Carl Orff - O Fortuna
Perhaps one of the best known classical songs/themes of all time, O Fortuna is a latin poem that was set to music in the 1930s by German composer Carl Orff. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing…if you want some music that will instantly scream “shut up and pay attention - this is a CATACLYSMIC MOMENT” then this is the track you throw on.
I shouldn’t even admit this, but whenever this song comes on, I turn it all the way up and pretend to be the mad wizard from Fantasia. Complete with psychotic conductor motions and head banging. It just feels so right.
Enjoy!
-CaliDre
Carl Orff - O Fortuna
Latin
O Fortuna
velut luna
statu variabilis,
semper crescis
aut decrescis;
vita detestabilis
nunc obdurat
et tunc curat
ludo mentis aciem,
egestatem,
potestatem
dissolvit ut glaciem.
Sors immanis
et inanis,
rota tu volubilis,
status malus,
vana salus
semper dissolubilis,
obumbrata
et velata
michi quoque niteris;
nunc per ludum
dorsum nudum
fero tui sceleris.
Sors salutis
et virtutis
michi nunc contraria,
est affectus
et defectus
semper in angaria.
Hac in hora
sine mora
corde pulsum tangite;
quod per sortem
sternit fortem,
mecum omnes plangite!
English
O Fortune,
just as the moon
Stands constantly changing,
always increasing
or decreasing;
Detestable life
now difficult
and then easy
Deceptive sharp mind;
poverty
power
it melts them like ice.
Fate—monstrous
and empty,
you whirling wheel,
stand malevolent,
well-being is vain
and always fades to nothing,
shadowed
and veiled
you plague me too;
now through the game,
my bare back
I bring to your villainy.
Fate, in health
and in virtue,
is now against me
driven on
and weighted down,
always enslaved.
So at this hour
without delay
pluck the vibrating string;
since through Fate
strikes down the strong,
everyone weep with me!
