Catulli Carmina Catulli Carmina Catulli Carmina ("Songs of Catullus") is a cantata by Carl Orff dating from 1940–1943. He described it as "ludi scaenici" (scenic plays). The work mostly sets poems of the Latin poet Catullus to music, with some text by the composer. "Catulli Carmina" is part of "Trionfi", the musical triptych that also includes the "Carmina Burana" and "Trionfo di Afrodite". It is scored for a full mixed choir, soprano and tenor soloists, and an entirely percussive orchestra – possibly inspired by Stravinsky's "Les noces" – consisting of four pianos, timpani, bass drum, 3 tambourines, triangle, castanets, maracas, suspended and
Catulli Carmina last forever. However, in the postlude, the young people have clearly decided to ignore the message and the cantata ends with their continued exclamations of "eis aiona", to the exasperation of the old men. The orchestra only plays in the prelude and postlude, whereas in the Catullus play itself, the soloists are only accompanied by the chorus, who takes the part of a Greek "choros". The piece experiments with repeated phrases and syncopated rhythms even more so than "Carmina Burana". Scholars have debated the reason why this is such a lesser-known work compared to its predecessor for many years. Most