# What famous classical piece is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2001, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-classical-piece-is-this/93781 "2001-11-16T18:46:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-classical-piece-is-this/93781/1 "2001-11-16T18:46:31Z")
It’s that one on the guinness commercial where they are on a train and one guy is singing and as the train leaves the tunnel the whole choir joins in. It’s also the same piece that Ozzy Osbourne used to open all his shows with and I believe it was also used in a rap song a few years back. It has an intense, dark, creepy sond to it, but powerful and explosive as well. anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-classical-piece-is-this/93781/2 "2001-11-16T19:08:26Z")
That old chestnut? According to [adcritic.com,](http://www.adcritic.com/content/guinness-spring.html), it’s O Fortuna, from the Carmina Burana by Carl Orff. Also used as the theme to Conan and during a great many movie trailers. ---
**Author:** ![VanLandry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/eb9ed0/32.png) [@VanLandry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VanLandry)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-classical-piece-is-this/93781/3 "2001-11-16T19:25:41Z")
If it’s the one I’m thinking of, It’s called “Carmina Burana”. It’s also on “The Doors” soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-classical-piece-is-this/93781/4 "2001-11-16T19:41:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ethilrist \* > > According to [adcritic.com,](http://www.adcritic.com/content/guinness-spring.html), it’s O Fortuna, from the Carmina Burana by Carl Orff. Also used as the theme to Conan and during a great many movie trailers. Somehow I get this really strange image of Max Weinberg playing _Fortuna, Imperatrix Mundi_. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-classical-piece-is-this/93781/5 "2001-11-17T04:30:45Z")
Under a half hour! It’s a beautiful thing :😭: ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-classical-piece-is-this/93781/6 "2001-11-17T06:37:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Also used as the theme to Conan Nitpick – Nothing from Orff’s _Carmina Burana_ was used in the soundtrack to _Conan the Barbarian_ (I performed the Orff and own a CD of Basil Poledouris’ film score), and I’m pretty sure none of it turned up in the sequel either. While Poledouris may have taken some inspiration from there, he took nothing else. I don’t know about the blissfully short-lived TV series though. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-classical-piece-is-this/93781/7 "2001-11-17T07:53:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cap’n Crude \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > Also used as the theme to Conan > > Nitpick – Nothing from Orff’s _Carmina Burana_ was used in the soundtrack to _Conan the Barbarian_ (I performed the Orff and own a CD of Basil Poledouris’ film score), and I’m pretty sure none of it turned up in the sequel either. While Poledouris may have taken some inspiration from there, he took nothing else. I don’t know about the blissfully short-lived TV series though. \*\* It was used in the soundtrack of “Excalibur”. And also played during various nazi meetings, but that’s another story…