Carmina Burana-Majnun Layla
sometimes i enjoy writing while listening to classical music in the background. sometimes i make it a bit loud and keep walking to avoid sitting for a long time. during my last vacation in turkey, i noticed that my elder grandson was shaking his head and moving his hands in response to music from the computer. i went back to the machine to fi nd out the piece of music which had woken up the interest of the child, who was under 2 years of age to react and respond with it. i found out it was o fotuna ~ carmina burana by german composer carl orff.
a search of the history of the piece shows that one of those interested in heritage found ancient poetry manuscripts dating back to 700 years ago, including 250 poems by an anonymous writer.
in 1934, he collaborated with carl orff to choose the lyrics of some poems and put a melody in tune with the words, which included a lot of excitement, fear and sensuality, and the fate which strikes the strong man, the virginity that makes women playful and pleased with the joys of life, and the rush to desires.
carl orff died in 1982 but his operettas remained alive. the performance of the operetta takes about an hour. the performing ensemble consists of 100 musicians and 250 singers, including 50 children with soprano for female and tenor for men.
carmina burana is very popular for its simplicity of tone and power, unlike most of the 20th century, where music is spontaneously reacted with as was the case with my grandson who reacted to the words, which neither me nor him understood the lyrics before i read its text on the internet.
this song is the best proof that classical music is not tedious but can be great fun when the ear is used to it. on the other hand, the music of almost all non-european peoples suffers from obvious poverty in the art of opera.
the attempt by the poet ahmed shawki in the operetta majnun layla (mad over layla) is worthy of appreciation, but it did not and will not live up to the world, but i still enjoy listening to it. muhammad abdel wahab put the melody of the operetta and sang it with asmahan in the late 1930s, in the period of carmina burana.
the operetta consists of a part in which the father of layla appears, asking: who calls: is it qais. why are you here when all have gone? qais replied with the voice of a disappointed lover: i was not among them. i was at home until the uncle replied: where were you then? and qais said: in the house, until the fi re of the house is gone. the uncle calls his daughter layla and she comes and asks: what ails my father? father: this is your cousin, and no fi re in his house.
layla said, “my cousin qais is with us, welcome welcome qais. qais replied: layla has granted me these causal needs. i came to layla with fabricated reasons, layla: my heart is not iron or stone. you have a heart qais, ask it and it will tell you i have suffered in love more than can any heart bear.
qais: my mind is all distraught. how shall i speak? how utter my complaint? shall i set forth? my passion tale is complete, or i tell it briefly?
here the uncle intervenes and expels qais, saying his famous sentence: leave qais. did you come asking for fi re or setting the house on fi re? so qais left.
this is a wonderful operetta that deserves to be heard from time to time.
