The Medieval Wheel of Fortune - Carmina Burana by Carl Orff.

Episode 17 - Although inspired by an obscure book of poetry from an even more obscure religious sect, the message in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana is surprisingly relevant to modern audiences: no one is immune to the whims of Lady Luck.
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MUSIC CREDITS:
Composer: Carl Orff
Work: Carmina Burana
Performers: Gundula Janowitz, Gerhard Stolze, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Chor und Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin
Conductor: Eugen Jochum
Year: 1995 (recorded 1967)
Label: DG
Catalogue No: 4474372
0:00 Orff’s Wheel of Fortune
1:20 Inspiration
2:12 The Goliards
3:39 01. O Fortuna - Lady Luck
5:25 03. Veris Leta Facies - Spring’s here!
5:55 04. Omnia Sol Temperat - Lovelorn Baritone
6:22 05. Ecce Gratum - I dream of Venus
6:44 07. Floret Silva Nobilis - Where is my Lover?
7:49 08. Chramer, Gip Die Varwe Mir - Let’s Make up
8:41 10.Were Diu Werlt Alle Min - Men’s Macho Fantasy
9:14 11. Estuans Interius - The Credo of the Goliards
9:43 12. Olim Iacus Colueram - Swan Song
10:20 13. Ego Sum Abbas - Fancy dress Abbot
11:03 14. In Taberna Quando Sumus - Let’s drink to…
11:39 16. Dies, nox et omnia - Court of Love
12:12 17. Stetit puella - Lady in Red
12:27 18. 18. Circa Mea Pectora - Too Honest
12:45 19. Si puer cum puellula - Sextet
13:01 20. Veni, veni, venias - No holding back
13:34 21. In trutina - The Red Lady’s Choice
13:50 22. Tempus es iocundum - Boiling Anticipation
14:13 23. Dulcissime - Come with me
14:32 24. Ave Formosissima - Glorious Hymn
15:10 25. O Fortuna - And she’s back
15:32 - 1937 premiere in Frankfurt
16:51 - Thank you

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thank you for all your support, and suggestions for new episodes. We want to make them all! Also check out the link to our store in the description, we have a limited edition Goliard University t-shirt available, as well as some other channel merch. classicsexplained.com/ And remember to listen to Carmina Burana this weekend as Carl Orff intended: very loudly!

[@meganlewis2377]

Can you do Pastoral Symphony, Bolero, Bartered Bride, Barber of Seville, Pines of Rome, Kinderszenen, Four Seasons, Carnival of the Animals, but with different designs for each episodes other than Elgar, Gershwin, and Orf this time?

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks for this suggestion - four of these are actually currently in production! A fifth in production is by a composer of another one of them. Would appreciate some feedback on the animation of the last three and what your thoughts are on changing it? Always valuable for us to know what people like/dislike Thanks for your support :)

[@keatonburton5636]

Something *I* would really like to see is Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky.

[@meganlewis2377]

@@ClassicsExplained the animation for Gershwin should be like 1920s cartoons. Orf’s animation could be based on Dr. Seuss’ artwork. Saint Saens can be like the animation style of Disney Renaissance. The style of Vivaldi might look like Mary Blair’s art. Rachmaninoff’s style should’ve looked like Tim Burton styles (not stop motion). And the upcoming Bizet needs to look like Mucha Lucha.

[@JaxYTB]

Learning about the swan being the falsetto voice when thinking it was some sort of metaphor for lustful temptation genuinely made me laugh

[@ClassicsExplained]

ha! It's a fascinating one

[@emilyglass5313]

So, in a way, it was an actual swan song. I'll see myself out. 😅

[@hagerty1952]

I still remember the wash of horror I had when I read the (translated) lyrics of "The Roasting Swan." It was terrifying when you consider the last line is "I see teeth"

[@fleeb]

@@hagerty1952 Heh heh heh... "Dentes frendentes video!"

[@hagerty1952]

@@fleeb - Yep.

[@cmscoby]

I'm stoked. I've been binge watching this series with my 4 year old daughter.

[@smolbean2830]

That is really cute :D

[@orffrocks5667]

Rather racy for a 4 Yr old, no?

[@ClassicsExplained]

Cutest comment - thanks so much. Absolutely delighted to hear this. That means so much to us :) Please keep watching and supporting we are very grateful

[@georgeluft7881]

You might want to censor out some parts for your daughter....

[@meganlewis2377]

@@ClassicsExplained are you gonna use different designs this time?

[@LuckyLiegeLady246]

I just noticed the guy catching fire as he rides into the sunset at 7:05! 😂

[@meganlewis2377]

Did you notice that Paris looks like Hercules?

[@puffadder92]

A most excellent choice! My late aunt sang this at Carnegie Hall under Stokowski, an absolute legend.

[@ClassicsExplained]

WOW!!!! That is so exciting - to say she's sung under Stokowski! Would love to have been a fly on the wall at rehearsals

[@puffadder92]

Lol just a fly on the wall right? Wouldn't really want to work for him...

[@findingfreedom-definingtru4818]

@@puffadder92 Stokowski's is my favorite Carmina Burana recording. That Carnegie Hall concert is actually here on youtube as well! But the sound quality is a bit… strange. Stokowski was quite a pioneer in recording engineering stuff, so his Houston studio recording is has a much better balance. What I admire in his recording is the cohesiveness of the sequence of tempi. As for his reputation for being unpleasant to work with, I'm not quite sure how that came about. There are quite a few Stokowski in rehearsal videos here on YT, so I had a look at some of those. What I see is that he is EXTREMELY efficient. That implies of course that he picks small portions of works that are particularly tricky, That of course, is daunting if you are sitting there playing. Also I see him demanding total focus, not joking to chatting allowed. That also feels a bit… dictatorial. But then, to see it from the positive side, there is a lot of trust in the players in that attitude. I also came to understand that his unpleasantness was something of his later years. Did you aunt speak about him? Anyway, ol' Stokowski is quite a favorite of mine, not just for his Carmina Burana. His grip on meter and rhythm in particular I find quite fascinating. Thank you for bringing him up.

[@RubenBurvenich]

Another absolute masterpiece! Orff did pretty well too.

[@ClassicsExplained]

ha! Thanks so much! Loving the support :)

[@mocurio]

At 10 mins, as I’m feeling for the swan being killed & roasted, the swan singing gets me giggling 😁& laughing 😂. Wow!

[@wandawahler601]

When I was five or six, I watched a King Arthur movie with my mother in which o fortuna was played. I was so excited about this song so my mother bought a CD of Carmina Burana (Boston Symphony Orchestra). Ever since then Im deeply in love with classical music and this piece of art in particular. Thank you very very much for this great video!It brings back memories and plenty of joy! I already know, I have to come back a couple of times 🙂

[@ClassicsExplained]

What a wonderful tale. Thanks so much for sharing it - it brings me back memories too from when I sang it at school :)

[@Gretchluver1]

The film was Excalibur. I too saw it when I was very young, which is surprising really considering how graphic and adult it is!

[@beatrixwickson8477]

Boorman's Excalibur was my first exposure to O Fortuna. Still blows me away.

[@wandawahler601]

@@Gretchluver1 I couldnt remember the movie titel, only this scene of the riding knights with this great music playing. Now I have to watch it again soon 🙂 Thank you very much!

[@wandawahler601]

@@beatrixwickson8477 Thank you

[@sydposting]

I love the little Bewitched nose-wiggle you gave Venus around 6:20! This was such a great episode, I can't believe I've gone this long without actually looking up the story and text of Carmina Burana. I'm glad I learned it through your unique style of storytelling and not some boring written summary!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks! Really appreciate that! Yeah - who wants to read some boring programme notes! Hope this is a funner way to learn! Keep listening and loving classical music :)

[@ladymacbethofmtensk896]

I possess a German bilingual copy of the Latin poems from the original anthology.

[@Xerxes2005]

The nose wiggle was from Bewitched, not I Dream of Jeannie.

[@sydposting]

@@Xerxes2005 Oh shoot, you're right! I'm gonna correct my comment, thanks for calling that out. 😅

[@leugim8872]

Another piece of art, 👏

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thank you :)

[@SophieLeung-du9we]

Pieces you can choose to make a video about: Erlkonig (Schubert) Gretchen am Spinnrade (Schubert) Beethoven symphonies Don Giovanni (Mozart) Tannhauser/Die Meistersinger de Nuremberg (Wagner) Lohengrin/Tristan & Isolde (Wagner) Salome (R. Strauss) There’s more but I will tell you later once you chose one P.S. love ur vids, Ben ❤ Classical flautist (SL)❤

[@_j_i_jordan5691]

Add rachmaninoff piano concerto 2 too,

[@ladymacbethofmtensk896]

Add the Antar Symphony! And Balakirev's "Tamara!"

[@Lucius1958]

A couple of additional suggestions: Les Preludes (Liszt) Concerto for Orchestra (Bartok)

[@ladymacbethofmtensk896]

@@Lucius1958 And for a research challenge, Sergei Lyapunov's "Hashish!"

[@ClassicsExplained]

This is massively appreciated, Sophie - can't thank you enough for your support and recommendations. So much I wish I could do (and I'd do all your suggestion if I had the time and money!) but I can tell you that one of them is currently in production ;)

[@growler777]

I discovered this piece when I was 15. I even used it to conquer my girlfriend's heart at that time (how adequate!), and still today I can recite the complete lyrics by heart (I was studying some Latin and German at that time, so most of the words made sense to me, and that made them much easier to remember). My point being, I know this work very deeply, and yet I discovered new things, meanings, and facts about it. Congratulations for an astonishing job!

[@ClassicsExplained]

What a brilliant tale! Love that you had a feeling for the lyrics too. I sang it at school when I was about 17 or 18 and fell absolutely in love with it too. It's really primal and powerful - thanks for all the support :)

[@poorwotan]

Terrific choice! We played this with our whole school orchestra & choir back in the 1970's. Then recognized it in Excalibur later. 😀

[@floraf3426]

I love this piece! I sang it with my university choir this June, it was so much fun.

[@ClassicsExplained]

Isn't is fab to sing in - I did the same many years back at school and never forgot the experience

[@MustafaAlmosawi]

Quite a step up in the animation style and detail. The art style becoming more refined and more unique to the composer. The cut out puppet style when employed was a nice touch. As always the music research and clear explanations made it accessible to someone who only listens a bit to classical music. Really enjoy your channel.

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thank you very much for this feedback - greatly appreciated and well-observed. We are really trying to step things up now

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thank you so much

[@SEELE-ONE]

One of the first concerts my father took me to see. I was in awe at the music and lyrics, as the text and translation was being projected over the choir. My favorite piece ever to date!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Brilliant - thanks so much for sharing this ! :))

[@tpags7398]

Recently attended a performance staged as an opera. Astoundingly powerful music and visuals

[@ClassicsExplained]

Isn't it just! Singing in it is even better!

[@megaman02468]

I got the chance to perform this about 5 years ago. It just so happened that I was both the 2nd bassoonist in the orchestra and part of the bass section of the choir. I ended up playing when there were 2nd bsn parts and singing the rest. Very fun concert for me lol, and great music too!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Love that - must have been so much fun

[@jennifermorris6848]

I enjoy this series so much. I realize having done Rite of Spring the Firebird is unlikely to get a nod. I want to yell play Firebird when I visit symphony (instead of play Freebird at Rock concert😅).

[@Connor-wj5ep]

I LOVE THE FIREBIRD. I hope he might do a video on it.

[@ClassicsExplained]

I love the Firebird. Would love to do a video on it - one of those interesting pieces were Ravel is borrowing a lot from Rimsky in terms of orchestration but also doing some rhythmically fascinating stuff that is a precursor for what is to come. Keep tuned and thanks for your support :)))

[@colleenkennealy3505]

@@ClassicsExplained Another vote here for Firebird!!

[@rickbiaget04]

I love your videos!! And I would also love to see a "Night On Bald Mountain" video!! 😆😆

[@ClassicsExplained]

Great suggestion! And that recommendation has been made by a few people so definitely a contender! Thanks for the support :)

[@danakchampion]

My local youth symphony woodwinds used to do this piece annually as part of our summer camp, when I was a teen. Definitely an exciting piece! Would love to know more of what it was about.

[@AbsoluteLoner]

This kind of high quality content on classical music is what we need!! Very well done video essay

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks so much! Exactly what we're aiming for - just hope it doesn't get a bit too niche for the algorithm!

[@JelMain]

The poems had been separated from their original music, which has since been found. It's amazing how close Orff got.

[@johanneswerner1140]

Yup, the C.B. is a brilliant collecting. Love it! Bacche bene venies... (especially the line about why you should not drink water...)

[@JelMain]

@@johanneswerner1140 There's also an entire subtext, when the fourth son of Egino van Urach, the founder of the ducal line of Wurttemburg, cut loose as a suffragan bishop in the Rhineland Monasteries and Nunneries in the late 12th Century. Celibacy was a new doctrine, and not accepted here, so he had to be baled out by the Vatican, who found a use for his visceral hatred in the Albigensian Crusade, where he finished his Cousin Simon IV de Montfort's unfinished business.

[@johnopalko5223]

Bravo! What a wonderful exegesis of _Carmina Burana!_ This has long been one of my favorite works and I was fortunate enough to have had the great privilege of performing it twice. _Carmina Burana_ is the first part of Orff's _Trionfi_ trilogy, the second and third parts being _Catulli Carmina_ and _Trionfo di Afrodite,_ respectively. The other compositions are quite good but, alas, not well known.

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks so much for this wonderful comment. I entirely agree with you about the other parts of the Trionfi. Catulli Carmina is a wonderfully innovative piece which is even more evocative of Stravinsky's Les Noces, with the inventive interplay of percussion and voice. Trionfo di Afrodite also has some spine-tingling moments too. In fact, I wish people knew that Orff was much more than Carmina Burana - Der Mond is one of my favourite operas. Thanks for your support :)

[@grisha4167]

Thank you! Can't wait to re listen Carmina Burana twice afterwards

[@ClassicsExplained]

YES!!! Exactly what I love to hear! Listen to the Eugen Jochum one that we credit - personally endorsed by Orff

[@MusicologyFriend]

I sang this my freshman year of college. It never got performed because it was 2020. Ended up learning the Orff method of music education instead

[@rdhunkins]

4:58 I can’t find any reference to an “Ocasio” god of opportunity anywhere. Caerus is mentioned and is sometimes depicted as having only a forelock of hair. I read in one novel where a character mentioned “grabbing fortune by the forelock”. Another character later asked what was meant by that and was told that the goddess of fortune is depicted as having no hair on her head behind her ears. The first character replied “Doesn’t sound very attractive, does it?” 😊 Thanks for producing this, I really enjoyed it. Carmina Burana is one of my favorites!

[@andrewkohler3707]

I think the poem is not referring to a character named Occasio, but rather a personification of opportunity.

[@FreakieFan]

These videos are absolutely sublime. Accessible to classical music newcomers, but also very entertaining and informative for more advanced listeners!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks SO much for this - exactly the sort of comment we love because it encapsulates everything we want this channel to be! Keep enjoying our new releases :)

[@FreakieFan]

@@ClassicsExplained I’m so happy you’re back to uploading!

[@jarekwrzosek2048]

I would really REALLY love to see you analyze Don Giovanni, it's my favourite Mozart Opera! Alternatively, I'd love to see you cover anything from Gilbert and Sullivan, especially Pirates of Penzance (a breakdown of all the references and jokes in "I am the Very Model of A Modern Major General" would be awesome). And since Halloween is coming, I'd also love Saint Saens' Danse Macabre, in the spirit of Spooktober.

[@ClassicsExplained]

What fascinating suggestions! We've done Magic Flute already (as much as I adore Don Giovanni) so perhaps G&S might be a cool left-field one. Regarding SS, keep tuned...! ;)

[@jarekwrzosek2048]

@@ClassicsExplained So, you're planning something for monsieur Camille? I wonder what could that be? If not Danse Macabre then maybe perhaps Le Carnival Des Animeaux? Or Organ Symphony? Either one would be awesome, and I can't wait to see your next video. Cheers!

[@ClassicsExplained]

@@jarekwrzosek2048 Not just planning...it's more or less ready! Looking forward to sharing soon :)

[@jarekwrzosek2048]

@@ClassicsExplained YES! Also in the meantime I've got another video Idea for you: Vivaldi's Four Seasons!

[@falloutgirl1377]

Finally I found an explanation step by step of my favorite cantata ❤ thanks a lot for this amazing work

[@TotallyNotRicardio223]

A very interesting piece, Carmina Burana. It certainly depicts a different take on... philosophy, yeah, that what's we're going to call it... from what's typically seen in music. For something completely different, I'd love to see a video that discusses Shostakovich's String Quartet #8. It's very bleak and pessimistic, but has a fascinating and similarly depressing story. Or, Shostakovich's Symphony #7; Its premier in the city of Leningrad occurred during the height of the siege during WWII. It is the only piece I know of where a premier was heralded by military action to ensure it would go uninterrupted.

[@ladymacbethofmtensk896]

Meanwhile, Dievs, tava zeme deg, a cantata by Latvian composer Lūcija Garūta, premiered in Rīga Cathedral during the 1944 Battle of Rīga. The recording even captures the sound of the battle.

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks so much for this! Some brilliant suggestions - and the Shostakovich symphony is an absolute classic for the reasons you explain. Got to find a way to somehow get it in! Keep up the support :)

[@YueshiYang]

did I see cameo appearance of Elgar in this episode🤣 This is brilliantly animated btw!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Well-spotted and thank you :)

[@000netko]

As someone who only knew the o fortuna part prior to watching, I can say that this is the exact opposite of what I expected it to be about

[@tangentartists6876]

I first heard Carmina Burana in middle school as our drama teacher used it as incidental music in our performance of the Hobbit. I loved it so much he made me a cassette after the show. I played it until the tape wore out and I tried to replace it. What I didn't realize is that it was the Ray Manzarak prog rock version and it was 20 years before I tracked that version down. 😂

[@ClassicsExplained]

Amazing! And I love the Manzarek connection! He did quite a few kooky versions of classical piece. If I weren’t doing classical music videos, I’d love to do Doors ones!

[@emilyglass5313]

Oh, I love this piece! The last time I sang this was when I was in a children's choir, and we sang with a college choir and full orchestra.

[@ClassicsExplained]

It's great! I sang it too at school - never forgot how unusual it was to sing in a piece like it after countless Mozarts and Bachs and the like. Was absolutely revelatory

[@_zyphis_2281]

11:17 Gershwin is one of the boys 😎

[@ClassicsExplained]

Well-spotted ;)

[@AVRiegel]

Another hit!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks so much for your support!

[@oaw117]

I had only ever heard O Fortuna; the rest of the piece is great and I'm going to listen to the full work after this. Great video as always, always glad when a video can make me laugh and learn something. Thank you for your hard work!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks so much! I love that you want to listen to the full piece. Like you, prior to singing this piece at school, I only knew O Fortuna. Then I discovered that it really is SO much more than that! Keep loving and learning about classical music and thanks for the support :)

[@chrisschack9716]

The men's chorus in the "In Taberna" section can be a real show-stopper!

[@orffrocks5667]

Incredibly clever and as usual, a stellar job. I use the Orff Schulwerk methodology in May Music teaching. Orff Rocks!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks SO much - really appreciate your support. There's many films I could make on Orff because the Schulwerk method is just fascinating. Perhaps we could address it in a side-video of me talking about it at the piano. Thanks for your support - and hope the kids are loving the Schulwerk method!

[@ElQuePregunto]

I want this to get more recommended by the algorithm, so here is this comment

[@ladymacbethofmtensk896]

The algorithm wants you to listen to Beyonds or Lizzo.

[@ClassicsExplained]

Sadly!

[@ClassicsExplained]

But thank you so much for this and your support!

[@TristanMA]

I would also like a discusion on Menotti- Amahl and the Night Visitors.

[@gnome8979]

yes

[@keithjames9610]

Wonderful explanation of a fantastic piece. I remember singing this in my local symphony choir. My only knowledge was as "the one with the cool and scary piece that is used in lots of movies and commercials." Our conductor encouraged us to look into the stories and meanings in each piece and I was hooked! I truly enjoyed singing it so much more, understanding what each voice, character, and musical motif was!

[@SEELE-ONE]

I just want to announce that I just missed the job of a lifetime over a technicality, and all I could think of was of this video’s Fortuna patting my shoulder saying “best luck next time”

[@sandradermark8463]

I ❤ this medieval-Nazi group of songs They taught me a lot about carpe diem and the Vanity of Life. Oh Fortuna, like the Moon-a, ever mutability!!!

[@radogoji7031]

8:09 - 8:11 "This is Goliard approved Lust!" The following is a quote from an interview with Asmodeus, the literal embodiment of Lust: "As both a noble King in the Ars Goetia, and the Sin Demon of Lust, even doing something simple like mentioning the Goliards or even alluding to them makes me uncomfortable! I don't see Lust as something that should be forced upon! It's gross, it's illegal, and it makes me sick *past* my stomach!!" -Asmodeus, the Sin Demon of Lust.

[@Theredscoutfreeman]

I proformed this in a big thing and now i love this song

[@andrewkohler3707]

Fun fact: Orff didn't actually have his publishers destroy his previous publications. He admitted in his memoirs that he was being a bit overly dramatic when he told that story. ;-)

[@kittymervine6115]

THANK YOU!!! I watch these over and over, and a new one is a delight!

[@ClassicsExplained]

What a LOVELY comment - thanks so much. Many more to come :)

[@gravesclayton3604]

I feel its best modern inclusion was in the score of the 1981 Boorman film "Excalibur". Since I was already a musician, it's what really sparked my interest to learn Latin as well.

[@winterlou]

I absolutely LOVE this video. The animation is very well made and the way it's narrated and explained makes it so fun! I wish this had subtitles so i can show it to my non-english speaking friends.

[@skinman2692]

This is genuinely some of my favourite youtube content - Keep it up!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Genuinely lovely to hear this - thanks so much for the support :)

[@arthurmorgan7557]

Carmina burana really is a masterpiece and one of my favourite pieces ever (even tho it's packed with sin)

[@andyantares]

Very deep and exciting music, the instruments literally speak along with singers. Love it

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks so much - and for the support :)

[@goldiefoggy]

I should suggest you some pieces to make some more masterpieces of yours about: Night On Bald Mountain (Mussorgsky) Tale Of Tsar Saltan (Rimsky-Korsakov) Leningrad Symphony (Shostakovich) The Miraculous Mandarin (Bela Bartok) Alice In Wonderland (Unsuk Chin) Suicide In An Airplane (Leo Ornstein) Firebird/Petrushka (Stravinsky) Tosca/Turandot (Puccini) L'Orfee Aux Enfer (Offenbach) The Bat (Strauss) Danse Macabre (Saint-Saens/Liszt) To be continued... P. S. Waiting for your new masterpieces, Ben 💓

[@ladymacbethofmtensk896]

If you recommend the Leningrad Symphony, I recommend Dievs Tava Zeme Deg by the Latvian Lūcija Garūta. Another Latvian composer with an epic story would be Jānis Mediņš who began his opera Fire and Night in 1913, served in the Tsar's army, and after the Revolution, crossed Siberia and European Russia to return to an independent Latvia, carrying the massive score the entire way.

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks so much for your huge support and for these suggestions. A piece very closely linked to one of this (which quotes heavily from it) is soon to be released by us!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Absolutely fascinating!

[@goldiefoggy]

Woww I didn't know Latvian classical music at all :(( my guilt :( I should listen this, thanks :)

[@davidmackie2901]

I was first exposed to this work in my tweens when my father, a public school instrumental educator, bought an album, the particulars of which I can't remember. I had a musically inclined ear from infancy (so I've been told) and was struck immediately with the primal quality of the music; the feeling that it was both ancient and modern at the same time. The music lured me in to reading the liner notes and following the translated poetry and even though I was too young to *really* get it, I got it to the extent I could. I'll have to do some digging and see if somehow I ended up with that LP. I haven't listened to the whole thing in ages. Thanks for a great summation.

[@txbooklvr]

I played a portion of this work in concert band my senior year of high school, we performed 6 movements from it in concert band. I was sad I wasn’t the timpanist in it because I wasn’t first chair percussion, but I played the piano and chimes during the concert, and it was one of my most favorite works to play, definitely brought good memories from high school band. I’m glad I finally understand what is going on in all of the pieces in the work, thank you!

[@ClassicsExplained]

So pleased it brought back those wonderful memories - one day you will be the timpanist I hope! :)

[@Cancoillotteman]

Discovered this piece in the Excalibur movie

[@617collins]

Brilliant video of my favourite piece of classical music. Well done and thank you!

[@patlynch6517]

An excellent video! Thank you! I love carmina burana

[@sospiroso]

Superb! Excellent overview.......👍

[@orffrocks5667]

my favorite piece! i sang with the university of michigan choir at carnegie hall in the prehistoric era; Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos conducted . can’t wait to hear (and see 😊) what you’ve done with this piece! ❤

[@puffadder92]

I had an aunt sing this at Carnegie under Stokowski

[@ClassicsExplained]

WOW! Must have been amazing to sing this under him! :)

[@bitwize]

Carmina Burana is also the music that inspired "One Winged Angel". Except for "Sephiroth", all the lyrics are nicked from the poems Orff used.

[@MustardAndFries]

This is one of the few channels where I'll periodically check back to see if I missed any uploads just in case you snuck past my notifications lol

[@ClassicsExplained]

LOVE this supportive comment - keep up the morale boost!

[@user-it2hh1fu9l]

Fantastic video and a well thoughtful series ❤ When chance is brought up I’d loooove to see a video about a Mahler symphony :))))

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks so much for this lovely compliment! Keep up the support - and the Mahler suggestion is brilliant. I've toyed with the idea a lot and am seriously weighing up between two particular Mahler ones

[@francoisrossignol7961]

These videos are mind blowing!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks so much! Many more on their way :)

[@tiroa3267]

Great to see you again! I can't wait for future episodes!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks so much for the support - looking to bringing out the next few soon! :)

[@Andra_Georgia]

First of all, this channel’s work and dedication are surprising. Thank you for all these video masterpieces! My suggestion for a new video is Wagner’s „Der Ring des Nibelungen” and Shostakovich’s 7th Symphony. Greetings from Romania! 🇷🇴

[@lisys511]

Classics explained already made der ring de nibelingen

[@Andra_Georgia]

@@lisys511 Sorry, i just saw the video after i posted this comment. ☺️

[@SUNKINGME]

Saw this piece done by the Cincinati Symphony Orchestra years ago. As it happenened i had broken my foot earlier that day. I recall not only temporarily forgeting my pain but but being nearly brought to tears. That was actually the very first (but not last) time thst had happened.

[@ClassicsExplained]

Wonderful comment - thank you for watching :)

[@valthenvega2434]

Carmina burana is my most valued memory of my beginnings in classical music taste, as I always seek videos explaining its melancholic message. I’m so glad to know I’ve found such in this video, along with the funniest visuals ever ❤️❤

[@ClassicsExplained]

Wonderful comment - many thanks for sharing and watching :)

[@80sRockIsKing]

My most direct introduction to the O Fortuna section was the 'salsa cookies' meme from like 10 years ago, and I've since added the entire Carmina Burana piece to my work playlist. I absolutely love it, and I really enjoy your presentation of the meaning behind the work. After watching this video, I am again reminded that people do not change. On a side note, I am dying that the falsetto section is supposed to be from the perspective of the swan lol what a great piece

[@alexscott1257]

Wow! Your videos are getting better and better! It's obvious a whole lot of work goes into each one and so they can only come out every once in a while but it's always such a treat when I see a video by you come up in the suggestions! Learning is easy when it's fun!

[@stormriderR3]

Back in 1982 I was in the UMass Lowell marching band and our off the line piece was Music from Carmina Burana opening with O Fortuna.

[@fistyann8434]

Brilliant!!

[@justinscaife530]

In addition to the great suggestions for videos, consider, Darius Milhaud’s Scaramouche and his Saudades Do Brazil. There high levels of polytonality in Saudades.❤❤

[@chuckliquor3663]

It's a good thing that our lives are not in the hands of fickle fates, but in the hands of the Good God who loves mankind.

[@walidhachem9714]

after singing this with my boy coir with was on our top 5 concerts we did!!! Our favorit part was the famous;OH OH OHHHH TOTUS FLOREO

[@animeXcaso]

5:29 I-CAN'T-EAT-RICE!

[@hannahpumpkins4359]

OMG, what an amazing video!

[@jasontiller]

Awesome! I love it! What a great video! I’ve sung it but this video taught me a ton!!! Thanks!

[@grega7323]

This video showed up in my recommendations and yes I like classical music, so I watched it. I enjoyed it so much I subscribed, now I'm going back to the beginning to watch the videos in series.

[@TristanMA]

Orff was briefly mentioning the Homer and Virgil's acounts of Trojan War which was depicted at the begining of Berlioz' Les Troyens.

[@MariaMartinez-researcher]

There's a choreography for this piece, authored by Ernst Uthoff, co-founder of the Chilean National Ballet (dependant of the University of Chile, the country's state university). You can watch excerpts of it searching in KZbin by "Carmina Burana 2010 Estacion Mapocho." I sang in the choir years before (Symphonic Choir of the University of Chile), we sang the whole thing by heart - and mostly in darkness. 😁

[@Olivia_Banks]

I love your videos schveetie! ❤

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thank you glad you like!!

[@Olivia_Banks]

Very much schveetie! Where you been!

[@TristanMA]

Stravinsky revised Petrushka in 1947 (10 years after Carmina Burana's Premiere). Earlier he had debued his Les Noces in 1923 with Choreography by Bronislava Nijinska.

[@nathananderson8928]

Excalibur brought me here. The Once and Future King Rides Again..!

[@MarcusB-qr1hk]

Absolutely enjoy your videos! Suggestions coming for pieces you could do videos around: Bach and his Brandenburg Concertos Mozart and his Piano Concertos No 20 & 21 Mozart’s Piano Sonata No 11 in A (the Rondo Alla Turca) and his Symphonies No 25, 40 and his famous symphony No 41. Perhaps selections from Handel’s Messiah. Mozart (his Sunny Symphony No 29), Piano quartet’s No 1 & 2 Schubert (Unfinished Symphony & his Trout Quintet) Can’t wait to see more of what you do in the future!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks SO much for this and your suggestions and your support - we will deffo keep them coming :)

[@RachelDeRosier010894]

Please do the William Tell Overture next

[@ClassicsExplained]

Great suggestion! Thanks for watching

[@originaluddite]

I associated O Fortuna with the movie Excalibur till I sang it in a choir. This video gives a more comprehensive summary than our conductor did. Incidentally, after-parties following a performance of Carmina Burana tend to go off with a bang...

[@MorganWasHere3]

They made a new one so quickly!

[@ClassicsExplained]

We've upped our production team and now having a real go at bringing these out periodically! Thanks for the support :)

[@jiafeiskinnyproducts]

YOU'RE BACK!!!!!

[@ClassicsExplained]

We are indeed! And not too long for release of next film either! Thanks for the support :)

[@markwise9138]

This is one of my all time favorites, first heard it in the old movie Excalibur. It always gets my blood pumping.

[@ClassicsExplained]

It's great!

[@TristanMA]

I would also want a discussion on the Christmas Pastorales of Corelli, Torelli, Locateli, Manfredini, etc.

[@ClassicsExplained]

Thanks for all these super suggestions :)

[@kininiwong5350]

Day 1 for Brandenburg Concertos

[@xalanedgex]

You are awesome, once again you make a video about a piece that it’s going to be played this season on our local venue(Teatro colon, Buenos Aires)

[@etherealceleste]

Thank you. This totally explains why it is so prominent in Excalibur.

[@TristanMA]

Other pieces featuring a Swan include Saint-Seans' The Carnival of th Animals, Sibelius' The Swan of Tuonela, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, and Wagner's Lohengrin & Parsifal.

[@jeffarmstrong1308]

Like a number of the commenters here I first heard O Fortuna as part of the Excalibur movie in the 1970's but great piece of music won't be denied and loved the work since. However! I never understood the story - I am NOT one for dry performance notes. Thank you so much for your concise and clear explanation of the story. I have just relistened to the oratorio but with a much clearer understanding.

[@GlaceonStudios]

Wait a minute, was that George Gershwin entering the tavern (11:16)?

[@jessestevens_aka_jesus]

And Paul Whiteman

[@nicoville20]

and is that... *gasp* SIR EDWARD ELGAR?!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Well spotted - we were hoping some keen eyes would play along with the in-joke

[@PaisleyPatchouli]

Oh boy, that was a fun ride! ;)

[@MountainDewComacho494]

Just stumbled on your channel. This video was fantastic! I love this piece and I listen to it all the time. I never realized the plot was so bonkers!

[@ClassicsExplained]

Welcome!

[@ptonpc]

Don't forget it's in Excalibur too. I have heard this music my entire life and this is the best explained I have ever heard it.