O Fortuna

**LeftEyeNine** · 01-05-2010, 16:15

What kind of state of mind makes one compose a masterpiece like this ?

1. O Fortuna (Chorus) (O Fortune)

O Fortuna
O Fortune,
velut luna
like the moon
statu variabilis,
you are changeable,
semper crescis
ever waxing
aut decrescis;
and waning;
vita detestabilis
hateful life
nunc obdurat
first oppresses
et tunc curat
and then soothes
ludo mentis aciem,
as fancy takes it;
egestatem,
poverty
potestatem
and power
dissolvit ut glaciem.
it melts them like ice.
Sors immanis
Fate - monstrous
et inanis,
and empty,
rota tu volubilis,
you whirling wheel,
status malus,
you are malevolent,
vana salus
well-being is vain
semper dissolubilis,
and always fades to nothing,
obumbrata
shadowed
et velata
and veiled
michi quoque niteris;
you plague me too;
nunc per ludum
now through the game
dorsum nudum
I bring my bare back
fero tui sceleris.
to your villainy.
Sors salutis
Fate is against me
et virtutis
in health
michi nunc contraria,
and virtue,
est affectus
driven on
et defectus
and weighted down,
semper in angaria.
always enslaved.
Hac in hora
So at this hour
sine mora
without delay
corde pulsum tangite;
pluck the vibrating strings;
quod per sortem
since Fate
sternit fortem,
strikes down the strong man,
mecum omnes plangite!
everyone weep with me!

2. Fortune plango vulnera (I bemoan the wounds of Fortune)

Fortune plango vulnera
I bemoan the wounds of Fortune
stillantibus ocellis
with weeping eyes,
quod sua michi munera
for the gifts she made me
subtrahit rebellis.
she perversely takes away.
Verum est, quod legitur,
It is written in truth,
fronte capillata,
that she has a fine head of hair,
sed plerumque sequitur
but, when it comes to seizing an opportunity
Occasio calvata.
she is bald.
In Fortune solio
On Fortune's throne
sederam elatus,
I used to sit raised up,
prosperitatis vario
crowned with
flore coronatus;
the many-coloured flowers of prosperity;
quicquid enim florui
though I may have flourished
felix et beatus,
happy and blessed,
nunc a summo corrui
now I fall from the peak
gloria privatus.
deprived of glory.
Fortune rota volvitur:
The wheel of Fortune turns;
descendo minoratus;
I go down, demeaned;
alter in altum tollitur;
another is raised up;
nimis exaltatus
far too high up
rex sedet in vertice
sits the king at the summit -
caveat ruinam!
let him fear ruin!
nam sub axe legimus
for under the axis is written
Hecubam reginam.
Queen Hecuba.

**Peasant Phill** · 01-05-2010, 18:24

I was under the impression that 'O fortuna' as part of Carmina burana were drinking songs from the time when students and professors would drink and sing together. the origins of the cantus (still popular with Belgian students but without the professors).

**Thermal** · 01-05-2010, 19:07

I guess he got wasted

**Moros** · 01-05-2010, 20:42

Originally Posted by Peasant Phill

I was under the impression that 'O fortuna' as part of Carmina burana were drinking songs from the time when students and professors would drink and sing together. the origins of the cantus (still popular with Belgian students but without the professors).

I've done a cantus with professors! Of course didn't drink that much as usual. Some even wrote in my codex. :)

Edit: Also I believe that indeed to be correct. Songs like the 'io vivat', the 'gaudeamus igitur' and 'ergo bibamus' are reminders of that. The Io vivat and ergo bibamus don't date back that far (Io vivat from the 18th century) and the Ergo Bibamus was written by Goethe. However the gaudealus igitur dates from the medieval times I believe.

**Megas Methuselah** · 01-05-2010, 21:32

Now that you guys mention it, it'd be really cool to use this as a drinking song...

**Sigurd** · 01-05-2010, 22:48

I actually did this... yes I was a 1st tenor back in '99 and did the Carl Orff - Carmina Burana concert together with the opera choir in Bergen... probably before any of you were born

Some of my favourites in addition to the amazing O fortuna in the OP.

Reie (the singing starts a bit out) - a song where you really prove your tenor worth. In the midle part - it sounds like two alto groups singing. But the second are really tenors... .
Olim lactus colueram - supposed to be sung by a castrato tenori. We were 20 tenors and did a much better chorus performance than those on this clip.
In Taberna Quando Sumus - on the list because I could never remember all the text on this one. We had cheat cards.
Were Diu Werlt Alle Min - in this song you proved you were a 1st. tenori.
Veni, Veni venias - also proving ground (couldn't find a decent link)
Tempus est iocundum - proving ground (couldn't find a decent link)

**LeftEyeNine** · 01-05-2010, 23:29

This linkie elaborates the album and the writings it's based upon.

**Big_John** · 01-08-2010, 09:55

this one of my favorite pieces of music ever. nearly every movement stands out as magnificent, and the work as a whole is even greater than the sum. the ending sequence of dulcissima > ave formosissima > o, fortuna is one of the most breath-taking in all music.

luckily, orff's questionable associations haven't hurt the popularity of the carmina burana.

you can listen to a fairly cavernous rendition of the entire piece here: link

the version i own, and recommend is this one.