4.O Fortuna (from Carmina Burana)
-Carl Orff-
O Fortuna was actually a medieval poem written in the early 1200s, part of a collection of poems known as Carmina Burana. O Fortuna complains about fate and fortune and how it changes all the time. In 1935, Carl Orff got ahold of the collection and put it to music, with lyrics entirely in Latin. O Fortuna is a song that "builds up"- in other words, gets louder and louder and ends very abruptly, but regally. Although you may think that you've never heard this one, you probably have because it's been performed by ensembles, orchestras, and artists worldwide. Oddly enough, you might commonly hear this piece in food commercials. |
| 5."An die Fraude" ("Ode to Joy" from Symphony #9, Choral)
-Ludwig van Beethoven-
You have probably heard of the English "Ode to Joy," but you may also want to know that it comes from movement 4 of Beethoven's spectacular 9th symphony. If you play a musical instrument, this was probably one of the first pieces you ever played (a much easier version, of course). Being a song about love and freedom-as well as having a very catchy tune-this is one of Beethoven's greatest works, as well as one of the most famous tunes/pieces in the entire world.
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