It is a musical work composed by Carl Orff in 1936, based on a collection of medieval poems found in a 13th century manuscript called Codex Buranus. The work is divided into three parts: Primo vere (In the spring), In taberna (In the tavern) and Cour d’amours (Court of love), as well as an introduction and an ending that repeat the same poem: O Fortuna, which talks about the wheel of fortune and the instability of fate.
In this post, we’ll explore a little more about the history, structure and songs of Carmina Burana, one of the most popular and influential classical works in music and dance.
The history of Carmina Burana
The manuscript Codex Buranus was found in 1803 in Benediktbeuern Abbey in Bavaria, Germany. It contains 254 poems and dramatic texts written in Latin, German and medieval French between the 11th and 13th centuries. The authors of these texts are unknown, but they are believed to be goliards, monks and wandering students who criticized the church and celebrated love, wine and youth.
The poems are of various genres and themes, such as satire, moralizing, spring songs, love songs, drinking songs, religious games and liturgical parodies. Some of them have musical indications, but most of the original melodies have been lost. The name Carmina Burana means “Songs of Benediktbeuern” in Latin.
In 1935, the German composer Carl Orff found an edition of the Codex Buranus published by Johann Andreas Schmeller in 1847 and became interested in the texts. He selected 24 poems and set them to music in a profane cantata for soloists, mixed choir, children’s choir and orchestra. The work premiered in Frankfurt in 1937 and was an immediate success. Orff considered Carmina Burana his most important work and asked for all his previous works to be destroyed.
The structure of Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana consists of 25 musical numbers, divided into three main parts:
– Primo vere (In spring): This contains four songs that celebrate the rebirth of nature and the unfolding of the world.
losing feelings in spring.
– In taberna (In the tavern): Contains seven songs depicting the life of the goliards in the taverns, between drinking, games and confessions.
– Cour d’amours (Court of Love): Contains ten songs expressing the different aspects of romantic love, from passion to pain.
In addition, there is an introduction and an ending using the same poem: O Fortuna, which is the most famous in the work. This song is a hymn to the goddess of fortune, who controls the fate of men with her spinning wheel. The music is marked by a strong rhythm and a powerful chorus that conveys a sense of drama and fatality.
The songs of Carmina Burana
The songs of Carmina Burana are sung in Latin, German and medieval French, with some mixtures of languages (macaroni). They use simple, direct and sometimes obscene language, which contrasts with the musical sophistication of the work. The melodies are inspired by medieval music, but also incorporate elements of modern music, such as polyphony, chromaticism and percussion.
Some of the best-known songs are:
– O Fortuna: The song that opens and closes the work is a lament for the instability of fate.
– Ecce gratum: The first song in the Primo vere section, it celebrates the arrival of spring.
– Tanz: The only purely instrumental song in the piece, it is a lively dance that precedes the In tavern section.
– Estuans interius: The first song of the In tavern section, it is a confession by a goliard who repents of his sins.
– In taberna quando sumus: The last song of the In taberna section, it’s an ode to the drinking and merriment of the goliards.
– Amor volat undique: The first song in the Cour d’amours section, it’s a love song sung by a choir of girls.
– Dulcissime: The last song in the Cour d’amours section, it’s a love song sung by a solo soprano, with an impressive high note.
