Brin Addison - Carmina Burana “O Fortuna“ by Carl Orff - 15 string Harp Guitar

Brin Addison performs the first and second movements from Carmina Burana “Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi“ (Fortune, Empress of the World), on a 1940’s Hubert Herbeck 15 string Kontra Guitar, also know as a Harp guitar or Schrammel Guitar. Harmonically the composition is not very complex but there is an underlying constant-motion rhythmic movement to it that seems to have a hypnotic quality about it. The challenge in performing this on guitar is to convey the intensity and dynamic range of a full orchestra on a single instrument that is not known for it’s fortissimo. I chose to introduce a more “Flamenco feel“ to it since the explosiveness of the style is well suited for the controlled chaos that O Fortuna is known for. …even more TNT was required for detonation at the end. The first 6 strings are tuned like a regular classical guitar, the 9 Sub-bass strings are traditionally tuned chromatically from D# down to G however for this piece I chose to tune them as follows: from highest to lowest D, C, Bb, A, G#, G, F#, F, D. Carl Orff “O Fortuna“ Copyright Schott Music Corporation Check out Brin Addison’s Power Trio “Guilt Monkey“