LF - Carmina Burana

[Bright Moments]

can anybody give me some advice on which version(s) of carmina burana should be in my collection?

thanks in advance!

[Chuck Nessa]

Eugen Jochim on DG "The Originals" series. Relatively cheap and wonderful.

[Spontooneous]

What Chuck said. Gotta admit I'm not a big fan of the piece, but that performance makes it bearable for me.

So does one on London/Decca conducted by Antal Dorati, on a budget reissue disc that might still be around. Where others stomp, Dorati dances.

[frankc]

sony essential classics (if they still exist), Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra, Rutgers University Choir 1960

[Stefan Wood]

For Orff diehards, I really like the 2 cd set Trionfi, which contains all three works, in 1950's mono:

[Rooster_Ties]

As a professional symphony chorus singer (for the last 10 or 11 years), I've sung Carmina way more times than I care to have.

I turn 37 in March, and going back to my college days - think I've sung in nearly a dozen different productions – practically all with 3 to 5 performances each. Pretty sure we did two or even three different staged versions with the Missouri Ballet, which both included matinee and evening performances both on Saturday and Sunday (plus Thursday and Friday night too). Singing this thing four times in 30 hours -- talk about a gut-buster!!

Somehow I went 3 or maybe even 4 years without singing it at all recently. But then, suddenly it was back again - like a stray cat that keeps coming back for more food, cuz it's cute, and I guess that's why you keep feeding it.

But then much to my surprise, this last time I did it (after the 3 or 4-year break), I found myself really enjoying it, more than I ever expected to. Kind of like slipping on an old favorite jacket that's too worn to really wear out and about any more. But you and it have been through so much together, and you still like to drag it out every once in a while.

Back when I was singing Carmina about once every 18-36 months, it got really old. But there's no mistaking the sheer effect of this piece on audiences, both low and high. I'll never defend it as being a really "great" work, but -- damn it -- it does seem to connect with people in a way that probably propels it into that "great" status, more than I'd ever care to admit.

Edited December 1, 2005 by Rooster_Ties

[Bright Moments]

thanks all!!!

[Spontooneous]

It might be a great work. But every time I hear it, I wish I was hearing Stravinsky's "Les Noces" instead. "Noces" tickles my brain ten times as much, in less than half the time it takes to hear "Carmina." Try it, y'all.

[Rooster_Ties]

Yeah, that's a good point Joe - about the length of Carmina. There's really only about 25-30 minutes of unique material there, drug out to an hour with plenty of repeats.

[BFrank]

I don't recommend this one (and I generally like Ray).

Ray Manzarek - "Carmina Burana"

[Bluerein]

Nice story Rooster but which version do you recommend? We all can trust your opinion on this because of your experience with it. I really like the Ormandy/Philiadelphia version as well (in SACD format it sounds great too!!). And let's not forget the Herbert Blomstedt version with the San Francisco Symphony on London/Decca which might be OOP now.

[Rooster_Ties]

  Bluerein said:

Nice story Rooster but which version do you recommend? We all can trust your opinion on this because of your experience with it. I really like the Ormandy/Philiadelphia version as well (in SACD format it sounds great too!!). And let's not forget the Herbert Blomstedt version with the San Francisco Symphony on London/Decca which might be OOP now.

Hell if I know. My one copy of Carmina is MTT with the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus – a recording from the early 90's if I remember correctly. Pretty happy with it, though I have no idea how it stacks up to other recordings.

When it comes to classical music, I'm one of those kind of guys who buys a copy of something (a particular version), and if it suits me OK – then I usually leave it at that. Can't say I've ever heard more than two or maybe three different recorded versions of anything, other than a few pet works (Berg's Lyric Suite, for instance), where I've gone out and gotten three or four versions. Same with Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire, and his mid-20 opus numbered works for small chamber groups (5-8 instruments, usually winds and strings). That, and a handful of works my wife and I both love (Grieg’s string quartet, for instance). But other than about 20-25 works, I usually try to buy something good – and if it in fact turns out to be a good recording, I leave it at that.

God, I’ve got 1,000+ classical CD’s at it is. I can’t imagine having several multiple recordings of even 100 or 200 of them.

Edited December 4, 2005 by Rooster_Ties

[Bright Moments]

Just finished enjoying the Jochum - thanks uncle chuck!

[Tom Storer]

You say Carmeena,

I say Carm-eye-na,

You say Burayna,

I say Burahna,

Carmeena,

Carm-eye-na,

Burayna,

Burahna,

Let's Carl the whole thing Orff!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

[Bright Moments]

  Tom Storer said:

You say Carmeena,

I say Carm-eye-na,

You say Burayna,

I say Burahna,

Carmeena,

Carm-eye-na,

Burayna,

Burahna,

Let's Carl the whole thing Orff!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

[Free For All]

  Tom Storer said:

You say Carmeena,

I say Carm-eye-na,

You say Burayna,

I say Burahna,

Carmeena,

Carm-eye-na,

Burayna,

Burahna,

Let's Carl the whole thing Orff!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Good one my man!