• Based on 24 poems from the medieval collection Camina Burana
• Muchel Hofmann, young law student and Latin and Greek enthusiast, assisted Orff in the selection and organization of 24 of these poems into a libretto
• Major themes: fickleness of fortune and wealth, the ephemera nature of life, the joy of the return of Spring, and the pleasures and perils of drinking, gluttony, gambling and lust
• He used the most simple melodies material, heavy and strong rhythm, a large number of repeated phrases in the seemingly tedious way, creating a continuous supply of energy, provoking a modern audience's emotions. Carmina Burana harmony is so plain simple counterpoint, although limited, the use of multiple voices and not complicated, emotional music lyrics and singing along with the preparation of different movements, strength from pianissimo to fortissimo is so straightforward, often no fade buffer, but it vaguely shares strong inner logic
• Overall, it sounds rhythmically straightforward and simple, but the meter will change freely from one measure to the next.