In short, he behaved as many Germans of the era did, neither supporting nor condemning the Nazis. Any attempt at subversion, of course, would probably have culminated in Orff’s execution. He never denied the Nazis permission to use his work, and on several occasions actually wrote music on their behalf. All the same, Orff thrived under the Nazi regime, and he certainly didn’t use his position of relative influence to resist the regime’s activities. After the war, he was investigated by the American denazification authorities, who cleared him of collaboration charges and authorized him to continue his professional work. Attribution: Hanns Holdt License: Public DomainĬarl Orff was not himself a member of the Nazi Party. Image 10.15: This photograph of Carl Orff was taken in 1940, the same year that Carmina Burana began to be used at Nazi rallies. Beginning in 1940, Carmina Burana was frequently performed at Party rallies and government functions, in which context it both exemplified “good” Nazi music and was used to boost enthusiasm for the government and its activities. While Carl Orff (1895-1982) did not set out to write a political piece of music, his scenic cantata Carmina Burana was embraced by the Nazi Party, the leaders of which believed that it conveyed many of their values and could be put to use for the purpose of riling up crowds and building communal sentiment. Here, however, we will examine a 20th century instance of concert music turned to political use.
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