| Royal Classics |  |
| Disc No: ROY6470 | |
| Price: Sek. 51 |
Often considered a one-work composer, Carl Orff in fact had some 20 stage works to his credit plus many other compositions, virtually all of them including voices, but his masterpiece is Carmina Burana. Its bold gestures, hypnotising rhythms, crackling consonants of the part-Latin part-medieval German text, and, not least, its somewhat permissive subject, have given it widespread and well-deserved popularity. Carmina Burana means 'Songs of Beuren'. Orff had discovered some 13th century poems from Benediktbeuren monastery which told of love, food, money and life. Some were in Latin, others in old German. He clothed them in modem music, using a huge ensemble: eight soloists, large and small choirs, children's choir, two pianos, five timpani, five other percussionists and a large orchestra. But it is not just noise for the sake of it. Some of Orff's effects are amazingly delicate but there is power when he needs it. Although mainly about the divers (notably carnal) joys of springtime, Carmina Burana deals with other matters also. 0 Fortuna bewails the blind power of Fate, Primo vere welcomes spring, Uf dem Anger is a rhythmic round including a maidens' dance for flute and drum. In taberna finds the ensemble in an inn anticipating a rare dish: roast swan. But Orff sees it from the swan's viewpoint: 'Alas I was white, now I'm black …gnashing teeth await me.' An extraordinary concept! Ego sum abbas is the abbot who gambles and boasts of winning, while In taberna quando sumus finds men happy to take him on. Cour d'amour turns to intimate pleasures. Couples pair off, and those left out sing of their sadness. In Circa mea pectora a baritone prays that he might undo the bonds of his maiden's virginity, and in Dulcissime the consummation is effected. The Epilog reflects the beginning: next year the story will be the same. Robert Dearling. Discontinued |
| Name: Carl Orff Carmina Burana | |
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| Composer | Opus | Produced | Music | Key | Performer |
| Orff, Carl | 1972 | Carmina Burana | Chorus & Orchestra of the Mozarteum, Salzburg - Kurt Prestel Gerda Hartmann, Soprano Richard Brünner, Tenor Rudolf Knoll, Baritone |