10 Places You’ve Heard Carmina Burana
From Emma Rose Neithamer-Lewis, Erie Philharmonic Marketing Manager
“O Fortuna” is the powerful first moment of Carl Orff’s cantata, Carmina Burana. Known worldwide as one of the most recognizable pieces in the classical music repertoire, Carmina Burana has transcended the musical boundaries into the pop culture realm. Here are the top 10 places you’ve likely heard Carmina Burana.
Here are the top 10 places you’ve likely heard Carmina Burana:
1) Gatorade
Sports fans might recognize the anthem “O Fortuna” from the 2007 Gatorade commercial immortalizing the athletic prowess of baseball, football, and more. You can watch the full commercial here.
2) Excalibur (1981)
Remember the movie Excalibur? Remember the battle scene? We do too! To build suspense, again, “O Fortuna” was used. You can watch the battle scene here. (Warning this video does contain violence. It may not be suitable for certain audiences.)
3) Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)
A film for the younger generations, try Cheaper by the Dozen (the remake with Steve Martin). Remember when he gets catapulted into air after the bounce house explodes? Comedy gold for children. Check out the clip here.
4) Domino’s
Foodies out there might remember the Domino’s Super Bowl XLIX commercial. Simple yet effective. You can watch the commercial here.
5) Britain’s Got Talent
Anyone who loves talent shows might have seen this clip from Britain’s Got Talent in 2010 when the gymnastics group called Spelbound auditioned for the opportunity to perform in the Royal Variety Show. Check out their audition here.
6) Glee
For all the Gleeks out there, you might remember when Sue Sylvester has the great idea to invent “The Sue Sylvester Shuffle” with a cannon. Her rage is more impactful with “O Fortuna,” right? Watch the full scene here.
7) The X Factor
Before coming to the U. S., The X Factor was a big hit in the U. K. In 2010, contestant Wagner sang the iconic “O Fortuna” with quite the performance from dancers. Do you think he got Simon’s approval? You can see the full performance here.
8) G-Force (2009)
This one is a little more niche. The movie G-Force (a movie about guinea pig spies) uses “O Fortuna” in a quintessential spy car chase scene. You can see the guinea pigs being chased here.
9) Carlton Beer Draught Ad
“It’s a BIG ad!” Reworking the lyrics to “O Fortuna,” this ad tells you how big it is while two choruses charge each other. Do you think this ad sold some beer? You can watch it for yourself and decide.
10) Flash Mob
Imagine walking around the mall, and all of sudden you hear “O Fortuna.” These shoppers probably weren’t expecting that either when this happened. You can watch the full flash mob here.