Carl Orff's O Fortuna in popular culture

In 1935–36, the 13th-century poem "O Fortuna" was set to music by the German composer Carl Orff for Carmina Burana, his twenty-five-movement cantata. The composition appears in numerous films and television commercials[1] and has become a staple in popular culture, setting the mood for dramatic or cataclysmic situations.[2] For instance, it is used to portray the torment of Jim Morrison's drug addiction in the film The Doors.[3] In 1983, Doors' keyboardist Ray Manzarek released his third solo album, Carmina Burana, which is an interpretation of the piece in a contemporary framework.

"O Fortuna" has been called "the most overused piece of music in film history",[4] and Harper's Magazine columnist Scott Horton has commented that "Orff’s setting may have been spoiled by its popularization" and its use "in movies and commercials often as a jingle, detached in any meaningful way from its powerful message."[5] Its contemporary usage is often joking or satirical in nature, owing to its oversaturation in popular culture.

In popular culture

• 1981: Part of the music for John Boorman's Excalibur, being the background music when King Arthur rides to his last battle against Mordred at the movie's climax. It is performed by the Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Leipzig Radio Chorus[6].
• 1997: The premiere of Michael Smuin's ballet Carmina Burana for Smuin Ballet, danced to a Michael Tilson Thomas recording of Orff's cantata.[7]
• 2005: In a Carlton Draught beer ad called Carlton Draught: Big Ad.[8]
• 2009: Long-running webcomic Schlock Mercenary has hundreds of construction robots singing "O Fortuna" while they work, freaking out the crew.[9]
• 2010: On The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on ESPN Radio as Le Batard opened the show celebrating LeBron James signing with the Miami Heat in free agency to complete their Big 3 alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.[10]
• 2019: On Tim & Sid on Sportsnet as titular hosts Tim Micallef and Sid Seixeiro reacted to the Toronto Raptors winning their first NBA championship and recapped the franchise’s ups and downs.[11]

Bands and artists who have covered or sampled the work

• Apoptygma Berzerk[12]
• Apotheosis[13] Complete Techno rearrangement, lyrics intact.
• Bullet for My Valentine[14]
• Dreadzone (Sample from "Uf dem anger – Tanz" used in their song "Little Britain" from the 1995 album Second Light)[15]
• The Diplomats (Used in the single "Get em Daddy" by Camron & The Diplomats)[16]
• DJ Paul (Used in his 2009 single featuring Lord Infamous "You Don't Want It")[17]
• Enigma, on the album The Screen Behind the Mirror, used for the songs "The Gate", "Gravity of Love", "Modern Crusaders", and "Camera Obscura", and the end of the album's title track[18]
• Epica[19]
• Era[20]
• Christopher Rouse, in his 1990 composition Karolju[21]
• Trans-Siberian Orchestra[22]

References

1. Eric Friesen, "Carmina Burana: The Big Mac of Classical Music?", Queen's Quarterly, Summer 2011  – via Questia (subscription required) .
2. "The Answer Is Almost Always "O Fortuna"". Kickass Classical forums. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
3. IMDB entry for soundtrack of Oliver Stone's film The Doors
4. Jeff Bond, Review of Mission Impossible 2 Archived January 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Film Score Monthly, July 2000, p. 35.
5. Horton, Scott (September 7, 2008). "O Fortuna!". Harper's Magazine.
6. "Excalibur (1981) Soundtracks". IMDB. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
7. Roca, Octavio; Critic, Chronicle Dance (1997-11-07). "Smuin's 'Carmina' Hits the Heart / Double bill at Fort Mason". SFGate. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
8. The Big Beer Ad on YouTube
9. "Tuesday 13 October 2009". Schlock Mercenary. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
10. The Dan Le Batard Show – Dan rejoices over the Three Kings YouTube (originally broadcast on ESPN Radio)
11. Tim & Sid – Raptors fans explode over first NBA championship Sportsnet on YouTube
12. Apoptygma Berzerk – Love Never Dies on YouTube
13. Apotheosis - O Fortuna (1992) on YouTube
14. Bullet For My Valentine – Waking the Demon + intro live on YouTube
15. "Dreadzone's 'Little Britain' – Discover the Sample Source". WhoSampled. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
16. Cam'ron feat Hell Rell JR Writer & Jim Jones – Get Em Daddy on YouTube
17. "DJ Paul ft. Lord Infamous – U Don't Want It – Listen Now". Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
18. Mars – The Gate – Enigma. NASA on YouTube
19. Epica – The Classical Conspiracy – "O Fortuna" (Live) on YouTube
20. ERA – The Mass (Official Music Video) on YouTube
21. Amacher, Julie (December 12, 2007). "New Classical Tracks: Contemporary carols with a familiar ring". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
22. Trans-Siberian Orchestra – "O Fortuna" (Live) on YouTube