When was the Opera O Fortuna composed?
In 1935–36, "O Fortuna" was set to music by German composer Carl Orff as a part of " Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi ", the opening and closing movement of his cantata Carmina Burana. It was first staged by the Frankfurt Opera on 8 June 1937.
What is the meaning of O Fortuna?
"O Fortuna" is a medieval Latin Goliardic poem written in the 13th century of uncertain authorship. It is a complaint against the goddess of fortune, contained in the collection known as the Carmina Burana . Problems playing this file? See media help.
Where is O Fortuna in the Carmina Burana manuscript?
"O Fortuna" in the Carmina Burana manuscript ( Bavarian State Library; the poem occupies the last six lines on the page, along with the overrun at bottom right. " O Fortuna " is a medieval Latin Goliardic poem which is part of the collection known as the Carmina Burana, written early in the 13th century.
What inspired Orff's wheel of Fortune?
Orff was inspired both by the poem and the medieval symbol of the Rota Fortunae, or Wheel of Fortune, which the goddess Fortuna spins at random, causing some people to suffer while others find wealth. The Rota Fortunae appears in a version of the poetry collection known as the Codex Buranas.
Where do I know O Fortuna from?
O Fortuna is based on 24 of the 254 poems found in the medieval collection Carmina Burana, a manuscript composed of 11th – 13th century poems and dramatic texts, believed to be written by clergy in Italy and Western Europe for traveling scholars, universities and theologians.
What opera is Carmina Burana from?
It was first performed by the Oper Frankfurt on 8 June 1937. It is part of Trionfi, a musical triptych that also includes Catulli Carmina and Trionfo di Afrodite....Carmina Burana (Orff)Carmina BuranaLanguageSecular Latin Middle High German Old FrenchBased on24 poems from Carmina BuranaPremiere8 June 1937 Oper Frankfurt2 more rows
What genre of music is O Fortuna?
cantata'O fortuna' is part of a cantata (a vocal composition with instrumental accompaniment) called Carmina Burana. The name Carmina Burana means 'songs of Beuren', which was a Benedictine monastery in Bavaria. Carmina Burana was composed between 1935 and 1936 and it is based on 24 poems from medieval literature.
Is O Fortuna Baroque?
In fact, “O Fortuna” and its partner, “Fortune Plango Vulnera,” owe much more musically to the Baroque renditions of “Dies Irae” by Mozart and Verdi than their medieval original.
Is Carmina Burana an opera?
Carl Orff did not call "Carmina Burana" an opera or a choral symphony or an oratorio or a song cycle. He called it a "scenic cantata" - a clue, says Tom Hall, music director of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, that he intended it for the theater, not the concert hall.
What is the meaning behind O Fortuna?
Oh Fate'O Fortuna' was written in the 13th century as a medieval Latin poem, which was part of a collection known as the Carmina Burana. It literally means 'Oh Fate', and it is a complaint about the inescapable power of fate.
What is the opera Carmina Burana about?
Dubbed the Carmina Burana (“Songs of Beuern”) by the German philologist Johann Andreas Schmeller, the texts present a varied view of medieval life, including religious verses, social satires, and bawdy drinking songs.
Is Carmina Burana in the omen?
The Omen: O Fortuna from Carmina Burana - song by Carl Orff, The Film Music Orchestra | Spotify.
What is the Old Spice music called?
If you're a child of the 1970s, it may well have been the Old Spice advert.
Who conducted O Fortuna?
Carl Orff"O Fortuna" is a movement in Carl Orff's 1935–36 cantata Carmina Burana. It begins the opening and closing sections, both titled "Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi".
Who made Carmina Burana?
Carl OrffCarmina Burana / ComposerCarl Orff was a German composer and music educator, best known for his cantata Carmina Burana. The concepts of his Schulwerk were influential for children's music education. Wikipedia
What game is O Fortuna in?
2007: The video game “World of Warcraft” uses the song as the main theme for a log in screen. 2009: In the trailer for the film Paul Blart: Mall Cop.
What is the meaning of "o Fortuna"?
" O Fortuna " is a medieval Latin Goliardic poem written in the 13th century of uncertain authorship. It is a complaint against the goddess of fortune, contained in the collection known as the Carmina Burana. Carl Orff encountered the collection in 1934 and worked with a Latin and Greek enthusiast, Michel Hofmann, to select and organize 24 of the poems into a libretto. Orff composed his Carmina Burana, using the libretto, in 1935–36. It was first performed by the Frankfurt Opera on 8 June 1937. The cantata is composed of 25 movements in five sections, with "O Fortuna" providing a compositional frame, appearing as the first movement and reprised for the twenty-fifth, both in sections titled "Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi".
What is Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi based on?
It begins the opening and closing sections, both titled "Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi". The cantata is based on a medieval Goliardic poetry collection of the same name, from which the poem " O Fortuna " provides the words sung in the movement. It was well-received during its time, and entered popular culture through use in other musical works, ...
What is Carmina Burana famous for?
Carmina Burana was successful from its first staging by the Frankfurt Opera in 1937, propelling Orff's career and becoming his best known work. "O Fortuna" in particular has become one of the most recognizable compositions in popular culture. In 2009, it topped a BBC list of most widely heard classical tracks, with BBC Radio 2 head of programming calling it "a timeless piece of music that continues to be played, performed and loved over 70 years after its composition." A Radio Netherlands documentary attributes its popular appeal to the combination of choruses, large orchestra, interesting instrument combinations, tight rhythm, and the extent to which it is singable and memorable. Horton calls it "a work of brilliance" that "may have been spoiled by its popularization", used "often as a jingle, detached in any meaningful way from its powerful message".
How many movements are in Carmina Burana?
Orff composed his Carmina Burana, using the libretto, in 1935–36. It was first performed by the Frankfurt Opera on 8 June 1937. The cantata is composed of 25 movements in five sections, with "O Fortuna" providing a compositional frame, appearing as the first movement and reprised for the twenty-fifth, both in sections titled "Fortuna Imperatrix ...
Who wrote the music for "O Fortuna"?
Around 1935-6, German composer Carl Orff set the poem to music as part of his cantata Carmina Burana, which was based on 23 other poems from the medieval collection. His harmonic treatment, which is modal until the last nine bars, gives ‘O Fortuna’ a menacing, ominous tone which has made it suitable for a number of films and TV shows over ...
What does "Oh Fate" mean?
It literally means ‘Oh Fate’, and it is a complaint about the inescapable power of fate. Sure, this might seem a tad negative, but fate had greater relevance in the lives of men and gods in Roman and Greek mythology. Around 1935-6, German composer Carl Orff set the poem to music as part of his cantata Carmina Burana, ...
How old was Orff when he started his music career?
Though his first composition was published when he was only 16 years old, he is most well known for his work in music education, particularly in connecting music and movement. Orff founded the Günther School for gymnastics, music, and dance in Munich, and there, he developed a style of teaching and collection of music known as “Orff Schulwerk,” ...
What is Orff's most famous composition?
Orff’s best-known composition is Carmina Burana, a large-scale piece for orchestra and chorus based on various medieval poems. Read More. About the Composers. Learn more about the composers in The Orchestra Rocks. Composer Timeline (PDF)
How old was Carl Orff when he wrote his first composition?
Though his first composition was published when he was only 16 years old, he is most well known for his work in music education, particularly in connecting music and movement. Orff founded the ... Carl Orff (1895–1982) was a German composer who began studying the piano at the age of five. Though his first composition was published ...
Overview
"O Fortuna" is a medieval Latin Goliardic poem which is part of the collection known as the Carmina Burana, written early in the 13th century. It is a complaint about Fortuna, the inexorable fate that rules both gods and mortals in Roman and Greek mythology.
In 1935–36, "O Fortuna" was set to music by German composer Carl Orff as a p…
History
"O Fortuna" is a medieval Latin Goliardic poem written in the 13th century of uncertain authorship. It is a complaint against the goddess of fortune, contained in the collection known as the Carmina Burana.
Carl Orff encountered the collection in 1934 and worked with a Latin and Greek enthusiast, Michel Hofmann, to select and organize 24 of the poems into a libretto. Orff composed his Carmina Bura…
Music
Orff was inspired both by the poem and the medieval symbol of the Rota Fortunae, or Wheel of Fortune, which the goddess Fortuna spins at random, causing some people to suffer while others find wealth. The Rota Fortunae appears in a version of the poetry collection known as the Codex Buranas. The repetition of the musical accompaniment draws a comparison to the spinning of the wheel.
Reception
Carmina Burana was successful from its first staging by the Frankfurt Opera in 1937, propelling Orff's career and becoming his best known work. "O Fortuna" in particular has become one of the most recognizable compositions in popular culture. In 2009, it topped a BBC list of most widely heard classical tracks, with BBC Radio 2 head of programming calling it "a timeless piece of music that continues to be played, performed and loved over 70 years after its composition." A Radio N…
Sources
• Clem, David (2021). "Medievalism goes Commercial: The Epic as Register in Contemporary Media". In Deaville, James; Tan, Siu-Lan; Rodman, Ron (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Music and Advertising. Oxford University Press. pp. 488–504. ISBN 9780190691240. OCLC 1195817243.
Further reading
• Hasenmiller, Alaina (11 April 2013). "Behind the Music (O Fortuna)". Phoenix Chorale. Music from the Silver Screen.
• Haug, Walter (1995). "O Fortuna: Eine historisch-semantische Skizze zur Einführung". In Haug, Walter; Wachinger, Burghart (eds.). Fortuna. Fortuna Vitrea (in German). Vol. 15. Max Niemeyer. pp. 1–22. doi:10.1515/9783110949414-002. ISBN 3-484-15515-9.
External links
• Latin Wikisource has original text related to this article: Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi
• "O Fortuna", at David Parlett's translation of the Carmina Burana