It's still one of my favorite pieces of music. I memorized most of the Latin and German lyrics and learned the English translations. It's been a while, but I could probably give a rough outline of what every single song is about (hint: many of them are about drinking and/or fucking).

Swede

(33,257 posts)

3. Those were a bunch of bad monks.

Reply to RZM (Reply #2)

Sat Jun 2, 2012, 10:25 PM

Jun 2012

RZM

(8,556 posts)

5. Indeed

Reply to Swede (Reply #3)

Sat Jun 2, 2012, 10:30 PM

Jun 2012

Of course that kind of thing was widespread in nunneries and monasteries at that time. I remember reading once that some nunneries were really whorehouses with a religious facade. Not everywhere of course, but it did happen.

Celibacy is like pimping. It ain't easy.

lovemydog

(11,833 posts)

13. They say Shaft is a bad monka..

Reply to Swede (Reply #3)

Mon Jun 4, 2012, 05:05 AM

Jun 2012

.. shut yo mouth!

hlthe2b

(102,294 posts)

6. Oh, yes.. I know the gist of the more bawdy lust and tavern themes...

Reply to RZM (Reply #2)

Sat Jun 2, 2012, 10:45 PM

Jun 2012

which belie some incredibly powerful music that one would think reflected a more "lofty" theme.

When performed well, it is a wonderful event. I saw Robert Shaw conduct it in Atlanta years ago--really wonderful.

RZM

(8,556 posts)

7. Here's an interesting article about a recent film that examines Orff's life

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #6)

Sat Jun 2, 2012, 11:03 PM

Jun 2012

Apparently he had a murky past, which is understandable since he came to fame during the Nazi era. But he failed to come to the defense of a colleague who was arrested and executed and later lied to American interrogators after the war, claiming that he was a resistance figure himself when he wasn't.

I don't think his actions paint him as a terrible man. Other artists had similar difficult choices in repressive regimes. If I remember correctly, Stalin once personally telephoned Boris Pasternak and fished for a denunciation of some fellow novelists. Pasternak was apparently somewhat equivocal. None of us know what we would have done in such circumstances.

It's an interesting window into Orff the man. But whatever the man he was, his music has incredible power and in the end, that's what matters.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jan/02/classical-music-film-carmina-burana

hlthe2b

(102,294 posts)

10. Pretty ugly secret he lived with...

Reply to RZM (Reply #7)

Sun Jun 3, 2012, 07:00 AM

Jun 2012

I'd like to think I would have done differently, but who really knows, when doing the "right" thing carries such obvious deadly risks to ones self. Clearly he lived a lifetime of regret for his cowardliness and subsequent lie.