“O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana
Student Participation: Basic Recorder, Singing
Recorder Notes Needed:
Basic Recorder: D, E, F, G, A
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Download printable “O Fortuna” Singing / Basic Recorder sheet music (PDF).
O Fortuna
O Fortuna
velut luna
statu variabilis,
semper crescis
aut decrescis;
vita detestabilis,
nunc obdurat
et tunc curat
ludo mentis aciem,
egestatem,
potestatem
dissolvit ut glaciem.
O Fortune
O Fortune,
like the moon
you are changeable,
ever waxing
and waning;
hateful life
first oppresses
and then soothes
as fancy takes it;
poverty
and power
it melts them like ice.
Audio
Repertoire Exploration
Learn fundamental concepts of music and engage in creative activities through a deeper exploration of the ideas and themes of the Link Up repertoire.
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Composer Bio
Carl Orff
Carl Orff (1895–1982) was a German composer who began studying the piano at the age of five. 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,” which is used today by many educators. (Students today may recognize his movement exercises and barred–mallet instruments from their own classrooms!) Orff’s best-known composition is Carmina Burana, a large-scale piece for orchestra and chorus based on various medieval poems.
