organized 24 of these Latin poems into a work. This work would have its first performance in Frankfurt in 1937. The complete work is not often performed. Most only know the first movement (which is also the last movement), O Fortuna.

O Fortuna is a poem complaining about fate, and specifically addressing a Roman goddess, Fortuna (who is the personification of luck). The lyrics are in Latin. I've provided them here, but I've also included a pronunciation guide, as well as a translation:

Introduction O Fortuna velut luna statu variabilis, Quiet Section semper crescis aut decrescis; vita detestabilis nunc obdurat et tunc curat ludo mentis aciem, egestatem, potestatem dissolvit ut glaciem. Sors immanis et inanis, rota tu volubilis, status malus, vana salus semper dissolubilis, obumbrata et velata michi quoque niteris; nunc per ludum dorsum nudum fero tui sceleris. Loud Section Sors salutis et virtutis michi nunc contraria, est affectus et defectus semper in angaria. Hac in hora sine mora corde pulsum tangite; quod per sortem sternit fortem, mecum omnes plangite!

Introduction oh - for-TOO-nah VAY-loot LOO-nah STAH-too VAR-ee-AH-bee-lees, Quiet Section SEM-pair CREH-chees awt day-CREH-chees; VEE-tah day-test-AH-bee-lees noonk ob-dur-raht et toonk ker-raht loo-doh men-tees AH-chee-em, eh-jest-AH-tem, poh-test-AH-tem dis-solve-eet oot glah-chee-em. Sores eem-mahn-ees et ee-NAHN-ees, row-tah too vah-LOO-bee-lees, STAH-toos MAH-loos, VAH-nah SAH-loos SEM-pair dis-sah-LOO-bee-lees, Ob-OOM-brah-tah et vay-LAH-tah MEE-chee kwo-KAY NEE-tare-ees; noonk pair LOO-doom door-soom noo-doom fair-oh too-ee sheh-LAIR-ees. Loud Section Sores sahl-YOO-tees et veer-TOO-tees MEE-chee noonk kahn-trair-ree-ah, est AH-fek-toos et deh-FEK-toos SEM-pair een ahn-GHAR-ee-ah. Hahk een HOR-ah SEE-nay MOR-ah KOR-day POOL-soom tahn-GHEE-tay; kwahd pair SOR-tem STAIR-neet FOR-tem, MAY-koom OHM-nes PLAHN-ghee-tay!

Introduction O Fortune like the moon you are changeable, Quiet Section ever waxing and waning; hateful life first oppresses and then soothes as fancy takes it; poverty and power it melts them like ice. Fate - monstrous and empty, you whirling wheel, you are malevolent, well-being is vain and always fades to nothing, shadowed and veiled you plague me too; now through the game I bring my bare back to your villainy. Loud Section Fate is against me in health and virtue, driven on and weighted down, always enslaved. So at this hour without delay pluck the vibrating strings; since Fate strikes down the strong man, everyone weep with me!

Jon's Introduction to This Piece:

I think the first time I heard this (and knew what it was called) was a CBS Masterworks sampler album that I got from the library. It would have contained just a brief excerpt of the piece, but it would have paired it with its name. This would have been sometime in the mid-1980s.

Since then, I've recognized that this piece gets thrown into TV shows, movies, commercials and more all the time. I've never performed this piece, but I'd LOVE to.

Assignment:

And now, here is "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana. Enjoy!

"O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff (2:37)

For those interested, this recording was performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin.

Jon's Interpretation:

This piece is awesome. It embodies tension, excitement, and desperation, housed in an ancient mystic pagan cult shell. I'll have to confess, I did not know the words before doing this Music of the Month. It made it all the more interesting to me. For example, this piece has always reminded me of some ancient mystical cult ceremony. After reading the words, that's kind of what it's about.

One of the things that makes this piece great is the dynamic contrast. You have a loud introduction, followed by a long quiet creeping theme. The theme doesn't grow. It just all of the sudden becomes loud. The use of gongs toward the end of the loud section is awesome. And then, although the whole piece has been in a minor key, it ends in a triumphant major, with no real explanation. Great stuff.

Extra Credit:

Well, I couldn't get the score, because it's still new enough to be under copyright. But I did find a Simpsons clip! Technically, "O Fortuna" has shown up in two Simpsons episodes. Here's one of them. It's a commercial for a book called "The Answer" and it's from the Season 21 episode "Bart Gets a 'Z'". Enjoy!