Carmina Burana

Carl Orff managed to write in his life one piece that won global success and recognition as an important work. That is the "Carmina Burana", which, in contrast to all expectations, became amazingly popular among many people, who were not at all traditional listeners of classical music. What is the secret of its success? Why has it become the most familiar and successful modern vocal work?

Orff's recipe for success was so: take some ancient texts by student monks from around the year 700, make sure they will be songs about fornication, getting drunk, full of obscenity and profanity. Build a modern piece on this basis, one with special, sweeping rhythms, consisting of short songs played consecutively.

Orff's gamble proved to be more successful than he had ever imagined. The exotic Latin language stimulated the imagination of millions, and Orff's beautiful melodies made them admire the work which is so contradictive to 20th century music. "Carmina Burana" was just the opposite of modern music: melodic, interesting and easy on the ear. A bit of "tabloid" quality, yet not vulgar (the words are usually incomprehensible - and that's just as well!). The masses have spoken by flooding the halls.