MWC_Edition24

December 11_RJ

Some WCM in MWC today...

"O Fortuna" is a medieval Latin Goliardic poem written early in the 13th century, part of the collection known as the Carmina Burana. It is a complaint about fate and Fortuna, the personification of luck in Roman mythology.

In 1935–36, "O Fortuna" was set to music by German composer Carl Orff as a part of "Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi", the opening and closing movement of his cantata Carmina Burana.

Orff's setting of the poem has become immensely popular and has been performed by countless classical music ensembles and popular artists. It can be heard in numerous movies and television commercials and has become a staple in popular culture, setting the mood for dramatic or cataclysmic situations.

"O Fortuna" topped a list of the most-played classical music of the past 75 years in the United Kingdom.

Here is the translation of the Latin Original

O Fortune,
like the moon
you are changeable,
ever waxing
and waning;
hateful life
first oppresses
and then soothes
as fancy takes it;
poverty
and power
it melts them like ice.

Fate – monstrous
and empty,
you whirling wheel,
you are malevolent,
well-being is vain
and always fades to nothing,
shadowed
and veiled
you plague me too;
now through the game
I bring my bare back
to your villainy.

Fate is against me
in health
and virtue,
driven on
and weighted down,
always enslaved.
So at this hour
without delay
pluck the vibrating strings;
since Fate
strikes down the strong man,
everyone weep with me!

Here is one video of the performance - http://youtu.be/FWiyKgeGWx0

If you think this sounds familiar, then this is the reason -http://youtu.be/6rbZr7YoqK0 most of us who watched Doordarshan in the 90s would be familiar with this advertisement.

MWC_Edition36

December 22_RJ

In today's music with cofee, we look at a 1787 composition "Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major), K. 525" for a chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The German title means "a little serenade," though it is often rendered more literally but less accurately as "a little night music.

The work is written for an ensemble of two violins, viola, and cello with optional double bass, but is often performed by string orchestras.

The performance by Gewandhaus Quartet is given below -http://youtu.be/CDNENgxTJuM

A string orchestra performance is here - http://youtu.be/Qb_jQBgzU-I

Here is a 60 minute version - http://youtu.be/Hp3SKP2fji4

Note0: Western Classical gives very little scope for the performer to improvise, but still there are a few conductors and players whose performances stand out. Look out for the name of 'Leonard Bernstein'. it is the name of a conductor.

Note1 : Best way to listen to all western classical music use is to a good quality headphone, if you listen on youtube or even better, listen to the CD on a good audio set up with 'source direct on' option. smile emoticon