' is a
cantata
A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir.
The meaning o ...
composed in 1935 and 1936 by
Carl Orff
Carl Orff (; 10 July 1895 – 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.
Life
Early life
Carl ...
, based on 24 poems from the
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
collection ''
Carmina Burana''. Its full
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
title is ' ("Songs of
Beuern: Secular songs for singers and
choruses to be sung together with instruments and magical images"). It was first performed by the
Oper Frankfurt on 8 June 1937. It is part of ''
Trionfi'', a musical
triptych
A triptych ( ; from the Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided ...
that also includes ''
Catulli Carmina
' (''Songs of Catullus'') is a cantata by Carl Orff dating from 1940–1943. He described it as ''ludi scaenici'' (scenic plays). The work mostly sets poems of the Latin poet Catullus to music, with some text by the composer. ''Catulli Carmina'' i ...
'' and ''
Trionfo di Afrodite
''Trionfo di Afrodite'' (Italian for ''Triumph of Aphrodite'') is a cantata written in 1951 by the German composer Carl Orff. It is the third and final installment in the '' Trionfi'' musical trilogy, which also includes ''Carmina Burana'' (1937) ...
''. The first and last sections of the piece are called "" ("Fortune, Empress of the World") and start with "
O Fortuna
"O Fortuna" is a medieval Latin Goliardic poem which is part of the collection known as the ''Carmina Burana'', written early in the 13th century. It is a complaint about Fortuna, the inexorable fate that rules both gods and mortals in Roman an ...
".
Text
In 1934, Orff encountered the 1847 edition of the ''
Carmina Burana'' by
Johann Andreas Schmeller, the original text dating mostly from the 11th or 12th century, including some from the 13th century. was a young law student and an enthusiast of Latin and Greek; he assisted Orff in the selection and organization of 24 of these poems into a
libretto
A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major li ...
mostly in secular
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
verse, with a small amount of
Middle High German
Middle High German (MHG; german: Mittelhochdeutsch (Mhd.)) is the term for the form of German spoken in the High Middle Ages. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from Old High German and into Early New High German. Hig ...
and
Old French
Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intel ...
. The selection covers a wide range of topics, as familiar in the 13th century as they are in the 21st century: the fickleness of
fortune
Fortune may refer to:
General
* Fortuna or Fortune, the Roman goddess of luck
* Luck
* Wealth
* Fortune, a prediction made in fortune-telling
* Fortune, in a fortune cookie
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''The Fortune'' (1931 film) ...
and
wealth
Wealth is the abundance of valuable financial assets or physical possessions which can be converted into a form that can be used for transactions. This includes the core meaning as held in the originating Old English word , which is from an I ...
, the ephemeral nature of life, the joy of the return of spring and the pleasures and perils of
drinking,
gluttony
Gluttony ( la, gula, derived from the Latin ''gluttire'' meaning "to gulp down or swallow") means over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or wealth items, particularly as status symbols.
In Christianity, it is considered a sin ...
,
gambling
Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three ele ...
, and
lust
Lust is a psychological force producing intense desire for something, or circumstance while already having a significant amount of the desired object. Lust can take any form such as the lust for sexuality (see libido), money, or power. It ...
.
Structure
''Carmina Burana'' is structured into five major sections, containing 25
movements
Movement may refer to:
Common uses
* Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece
* Motion, commonly referred to as movement
Arts, entertainment, and media
Literature
* "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...
in total, including one repeated movement and one purely instrumental one. Orff indicates ''
attacca
A variety of musical terms are likely to be encountered in printed scores, music reviews, and program notes. Most of the terms are Italian, in accordance with the Italian origins of many European musical conventions. Sometimes, the special mus ...
'' markings between all the movements within each scene.
:
Much of the compositional structure is based on the idea of the turning
Fortuna Wheel. The drawing of the wheel found on the first page of the ''Burana Codex'' includes four phrases around the outside of the wheel:
Within each scene, and sometimes within a single movement, the wheel of fortune turns, joy turning to bitterness, and hope turning to grief. "
O Fortuna
"O Fortuna" is a medieval Latin Goliardic poem which is part of the collection known as the ''Carmina Burana'', written early in the 13th century. It is a complaint about Fortuna, the inexorable fate that rules both gods and mortals in Roman an ...
", the first poem in the
Schmeller edition, completes this circle, forming a compositional frame for the work through being both the opening and closing movements.
Staging
Orff subscribed to a dramatic concept called "
Theatrum Mundi" in which music, movement, and speech were inseparable. Babcock writes that "Orff's artistic formula limited the music in that every musical moment was to be connected with an action on stage. It is here that modern performances of ''Carmina Burana'' fall short of Orff's intentions." Orff subtitled ''Carmina Burana'' a "scenic cantata" in his intention to stage the work with dance, choreography, visual design and other stage action; the piece is now usually performed in concert halls as a cantata.
A danced version of ''Carmina Burana'' was choreographed by
Loyce Houlton for the
Minnesota Dance Theatre in 1978. In honour of Orff's 80th birthday, an acted and choreographed film version was filmed, directed by
Jean-Pierre Ponnelle for the German broadcaster
ZDF; Orff collaborated in its production.
Kent Stowell choreographed the work for
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. It is said to have the highest per capita attendance in the United States, with 11,000 subscribers in 2004.
The company consists of 49 dan ...
in Seattle. It premiered on October 5, 1993, with scenic design by
Ming Cho Lee
Ming Cho Lee (; October 3, 1930 – October 23, 2020) was a Chinese-American theatrical set designer and professor at the Yale School of Drama.
Personal life
Lee was born on Oct. 3, 1930, in Shanghai, China to Lee Tsu Fa and Tang Ing. Lee, whose ...
.
Musical style
Orff's style demonstrates a desire for directness of speech and of access. ''Carmina Burana'' contains little or no
development in the classical sense, and
polyphony
Polyphony ( ) is a type of musical texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to a musical texture with just one voice, monophony, or a texture with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords, ...
is also conspicuously absent. ''Carmina Burana'' avoids overt harmonic complexities, a fact which many musicians and critics have pointed out, such as
Ann Powers of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''.
Orff was influenced melodically by late
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...
and early
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...
models including
William Byrd and
Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (baptized 15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, choirmaster and string player. A composer of both secular and sacred music, and a pioneer in the development of opera, he is consider ...
. It is a common misconception that Orff based the melodies of ''Carmina Burana'' on
neume
A neume (; sometimes spelled neum) is the basic element of Western and Eastern systems of musical notation prior to the invention of five-line staff notation.
The earliest neumes were inflective marks that indicated the general shape but not nec ...
atic melodies; while many of the lyrics in the ''Burana Codex'' are enhanced with neumes, almost none of these melodies had been deciphered at the time of Orff's composition, and none of them had served Orff as a melodic model. His shimmering orchestration shows a deference to
Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century clas ...
. In particular, Orff's music is very reminiscent of Stravinsky's earlier work, ''
Les noces
''Les Noces'' (French for The Wedding; russian: Свадебка, ''Svadebka'') is a ballet and orchestral concert work composed by Igor Stravinsky for percussion, pianists, chorus, and vocal soloists. The composer gave it the descriptive title " ...
'' (''The Wedding'').
Rhythm, for Orff as it was for Stravinsky, is often the primary musical element. Over all, it sounds rhythmically straightforward and simple, but the metre will change freely from one
measure to the next. While the rhythmic arc in a section is taken as a whole, a measure of five may be followed by one of seven, to one of four, and so on, often with
caesura
300px, An example of a caesura in modern western music notation
A caesura (, . caesuras or caesurae; Latin for " cutting"), also written cæsura and cesura, is a metrical pause or break in a verse where one phrase ends and another phrase begin ...
marked between them. These constant rhythmic changes combined with the caesura create a very "conversational" feel – so much so that the rhythmic complexities of the piece are often overlooked.
Some of the solo arias pose bold challenges for singers: the only solo tenor aria, ''Olim lacus colueram'', is often sung almost completely in
falsetto
''Falsetto'' (, ; Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave.
It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentou ...
to demonstrate the suffering of the character (in this case, a roasting swan). The baritone arias often demand high notes not commonly found in baritone repertoire, and parts of the baritone aria ''Dies nox et omnia'' are often sung in falsetto, a rare example in baritone repertoire. Also noted is the solo soprano aria, ''Dulcissime'' which demands extremely high notes. Orff intended this aria for a
lyric soprano
A lyric soprano is a type of operatic soprano voice that has a warm quality with a bright, full timbre that can be heard over an orchestra. The lyric soprano voice generally has a higher tessitura than a soubrette and usually plays ingenues and ot ...
, not a
coloratura
Coloratura is an elaborate melody with runs, trills, wide leaps, or similar virtuoso-like material,''Oxford American Dictionaries''.Apel (1969), p. 184. or a passage of such music. Operatic roles in which such music plays a prominent part, ...
, so that the musical tensions would be more obvious.
Instrumentation
''Carmina Burana'' is scored for a large orchestra consisting of:
Reception
''Carmina Burana'' was first staged by the
Oper Frankfurt on 8 June 1937 under conductor (1892–1967) with the , staging by and sets and costumes by Ludwig Sievert. Shortly after the greatly successful premiere, Orff said the following to his publisher,
Schott Music
Schott Music () is one of the oldest German music publishers. It is also one of the largest music publishing houses in Europe, and is the second oldest music publisher after Breitkopf & Härtel. The company headquarters of Schott Music were fo ...
: "Everything I have written to date, and which you have, unfortunately, printed, can be destroyed. With ''Carmina Burana'', my collected works begin."
Several performances were repeated elsewhere in Germany. The
Nazi regime
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
was at first nervous about the erotic tone of some of the poems, but eventually embraced the piece. It became the most famous piece of music composed in Germany at the time. The popularity of the work continued to rise after the war, and by the 1960s ''Carmina Burana'' was well established as part of the international classic repertoire. The piece was voted number 62 at the
Classic 100 Ten Years On and is at number 144 of the 2020
Classic FM Hall of Fame.
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an American comic book writer and artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries ''Marvels'', on which he collaborated wit ...
wrote that "the music itself commits no sins simply by being and remaining popular. That ''Carmina Burana'' has appeared in hundreds of films and television commercials is proof that it contains no diabolical message, indeed that it contains no message whatsoever."
Subsequent arrangements
The popularity of the work has ensured the creation of many additional arrangements for a variety of performing forces.
In 1956, Orff's disciple
Wilhelm Killmayer created a reduced version for soloists,
SATB
SATB is an initialism that describes the scoring of compositions for choirs, and also choirs (or consorts) of instruments. The initials are for the voice types: S for soprano, A for alto, T for tenor and B for bass.
Choral music
Four-part harm ...
mixed choir, children's choir, two pianos and six percussion (timpani + 5), and was authorized by Orff. The score has short solos for three tenors, baritone and two
basses
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass ...
. This version is to allow smaller ensembles the opportunity to perform the piece.
An arrangement for wind ensemble was prepared by (born 1921), who wanted both to give wind bands a chance to perform the work and to facilitate performances in cities that have a high quality choral union and wind band, but lack a symphony orchestra. A performance of this arrangement was recorded by the North Texas Wind Symphony under
Eugene Corporon. In writing this transcription, Mas Quiles maintained the original chorus, percussion, and piano parts.
Notable recordings
*
Herbert Blomstedt
Herbert Thorson Blomstedt (; born 11 July 1927) is a Swedish conductor.
Herbert Blomstedt was born in Massachusetts. Two years after his birth, his Swedish parents moved the family back to their country of origin. He studied at the Stockholm Ro ...
with the
San Francisco Symphony
The San Francisco Symphony (SFS), founded in 1911, is an American orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980 the orchestra has been resident at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in the city's Hayes Valley neighborhood. The San F ...
, and the
San Francisco Symphony Chorus
The San Francisco Symphony Chorus is the resident chorus of the San Francisco Symphony (SFS).
Background
Established in 1972 at the request of then-music director Seiji Ozawa, the chorus first performed in the 1973-74 Symphony season. The SFS Chor ...
, led by
Vance George
Vance George (born 1933) is an American choral conductor from Nappanee, Indiana.
A protégé of Margaret Hillis, Vance George served as choral director of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus for 23 years (1983–2006).
As guest conductor of the S ...
, won the
Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance in 1992. The recording was released by
Decca Decca may refer to:
Music
* Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label
* Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group
* Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label
* Decca Studios, a recording facility in We ...
on October 11, 1991.
*
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos with the
New Philharmonia Orchestra, the New Philharmonia Chorus (chorus master: Wilhelm Pitz), Wandsworth School Boys' Choir,
John Noble,
Raymond Wolansky
Raymond Wolansky (15 February 1926 – 1 December 1998) was an American operatic baritone who made a career in Europe. A long-term member of the Staatsoper Stuttgart, he appeared in leading roles such as Verdi's Nabucco and Rigoletto at internat ...
,
Lucia Popp, Emi, 1966.
*
Seiji Ozawa
Seiji (written: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , or in hiragana) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
*, Japanese ski jumper
*, Japanese racing driver
*, Japanese politician
*, Japanese film directo ...
with the Boston Symphony
Orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families.
There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
, Children's Chorus Of The New England Conservatory, New England Conservatory Chorus,
Evelyn Mandac
Evelyn Mandac (born August 16, 1945 in Malaybalay) is a soprano opera singer, orchestra soloist, recitalist and voice teacher from the Philippines. She is based in New York City. She's also listed in "Who's Who in Music and Musicians."
A nati ...
,
Stanley Kolk,
Sherrill Milnes
Sherrill Milnes (born January 10, 1935) is an American dramatic baritone most famous for his Verdi roles. From 1965 until 1997 he was associated with the Metropolitan Opera. His voice is a high dramatic baritone, combining good legato with an in ...
, RCA, 1970.
*
Charles Dutoit
Charles Édouard Dutoit (born 7 October 1936) is a Swiss conductor. He is currently the principal guest conductor for the Saint Petersburg Philharmonia and co-director of thMISA Festival in Shanghai In 2017, he became the 103rd recipient of thR ...
with the
Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and Saint Lawrence Choir (Beverly Hoch (s),
Stanford Olsen
Stanford Olsen (born 1960) is an American tenor who has had an active international career in operas and concerts since 1983. He has sung with several of the world's leading opera companies, including the Deutsche Oper Berlin, La Scala and the ...
(t), Mark Oswald (bar). 1997, Decca 028945529028. High quality recording technically (balancing orchestra and choir)
*
Kurt Eichhorn
Kurt Peter Eichhorn (4 August 1908 – 29 June 1994), was a German conductor.
Eichhorn was born in Munich, the son of a painter. He studied music at the conservatory in Würzburg with Hermann Zilcher and progressed through provincial houses. His ...
with the
Munich Radio Orchestra
The Munich Radio Orchestra (German: ''Münchner Rundfunkorchester'') is a German symphony broadcast orchestra based in Munich. It is one of the two orchestras affiliated with the Bavarian Radio (Bayerischer Rundfunk), the other being the Bavaria ...
and ,
Tölzer Knabenchor
The Tölzer Knabenchor (Tölz Boys' Choir) is a German boys' choir named after the Upper Bavarian city of Bad Tölz and since 1971 based in Munich.
The choir is ranked among the most versatile and sought-after boys' choirs in the world.
History ...
;
Lucia Popp,
John van Kesteren John van Kesteren (4 May 1921 in The Hague – 11 July 2008 in Jupiter, Florida) was a Dutch operatic tenor. ,
Hermann Prey
Hermann Prey ( Berlin, 11 July 1929 – Krailling, 22 July 1998) was a German lyric baritone, who was equally at home in the Lied, operatic and concert repertoires. His American debut was in November 1952, with the Philadelphia Orchestra an ...
; film directed by
Jean-Pierre Ponnelle for
ZDF; recorded July 1973, released 1974 on
Eurodisc
Ariola (also known as Ariola Records, Ariola-Eurodisc and BMG Ariola) is a German record label. In the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of the Bertelsmann Music Group, which in turn has become a part of the international media conglomerat ...
; CD reissues on
BMG in 1984 and 1995. Both the film adaptation ''and'' recording were endorsed by Carl Orff himself (Orff also collaborated on the film in honour of his 80th birthday)
*
Eugen Jochum (conductor) with the
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (german: Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, BRSO) is a German radio orchestra. Based in Munich, Germany, it is one of the city's four orchestras. The BRSO is one of two full-size symphony orches ...
and the Bavarian Radio Chorus (Chor und Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks), Munich, Germany, with choir master Josef Kugler, as part of ''Trionfi: Carmina Burana'' (recorded October 1952) with
Elfriede Trötschel (soprano),
Paul Kuën
Paul Kuën (8 April 1910 – April 1997) was a German operatic tenor known for character roles. One example among many such portrayals would be Mime in Wagner's ''Der Ring des Nibelungen''.
Kuën was born at Sulzberg, Oberallgäu. He had origina ...
(tenor),
Hans Braun (baritone); reissued in 2012 on Major Classics, M2CD016, 5 060294 540168
*
Eugen Jochum with the choir and orchestra of the
Deutsche Oper Berlin
The Deutsche Oper Berlin is a German opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin. The resident building is the country's second largest opera house (after Munich's) and also home to the Berlin State Ballet.
Since 2004, the D ...
and
Gundula Janowitz,
Gerhard Stolze, and
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (28 May 1925 – 18 May 2012) was a German lyric baritone and conductor of classical music, one of the most famous Lieder (art song) performers of the post-war period, best known as a singer of Franz Schubert's Lieder, ...
. Recorded October 1967 in Berlin's Ufa-Studio, released 1968 (
Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...
). This version was also endorsed by Carl Orff himself and was the first choice of the
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also featuring. The sta ...
CD Review "Building a Library" review in 1995.
*
Herbert Kegel
Herbert Kegel (29 July 1920 – 20 November 1990) was a German conductor.
Kegel was born in Dresden. He studied conducting with Karl Böhm and composition with Boris Blacher at the Dresden Conservatory from 1935 to 1940. In 1946 he began co ...
with the
MDR Rundfunkchor
MDR Rundfunkchor is the radio choir of the German broadcaster Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), based in Leipzig, Saxony. Dating back to 1924, the choir became the radio choir of a predecessor of the MDR in 1946, then called Kammerchor des Senders ...
, the
MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra and ,
Hans-Joachim Rotzsch
Hans-Joachim Rotzsch (25 April 1929 – 25 September 2013) was a German choral conductor, conducting the Thomanerchor from 1972 until 1991 as the fifteenth Thomaskantor since Johann Sebastian Bach. He was also a tenor and an academic teacher.
...
,
Kurt Hübenthal and Kurt Rehm. Recorded and released 1960 (
VEB Deutsche Schallplatten). Orff himself loved this version.
*
Ferdinand Leitner
Ferdinand Leitner (4 March 1912 in Berlin – 3 June 1996 in Zürich) was a German conductor. Leitner studied under Franz Schreker, Julius Prüwer, Artur Schnabel and Karl Muck.
He also was a composition student with Robert Kahn. Starting as ...
with the
Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie Orchester, the
Kölner Rundfunkchor led by Herbert Shernus, and the
Tölzer Knabenchor
The Tölzer Knabenchor (Tölz Boys' Choir) is a German boys' choir named after the Upper Bavarian city of Bad Tölz and since 1971 based in Munich.
The choir is ranked among the most versatile and sought-after boys' choirs in the world.
History ...
, led by
Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden
Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden (born 19 June 1937) is a German conductor, especially a choral conductor, and an academic teacher. He founded and conducted the Tölzer Knabenchor.
Life
Born in Karlovy Vary, Czechoslovakia, Schmidt-Gaden studied conducti ...
, was "Carl Orff's authorized recording";
Ruth-Margret Pütz
Ruth-Margret Pütz (born Margret Doerkes, 26 February 1930 – 1 April 2019) was a German operatic coloratura soprano and an academic voice teacher. She was a member of the Staatsoper Stuttgart for many decades, a frequent guest at the Vienna Sta ...
(soprano), Michael Cousins (tenor),
Barry McDaniel
Barry McDaniel (October 18, 1930 – June 18, 2018) was an American operatic baritone who spent his career almost exclusively in Germany, including 37 years at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. He appeared internationally at major opera houses and f ...
(baritone),
Roland Hermann (bass). Released 1973 by Acanta and as part of seven CD set "Carl Orff Collection" (Acanta, 1992) and on Arts Archives (2003).
*
James Levine with
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) was founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891. The ensemble makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival. The music director is Riccardo Muti, who began his tenu ...
and
Chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
and
June Anderson, Philip Creech, and
Bernd Weikl. Recorded 1984 (Deutsche Grammophon). This version won the 1987
Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance.
*
Ray Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek Jr. (né Manczarek; February 12, 1939 – May 20, 2013) was an American keyboardist. He is best known as a member of the Doors, co-founding the band with singer and lyricist Jim Morrison in 1965.
Manzarek was induc ...
, keyboard player for
the Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts ...
, produced by
Philip Glass
Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimalism, being built up from repetitive ...
and Kurt Munkacsi. Arrangements by Ray Manzarek. ''
Carmina Burana'', released 1983 on A&M Records. Genres: Rock music, Progressive rock, Art rock.
*
Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti, (; born 28 July 1941) is an Italian conductor. He currently holds two music directorships, at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and at the Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini. Muti has previously held posts at the Maggio Musicale ...
with
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It was founded in 1945 by Walter Legge, a classical music record producer for EMI. Among the conductors who worked with the orchestra in its early years were Richard Strauss, ...
and Chorus and
Arleen Auger,
John van Kesteren John van Kesteren (4 May 1921 in The Hague – 11 July 2008 in Jupiter, Florida) was a Dutch operatic tenor. and
Jonathan Summers
Jonathan Summers (born 2 October 1946) is an Australian operatic baritone who has mainly worked in the UK. He sang the role of Captain Balstrode in the 1980 recording of Benjamin Britten's '' Peter Grimes'' which won a Grammy award for Best Oper ...
. Recorded 1979 (
EMI), featured in the top three of
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also featuring. The sta ...
's review and is also recommended by ''Classics Today''.
* New York Choral Society accompanied by
Jeffrey Reid Baker using
synthesizer
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...
s. A 1988 recording.
*
Eugene Ormandy
Eugene Ormandy (born Jenő Blau; November 18, 1899 – March 12, 1985) was a Hungarian-born American conductor and violinist, best known for his association with the Philadelphia Orchestra, as its music director. His 44-year association with ...
, with the
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscriptio ...
and the Rutgers University Choir, Recorded and released, 1960, reissued, 1987
CBS Masterworks Records
Sony Classical is an American record label founded in 1924 as Columbia Masterworks Records, a subsidiary of Columbia Records. In 1980, the Columbia Masterworks label was renamed as CBS Masterworks Records. The CBS Records Group was acquired by ...
*
Seiji Ozawa
Seiji (written: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , or in hiragana) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
*, Japanese ski jumper
*, Japanese racing driver
*, Japanese politician
*, Japanese film directo ...
with the
Berlin Philharmonic
The Berlin Philharmonic (german: Berliner Philharmoniker, links=no, italic=no) is a German orchestra based in Berlin. It is one of the most popular, acclaimed and well-respected orchestras in the world.
History
The Berlin Philharmonic was fo ...
and Shin-Yu Kai Chorus;
Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Deanna Battle (born August 13, 1948) is an American operatic soprano known for her distinctive vocal range and tone. Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performance ...
,
Frank Lopardo and
Thomas Allen; 1990 Philips DVD video.
*
Simon Rattle
Sir Simon Denis Rattle (born 19 January 1955) is a British-German conductor. He rose to international prominence during the 1980s and 1990s, while music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–1998). Rattle was principa ...
with the
Berlin Philharmonic
The Berlin Philharmonic (german: Berliner Philharmoniker, links=no, italic=no) is a German orchestra based in Berlin. It is one of the most popular, acclaimed and well-respected orchestras in the world.
History
The Berlin Philharmonic was fo ...
and
Berlin Radio Choir;
Sally Matthews
Sally Helanna Matthews (born July 1975) is a British operatic soprano.
Early life
She was born in Southampton; her father was an aspiring popular musician. She recalls that, coming from a musical family, she "sang constantly just to pass the t ...
,
Lawrence Brownlee and
Christian Gerhaher; 2005
EMI Classics
EMI Classics was a record label founded by Thorn EMI in 1990 to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogues for internationally distributed classical music releases. After Thorn EMI demerged in 1996, its recorded mus ...
. Very fast, percussive emphasis.
*
Robert Shaw with the
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is an American orchestra based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, USA. The ASO's main concert venue is Atlanta Symphony Hall in the Woodruff Arts Center.
History
Though earlier organizations bearing ...
,
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is an American orchestra based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The ASO's main concert venue is Atlanta Symphony Hall in the Woodruff Arts Center.
History
Though earlier organizations bearing the same name date b ...
, and
Atlanta Boy Choir;
Judith Blegen (sop.),
William Brown (ten.), and
(bar.); recorded 1981, released 1983 by
Telarc.
*
Leonard Slatkin with
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, RCA 09026 61673-2, featured in the top three of
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also featuring. The sta ...
's review
*
Leopold Stokowski
Leopold Anthony Stokowski (18 April 1882 – 13 September 1977) was a British conductor. One of the leading conductors of the early and mid-20th century, he is best known for his long association with the Philadelphia Orchestra and his appear ...
with the
Houston Symphony
The Houston Symphony is an American orchestra based in Houston, Texas. The orchestra is resident at the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts.
History
The first concert of what was to become the Houston Symphony took place on June 21, ...
, Guy Gardner, Virginia Babikian, Clyde Hager, the Houston Chorale and the Houston Youth Symphony Boys Choir. Released 1959
Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...
*
John Williams
John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review '' WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...
with the
Boston Pops at the
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
.
*
Christian Thielemann with the choir and orchestra of the
Deutsche Oper Berlin
The Deutsche Oper Berlin is a German opera company located in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin. The resident building is the country's second largest opera house (after Munich's) and also home to the Berlin State Ballet.
Since 2004, the D ...
and Knabenchor Berlin. Released 1999 by Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg. Named "Editor's Choice" by
Gramophone
A phonograph, in its later forms also called a gramophone (as a trademark since 1887, as a generic name in the UK since 1910) or since the 1940s called a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogu ...
*
Michael Tilson Thomas with the
Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra, based in Cleveland, is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the " Big Five". Founded in 1918 by the pianist and impresario Adella Prentiss Hughes, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Se ...
, Chorus and Boys Choir;
Judith Blegen,
Kenneth Riegel and Peter Binder; recorded 1974, released 1975
CBS Records (quadrophonic); CD re-release 1990 MK 33172 CBS Records Masterworks. This recording was used in
Michael Smuin's 1997 ballet ''Carmina Burana'', choreographed for
Smuin Ballet.
*
Jos Van Immerseel with Anima Eterna Brugge,
Collegium Vocale Gent, and Cantate Domino; Yeree Suh (sop.), Yves Saelens (ten.) and Thomas Bauer (bar.); 2014 Zigzag. Recorded on
period instruments
In the historically informed performance movement, musicians perform classical music using restored or replicated versions of the instruments for which it was originally written. Often performances by such musicians are said to be "on authentic ...
.
References
Sources
*
*
*
Further reading
*
* Babcock, Jonathan. "Carl Orff's ''Carmina Burana'': A Fresh Approach to the Work's Performance Practice". ''Choral Journal'' 45, no. 11 (May 2006): 26–40.
* Fassone, Alberto: "Carl Orff", in: ''
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language '' Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and t ...
'', London: Macmillan 2001.
*
Lo, Kii-Ming, "Sehen, Hören und Begreifen: Jean-Pierre Ponnelles Verfilmung der ''Carmina Burana'' von Carl Orff", in: Thomas Rösch (ed.), ''Text, Musik, Szene – Das Musiktheater von Carl Orff'', Mainz etc. (Schott) 2015, pp. 147–173.
*
Steinberg, Michael. "Carl Orff: ''Carmina Burana''". ''Choral Masterworks: A Listener's Guide''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005, 230–242.
* Werner Thomas: ''Das Rad der Fortuna – Ausgewählte Aufsätze zu Werk und Wirkung Carl Orffs'', Schott, Mainz 1990, .
External links
* , Coro Sinfônico Comunitário da Universidade de Brasília
Website about Carl Orff's ''Carmina Burana'' Charles Cave
*
ttp://mcchorus.org/program_notes/Carmina032004.pdf Program notes on ''Carmina Burana'' 28 March 2004,
Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia
"The Lasting Appeal of Orff's ''Carmina Burana''" sound files and transcription at
NPR
Full lyrics to ''Carmina Burana''"Carl Orff: ''Carmina Burana''" (complete performance, 1:11 hours) University Chorus and Alumni Chorus,
UC Davis
The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The institu ...
Symphony Orchestra and the Pacific Boychoir at the
Mondavi Center (4 June 2006)
"The Story of the Carmina Burana", Radio Netherlands Archives, December 19, 2004
{{Authority control
Cantatas
Compositions by Carl Orff
1937 compositions
ja:カルミナ・ブラーナ#カール・オルフの「カルミナ・ブラーナ」