O Fortuna from Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana is a cantata composed by German composer Carl Orff in 1935 and 1936. It is based on 24 of the poems found in the medieval collection Carmina Burana. The best-known movement is O Fortuna that opens and closes the piece. Carmina Burana is scored for a large orchestra, choir (usually called S.A.T.B chorus) and soloists:
Several languages are used throughout but the language in O fortuna is Latin.
Extreme and sudden changes in dynamics are a strong feature of this work. It is based on a 4 note motif (pattern of notes) which is repeated many times.
The mood of excitement is achieved by the prominence of percussion and brass instruments, the extreme and sudden dynamic changes and the staccato singing.
The singers sing in unison (at the same pitch), then in 3rds (3 notes apart) see examples below, and then in octaves (8 notes apart.
Notice the 3 note ostinato (repeated musical idea), played staccato by the Bassoon under the quiet verse
Note some of the main features below.
Percussion instruments; Timpani, Bass drum, Gong, Cymbals and Xylophone
Dynamics ff (very loud) pp (very soft)
Legato - smooth or joined
Staccato - detached
Pizzicato - plucked
Arco - Bowed
Tutti - All instruments play
Pedal note - repeated or sustained note
Interval - the distance between 2 notes (3rds, octaves etc)
Drum roll (timpani) Trill or tremolo played on a drum - A trill is 2 rapidly repeating note to dress up a melody.