Carl Orff – Gassenhauer (1952)

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Carl Orff

Better known to me for his diabolically charged cantata ‘Carmina Burana’, Carl Orff revealed himself to be a surprise package when I found out that he’d also composed the intricate arrangement of ‘Gassenhauer’. I am familiar with this short piece from his Schulwerk, but my exposure is rooted in its regular use on TV and in movies, and more specifically, the cult hits Badlands and True Romance. So the longevity of this music is just as much to do with the status of those two movies, as it is to do with the fitting and timeless sound of the xylophone. In fact, Orff had requested continual rework of his Schulwerk: “Improvisations which encourage further improvisation.” Hans Zimmer obliged with his adaptation in True Romance.

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One thought on “Carl Orff – Gassenhauer (1952)

  1. DJ PJ says:

    Would I have enjoyed it if it weren’t for True Romance ?!! Not quite the BA advert but still

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