“Carmina Burana” is a collection of 228 poems written by three German medieval scribes by the names of Peter of Blois, Walter of Chatillon and an anonymous poet known as the Archpoet. The poems were of a secular nature, a rarity for medieval times. In 1935, German composer Carl Orff used 24 of the poems to create a musical composition of the same name.
“Carmina Burana” was discovered in 1803 in the Bavarian monastery of Benediktbeuern. It has been determined that while the poems were found there, it is likely “Carmina Burana” originated in the Seckau Abbey. According to About.com, the poems were composed by a special band of wandering poets called “goliards.” The manuscript is separated into six sections: “Carmina ecclesiastica,” “Carmina moralia et satirica,” “Carmina amatory,” “Carmina potoria,” “Ludi” and “Supplementum.” The sections cover religious themes, satirical songs, love songs, drinking songs and religious plays. “Supplementum” features revisions of the earlier songs with altered text. Carl Orff based the lyrics of his composition on the 24 poems chosen from “Carmina Burana,” but did not use the original melodies. His 1937 presentation has been interpreted by many other composers and was very popular in Nazi Germany. Orff’s version of “Carmina Burana” is still used in television advertisements and programs.
Odessa says:
Thank you for the detailed background.
Michael Crew says:
This is why I read your page every day. I feel pride and joy in my race. We are the people that have it going on and always has been.
Felton Newisher says:
Carmina Burana is only one of the trilogy of symphonic scale works, all encompassing full symphony orchestra, choir and vocal soloists: the other two works are Catulli Carmina and Trionfo di Afrodite. While I find the melodic richness and variety of Carmina Burana most satisfying of the three, Trionfo also has some hair-raisingly exciting passages, redolent of pre-classical antiquity. Its final climax is a sort of catastrophe, though purifying — truly thrilling (at least in the recorded version I’ve owned for decades). Carl Orff’s major works are like pagan operas, as it were, in the best sense.
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Excellent symphony. I can’t seem to find this as a complete CD.
There are many CDs and LPs available of Carmina Burana … always complete rendition (seldom if ever just excerpts).
White people, all the way down,
Yes, that warmed my heart to see.
https://www.reference.com/art-literature/story-carmina-burana-f748d31a14bffe20
“Carmina Burana” is a collection of 228 poems written by three German medieval scribes by the names of Peter of Blois, Walter of Chatillon and an anonymous poet known as the Archpoet. The poems were of a secular nature, a rarity for medieval times. In 1935, German composer Carl Orff used 24 of the poems to create a musical composition of the same name.
“Carmina Burana” was discovered in 1803 in the Bavarian monastery of Benediktbeuern. It has been determined that while the poems were found there, it is likely “Carmina Burana” originated in the Seckau Abbey. According to About.com, the poems were composed by a special band of wandering poets called “goliards.” The manuscript is separated into six sections: “Carmina ecclesiastica,” “Carmina moralia et satirica,” “Carmina amatory,” “Carmina potoria,” “Ludi” and “Supplementum.” The sections cover religious themes, satirical songs, love songs, drinking songs and religious plays. “Supplementum” features revisions of the earlier songs with altered text. Carl Orff based the lyrics of his composition on the 24 poems chosen from “Carmina Burana,” but did not use the original melodies. His 1937 presentation has been interpreted by many other composers and was very popular in Nazi Germany. Orff’s version of “Carmina Burana” is still used in television advertisements and programs.
Thank you for the detailed background.
This is why I read your page every day. I feel pride and joy in my race. We are the people that have it going on and always has been.
Carmina Burana is only one of the trilogy of symphonic scale works, all encompassing full symphony orchestra, choir and vocal soloists: the other two works are Catulli Carmina and Trionfo di Afrodite. While I find the melodic richness and variety of Carmina Burana most satisfying of the three, Trionfo also has some hair-raisingly exciting passages, redolent of pre-classical antiquity. Its final climax is a sort of catastrophe, though purifying — truly thrilling (at least in the recorded version I’ve owned for decades). Carl Orff’s major works are like pagan operas, as it were, in the best sense.