Ecce Gratum
So, in the spirit of having the Carmina Burana performed on Wednesday, I've decided to post some of the more interesting lyrics from Orff's exciting composition. Orff got the words from poetry that was found in Germany in 1803 and was dated to around the 12th century. It was mainly about love and sex, beer and gambling, and fate.
7. Floret silva nobilis (The woods are burgeoning)
(Chorus)
The noble woods are burgeoning
with flowers and leaves.
(Small Chorus)
Where is the lover
I knew? Ah!
He has ridden off!
Oh! Who will love me? Ah!
8. Chramer, gip die varwe mir (Shopkeeper, give me colour)
(Semi-Chorus)
Shopkeeper, give me colour
to make my cheeks red,
so that I can make the young men
love me, against their will.
Look at me,
young men!
Let me please you!
12. Cignus ustus cantat (The Roast Swan) (Wicked Tenor solo, btw)
Once I lived on lakes,
once I looked beautiful
when I was a swan.
(Male chorus)
Misery me!
Now black
and roasting fiercely!
(Tenor)
The servant is turning me on the spit;
I am burning fiercely on the pyre:
the steward now serves me up.
17. Stetit puella (A girl stood) (beautiful soprano solo, btw. I LOVES this part)
A girl stood
in a red tunic;
if anyone touched it,
the tunic rustled.
Eia!
A girl stood
like a little rose:
her face was radiant
and her mouth in bloom.
Eia!
18. Circa mea pectora (In my heart)
(Baritone and Chorus)
May God grant, may the gods grant
what I have in mind:
that I may loose
the chains of her virginity. Ah!
Mandaliet,
mandaliet,
my lover
does not come.
22. Tempus es iocundum (This is the joyful time)
This is the joyful time,
O maidens,
rejoice with them,
young men!
(Baritone)
Oh! Oh! Oh!
I am bursting out all over!
I am burning all over with first love!
New, new love is what I am dying of!
novus amor
quo pereo.
...and for anyone wondering what the translation is for O Fortuna: (I left the original words too, in case you have a recording and wish to sing along..lol.)
25. O Fortuna (O Fortune)
O Fortuna, O Fortune,
velut luna like the moon
statu variabilis, you are changeable,
semper crescis ever waxing
aut decrescis; and waning;
vita detestabilis hateful life
nunc obdurat first oppresses
et tunc curat and then soothes
ludo mentis aciem, as fancy takes it;
egestatem, poverty
potestatem and power
dissolvit ut glaciem. it melts them like ice.
Sors immanis Fate - monstrous
et inanis, and empty,
rota tu volubilis, you whirling wheel,
status malus, you are malevolent,
vana salus well-being is in vain
semper dissolubilis, and always fades to nothing,
obumbrata shadowed
et velata and veiled
michi quoque niteris; you plague me too;
nunc per ludum now through the game
dorsum nudum I bring my bare back
fero tui sceleris. to your villainy.
Sors salutis Fate is against me
et virtutis in health
michi nunc contraria, and virtue,
est affectus driven on
et defectus and weighted down,
semper in angaria. always enslaved.
Hac in hora So at this hour
sine mora without delay
corde pulsum tangite; pluck the vibrating strings;
quod per sortem since Fate
sternit fortem, strikes down the strong man,
mecum omnes plangite! everybody weep with me!
7. Floret silva nobilis (The woods are burgeoning)
(Chorus)
The noble woods are burgeoning
with flowers and leaves.
(Small Chorus)
Where is the lover
I knew? Ah!
He has ridden off!
Oh! Who will love me? Ah!
8. Chramer, gip die varwe mir (Shopkeeper, give me colour)
(Semi-Chorus)
Shopkeeper, give me colour
to make my cheeks red,
so that I can make the young men
love me, against their will.
Look at me,
young men!
Let me please you!
12. Cignus ustus cantat (The Roast Swan) (Wicked Tenor solo, btw)
Once I lived on lakes,
once I looked beautiful
when I was a swan.
(Male chorus)
Misery me!
Now black
and roasting fiercely!
(Tenor)
The servant is turning me on the spit;
I am burning fiercely on the pyre:
the steward now serves me up.
17. Stetit puella (A girl stood) (beautiful soprano solo, btw. I LOVES this part)
A girl stood
in a red tunic;
if anyone touched it,
the tunic rustled.
Eia!
A girl stood
like a little rose:
her face was radiant
and her mouth in bloom.
Eia!
18. Circa mea pectora (In my heart)
(Baritone and Chorus)
May God grant, may the gods grant
what I have in mind:
that I may loose
the chains of her virginity. Ah!
Mandaliet,
mandaliet,
my lover
does not come.
22. Tempus es iocundum (This is the joyful time)
This is the joyful time,
O maidens,
rejoice with them,
young men!
(Baritone)
Oh! Oh! Oh!
I am bursting out all over!
I am burning all over with first love!
New, new love is what I am dying of!
novus amor
quo pereo.
...and for anyone wondering what the translation is for O Fortuna: (I left the original words too, in case you have a recording and wish to sing along..lol.)
25. O Fortuna (O Fortune)
O Fortuna, O Fortune,
velut luna like the moon
statu variabilis, you are changeable,
semper crescis ever waxing
aut decrescis; and waning;
vita detestabilis hateful life
nunc obdurat first oppresses
et tunc curat and then soothes
ludo mentis aciem, as fancy takes it;
egestatem, poverty
potestatem and power
dissolvit ut glaciem. it melts them like ice.
Sors immanis Fate - monstrous
et inanis, and empty,
rota tu volubilis, you whirling wheel,
status malus, you are malevolent,
vana salus well-being is in vain
semper dissolubilis, and always fades to nothing,
obumbrata shadowed
et velata and veiled
michi quoque niteris; you plague me too;
nunc per ludum now through the game
dorsum nudum I bring my bare back
fero tui sceleris. to your villainy.
Sors salutis Fate is against me
et virtutis in health
michi nunc contraria, and virtue,
est affectus driven on
et defectus and weighted down,
semper in angaria. always enslaved.
Hac in hora So at this hour
sine mora without delay
corde pulsum tangite; pluck the vibrating strings;
quod per sortem since Fate
sternit fortem, strikes down the strong man,
mecum omnes plangite! everybody weep with me!