Carmina Burana 1936, German composer Carl Orff composed music, also called "Carmina Burana", for 24 of the poems. The single song "O Fortuna" (the Roman goddess of luck and fate), from the movement "Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi", is often heard in many popular settings such as films. Orff's composition has been performed by many ensembles. Other musical settings include: Notes Bibliography Carmina Burana Carmina Burana (, Latin for "Songs from Benediktbeuern" ["Buria" in Latin]) is a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts mostly from the 11th or 12th century, although some are from the 13th century. The pieces are mostly bawdy, irreverent,
Carmina Burana (Orff) approaches its renown, as evidenced in both pop culture's appropriation of "O Fortuna" and the classical world's persistent programming and recording of the work. In the United States, "Carmina Burana" represents one of the few box office certainties in 20th-century repertoire. Orff's disciple Wilhelm Killmayer in 1956 created a reduced version for soloists, SATB mixed choir, children's choir, two pianos and six percussion (timpani + 5). This version, authorized by Orff himself, allowed smaller ensembles the opportunity to perform the piece. The popularity of the work has ensured the creation of many additional arrangements for a variety of performing forces.