CARMINA BURANA

was pronounced [fEliks]
with an open “e” sound
as in “bed” in the fi rst syllable.
Christian Thielemann,
Wolfgang Sawallisch and
Eugen Jochum pronounced
the word [filiks] with a
closed “e,” as in “beet.”
Harold Copeman best describes
this discrepancy as
follows:
Latin vowels … all had
more than one sound,
sometimes three or four.
The vowels can all indicate
different moods. In rejoicing
“e” can have a bright sound
(Eu, Euge, Euoe, Euare); in
sorrow it can have a more
open sound (He, Hei, Heu,
Heiulare). 5
However, Copeman goes
on to describe the pronunciation
of the word Felix: “Felix,
found on coins as FEELIX, the
mouth is fi rst half closed, then
open, with lips moderately
forward, with more vigorous
breath, letting the tongue
touch the front teeth, (a rather
open [e:]).” 6
2. Another inconsistency between
recordings lies in the
pronunciation of the word Ecce (behold)
in those recordings using the Germanic
pronunciation of Latin. According to
Copeman, “cc” before “e” should be
pronounced [kts] according to the rules
of Middle High German. 7 None of the
chosen recordings observed this rule.
Instead, Ecce was either pronounced
[EtSe] or [Eke].
According to Copeman, “cc” before
front vowels did not become generally
[ts] until the seventh century, but
in (northern Europe), the Irish Latin [k]
of Columbanus and St. Gall was kept
for centuries. 8 This explanation justifi es
the pronunciation as [Eke]. The pronun-
Taken from Burana Codex Depicting the Fortuna Wheel.
ciation [EtSe] follows the Ecclesiastical
Latin rules; therefore, is incorrect in a
Germanic Latin performance.
3. In Movement 7 (Floret silva), all of the
recordings using Germanic Latin diction
pronounced fl oret (he/she/it fl ourishes)
[flçrEt] or [florEt], except for the Eugene
Ormandy recording with the
Philadelphia Orchestra. In this recording,
fl oret was pronounced [flore]. According
to Copeman, the proper pronunciation
of fl oret is [florEt]. No justifi cation
was found for the pronunciation [flore].
Latin held a unique position
in Western civilization
in the Middle Ages and Renaissance,
perhaps similar to
that of present day English in
Africa and India. Although it
was the principal offi cial and
literary language in Western
Europe, it was no one’s fi rst
tongue. 9 No one spoke
Latin at home. It was taught
in school to a very small
class of society and it did not
come naturally to anyone. 10
The constant use of Latin by
speakers of vernacular languages
caused it to adapt its
grammar and pronunciation
to vernacular patterns. 11 As
vernacular speakers spoke
Latin according to their own
idiom, the pronunciation of
Latin divided according to national
and regional languages
and dialects. 12 There were
as many pronunciations of
Latin across Europe as there
were languages. The Goliardic
poets of the Carmina Burana
and the monks who compiled
the Burana Codex 13 were
located primarily in the region
known as Bavaria, or Southern
Germany. 14 Therefore,
their pronunciation of Latin
would refl ect the German
vernacular of the day. Bearing
this in mind, it is most appropriate for
the Latin texts to be pronounced using
Germanic diction rather than ecclesiastical.
Moreover, an ecclesiastical pronunciation
lends itself to a more “prayerful” hearing
of the text, rather than the secular, profane
intentions of the poets.
German Text
Movements 7 – 10 contain German texts.
In the sixteen chosen recordings, two basic
diction philosophies were followed:
• Modern German diction rules were applied
to the texts; or
CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 51 Number 4 55