COMPOSER:
Born in 1895 to an old Bavarian family,Orffstudied piano and cello while still a young boy.
He later studied at the Munich Academy of Music, graduating in 1914. The music that he
composed during this period shows the influence of several composers,
includingDebussyandRichard Strauss. In 1914,Orffwas appointed Kapellmeister at the
Munich Kammerspiele, where he remained until joining the military in 1917. Discharged
from service the following year,Orffcontinued to work as a conductor, accepting further
positions in Mannheim and Darmstadt during the 1918-1919 seasons. Returning to Munich in
1919,Orffstudied composition privately withHeinrich Kaminskiwhile supporting himself as
a teacher. In 1924, he founded the Güntherschule for music and dance with Dorothee
Günther, dedicating himself to making musical performance accessible to children. Under his
guidance, an entire orchestra of special "Orffinstruments" was designed, enabling children to
play music without formal training. The following year,Orffmade three stage adaptations of
works byMonteverdi. Continuing his work in the area of Baroque music,Orffbecame
conductor of the Munich Bach society in 1930, a position he held until 1933. The experience
of performing Baroque music, particularly sacred works for the stage, convincedOrffthat an
effective musical performance must fuse music, words and movement, a goal no doubt partly
inspired by his work with the Güntherschule.Orffembodied his conception of music in the
fabulously successful Carmina Burana (1937), which in many ways defined him as a
composer. Based on an important collection of Latin and German Goliard poems found in the
monastery of Benediktbeuren, this work exemplifiesOrff's search for an idiom that would
reveal the elemental power of music, allowing the listener to experience music as an
overwhelming, primitive force. Goliard poetry, which not only celebrates love and wine, but
also pokes fun at the clergy, perfectly suitedOrff's desire to create a musical work appealing
to a fundamental musicality that, as he believed, every human being possesses. Eschewing
melodic development and harmonic complexity, and articulating his musical ideas through
basic sonorities and easily discernible rhythmic patterns,Orffcreated an idiom which many
found irresistible. The perceived "primitivism" of Carmina burana
notwithstanding,Orffbelieved that the profound appeal of music is not merely physical. This
belief is reflected by many other works, including musical dramas based on Greek tragedies,
namely, Antigonae (1949), Oedipus der Tyrann (1959), and Prometheus (1966). These works,
as well as some compositions on Christian themes, followed the composer's established
dramatic and compositional techniques, but failed to repeat the tremendous success of
Carmina burana. His last work, De temporum fine comoedia (A Comedy About the End of
Time) premiered at the 1973 Salzburg Festival. Nine years later,Carl Orffdied in Munich,
where he had spent his entire life.
CARMINA BURANA:
Carmina Buranais acantatacomposed in 1935 and 1936 byCarl Orff, based on 24 poems
from themedievalcollectionCarmina Burana. Its fullLatintitle isCarmina Burana:
Cantiones profanae cantoribus et choris cantandae comitantibus instrumentis atque
imaginibus magicis("Songs ofBeuern: Secular songs for singers andchorusesto be sung
together with instruments and magical images"). It was first performed by theOper
Frankfurton 8 June 1937. It is part ofTrionfi, a musicaltriptychthat also includesCatulli
CarminaandTrionfo di Afrodite. The first and last sections of the piece are called "Fortuna
Imperatrix Mundi" ("Fortune, Empress of the World") and start with "O Fortuna".
