THE drama of Carmina Burana is the focus of Barnard Castle Choral Society’s music this term.
The society, which meets every Thursday evening at Barnard Castle School, is working towards a concert at the school on November 25 for which tickets are now on sale.
Carmina Burana was written in the mid 1930s by Carl Orff. The cantata is based on 24 medieval poems which spotlight the fickleness of fortune and wealth, the ephemeral nature of life, joy at the return of spring and the pleasures and perils of life’s excesses.
Its full Latin title translated is: “Songs of Beuern: Secular songs for singers and choruses to be sung together with instruments and magical images” .
First performed in 1937 the movement “O Fortuna” became familiar in the 1970s as the TV advert theme for Old Spice aftershave and more recently, was used to introduce the arrival of the judges in TV’s X Factor.
The choral society meets in the hall at Barney Prep School from 7pm until 8.45pm. New members are always welcome. There are no auditions and is free to take part.
The leader is Richard Dawson, director of music at the school. For more details email rjd@barneyschool.org.uk.
