Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna!” from the critically renowned Carmina Burana, is without a doubt one of his most famous compositions.  A largely recognized, yet unknown work, 1936’s “O Fortuna!” deals with issues such as love, gambling, and fate which we are, to this day, still contemplating.  Ultimately introducing the “Wheel of Fortune,” Orff’s composition brilliantly mimics the wheels continuous rotation!

 Text translation:

                                 ”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.

Fate, monstrous
and empty,
you turning wheel,
you are malevolent,
your favor is idle
and always fades,
shadowed,
veiled,
you plague me too.
I bare my back
for the sport
of your wickedness.

In prosperity
or in virtue
fate is against me,
Both in passion
and in weakness
fate always enslaves us.
So at this hour
pluck the vibrating strings;
because fate
brings down even the strong,
everyone weep with me.”

*Check out Carl Orff’s ”O Fortuna!” transcribed for Orff instruments and performed by a group of fabulous third and fifth grade music students at TeacherTube!

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=6af8e0d9a6d123d5c385