If reading this thread you think I have no knowledge of music theory then you’d be right.
Simply asked, what is the opening chord to Carol Orff’s O Fortuna. Here is the symphony sheet music which I can’t read with all of the instruments. A few sites seem to agree that it is D minor add 2. On site said it is the second inversion and as OF is written in D minor - is that the same thing? Is the opening chord a Dm add2 or whatever the notation would be?
So let’s assume it is a D minor add 2. What would it the best simple representation of it? On a piano staff? Something else since it is a chord played by the whole symphony? What notes would it be?
So your basic chord is a triad: the root note, a third (major or minor) above it, and a fifth above the root. In a D minor chord, that’s D-F-A (the piece is in the key of D minor).
If the lowest note in the chord as written is the root, it’s in root position. If the lowest note is the third, it’s first inversion. If it’s the fifth, it’s second inversion. As in the second cartoon here:
The first notes of the choral parts are F in the bass, D and E in the tenor, F in the alto and D/E in the sopranos (there’s no A in the choir but it’s in some of the orchestral parts).
The E is a deliberately dissonant note and not part of the normal chord spelling.
Somewhat. I know enough about music theory to parse out most of it.
So getting back to the opening chord, what would be the best way to write it simply? What clef? What notes? I know that middle C on a piano is on the treble clef written one line (not space) below the clef so the bottom line is really an E two notes above it. But would the chord for that song be better represented on a bass or alto clef?
Looking at the first picture in my link, what notes best represent what the symphony plays?
If I were picking it out on the piano from ear, I’d do octave Ds in the left hand basement with a full A minor chord (1st inversion 4 note chord, d-a-c-e) superimposed in the right hand.
I was looking at the symphony sheet music. IF I am reading it correctly, it looks like only three notes are played on that opening chord among all instruments, the lowest three Ds. D1, D2, D3.
Does that even remotely make sense?
I can analyse the sound file if you want, but this scan
even includes a handwritten score, which I find difficult to make out, but the printed version is alongside it. Is a D really nonsensical? It is held for a beat, during which the chorus comes in with a F–D–E–F or whatever it is.
Yeah, I’m trying to figure out what is being described. There are a bunch of simultaneous Ds and a tympani hit (also tuned to D) before the full chord in “O” of “O Fortuna” comes in. That reflects what I hear.
ETA: And I’ve never noted that notation before: the time signature is above the top staff as 3/(whole note symbol), so three whole notes/semibreves to the bar. Which I guess would be the equivalent of 3/1, before it switches a few bars later to 3/(half note symbol), or 3/2.
