Carmina Burana by Carl Orff

Dear Reader,
This is one piece of music you must listen to before you die, really! Most of us will find the opening and closing pieces, “O Fortuna” quite familiar; it has been used for various triumphant processionals and dramatic announcements through the years. Most recently I heard a form of in advertisement for a Canadian beer. As familiar as “O Fortuna”, is, it is just a beginning of a rich and inspired cantata encompassing songs of good and bad fortune, medieval mythology, nature, love, lust, drinking, foolishness, gambling, fortune and death.
Orff’s cantata is based upon a collection of thirteenth century goliardic songs found in the Benediktbeurn Monastery in southern Germany. Carmina means “songs,” and Burana is short for the monastery where the manuscript was found in 1803. The primary textual theme of the cantata is spring with love, hope and pleasure contrasted with the indifference of fortune and the temptations of the flesh. Don’t expect to understand a word as it is performed; it is sung in low Latin and low German.

For a full transcription visit: www.buckschoral.org/programs/carmina.pdf

What makes this work so fascinating is its ability to combine the ancient and the modern in an accessible and gloriously melodic work, with some extraordinarily colorful instrumentation and richness of vocal texture.

Unlike many 20th century works, Burana does not encumber us with complex counterpoint and dissonance, nor is it filled with strange and unusual harmonies. There are some fantastic rhythms and an active percussion section that creates a flow keeping the listener involved and entertained throughout.
Although there are several recordings out there, each with their own merits, I prefer the Riccardo Muti recording with the Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra.