WHAT WHY

3rds, 5ths and parallel

motion
A key concept of the Middle Ages is its simplicity which can be
conveyed within simple harmony
Aeolian mode Secular compositions were often based on a church mode in
medieval times. Aeolian mode beginning on D is the mode
also known as a natural minor scale.
No raised seventh very medieval
D E F G A Bb C D
Asymmetrical Sounds free
Block harmony Create a declamatory effect
Discords To show the harsh reality of life and fate. This is exemplified in
the dramatic opening discord which doesnt resolve until the
final chord of the bar
Dissonance Creates tension and provides drive which moves the music
forward because it begs for release
Full chorus and orchestra This is a metaphor because fate affects all people and the
chorus are like observers of the wheel of fortune. The full
orchestra is only used for dramatic climax points Percussion
instruments are constant since Orff believed rhythm was most
important.
Higher/doubled range Doubled ranges or octaves make the music seem even louder
when the dynamics are already at extremes (i.e. fortissimo)
Homophonic O Fortuna is homophonic in that it has a chorus and an
accompaniment it does, however, move in two layers. The
vocal layer is often monophonic and the instrumental is
sometimes even polyphonic. Thus, the texture is inconstant
and difficult to define.
Lyrics (provide English translation)
The lyrics tell of how the moon is another metaphor for fate
and fortune. Like the moon changes (waxing/waning), so
does fortune first oppresses then soothes. The final line of
the lyrics is about everyone coming together to realise that
they are all at the mercy of fortune. The lyrics translate to
everyone weep with me and then the chorus final note is
held for 9 bars while the orchestra plays a fast and intense
passage at fortississimo (fff) right until the very end. In this
case the orchestra represents the merciless power of destiny
and the chorus represent the people who are slaves to
fortune.
Melodic contour The contour of the melody is very smooth. This is due to the
fact that in medieval times music notation was through
neumes which didnt really allow for extreme melodies. An
example can be seen in the image below (The Schyen
Collection, 2011):
Neumes were the basic musical notation used before
invention of notation on a
five-line staff (Wikipedia,
2014i).

Melodic ostinato The lyrics speak of the wheel of fortune and the melodic
ostinato conveys a turning motion.
Ostinato Ostinato in Italian means stubborn, pointing to the insistence
of the continually repeating musical figure. Its stubbornness
portrays the ruthless wheel of fortune.
Pedal notes unity and brings it all together
Rhythmic patterns The obsessively repetitive rhythms make for a static and
primitive quality in keeping with the medieval theme. The
repetition is balanced by strong contrasts within the dynamics.
Strophic form Strophic form is where each stanza of lyrics has the same
melody. This further conveys repetition and the turning
motion.
Structural pattern There is this same pattern within the whole piece (in the
melody, the form, etc.) of short-short-long. An example of this
is in the first section the first and second phrases are short
and the third is elongated. This continues throughout the
whole piece and keeps it cohesive.
Tempo pesante Pesante means heavily i.e. the burden of destiny
Terraced dynamics Building intensities
Tierce de Picardie Unexpected, fortune has power over all and is uncontrollable.
It further heightens the drama
Timpani Suggests power; menacing
Train tracks The train tracks are formally known as caesurae which
indicates a brief, silent pause during which time is not
counted. Miss Ellena Papas (2014) described the use of the
caesura is to take a breath because all hell is about to break
loose. This is true in that the intensity of the piece
dramatically escalades after the caesura.
Triple metre Like a waltz, the triple metre also suggests a turning motion.