Music like Carl Orff

Carl Orff (German: [ɔʁf]; (1895-07-10)10 July 1895 – (1982-03-29)29 March 1982) was a German composer and music educator, best known for his cantata Carmina Burana (1937). The concepts of his Schulwerk were influential for children's music education.

Carl Orff was born in Munich on 10 July 1895, the son of Paula (Köstler) and Heinrich Orff. His family was Bavarian and was active in the Imperial German Army; his father was an army officer with strong musical interests. His paternal grandmother was Catholic of Jewish descent. At age five, Orff began to play piano, organ, and cello, and composed a few songs and music for puppet plays.

In 1911, at age 16, some of Orff's music was published. Many of his youthful works were songs, often settings of German poetry. They fell into the style of Richard Strauss and other German composers of the day, but with hints of what would become Orff's distinctive musical language.