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Carmina Burana
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Maziar View Drop Down
Chieftain
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Arteshbod

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Posts: 1155 		  Quote Maziar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Carmina Burana
    Posted: 14-Feb-2006 at 17:07

German composer Carl Orff was born in 1895 in Munich in a line of Bavarian military officers. His compositional style changed after he joined the army in 1917. In 1930 he wrote "Catulli Carmina I" and in 1931 "Catulli Carmina II". These were Latin texts for unaccompanied choir. Later, he was appointed conductor to Bach Society of Munich. In the years 1935-36 he wrote "Carmina Burana" , which was first performed in 1937.

   

"Carmina Burana" takes the listener on a roller coaster ride through the cyclic highs and lows imposed on man by fate. Linked together by recurring themes of love, lust, debauchery, dice and drink, all of the hedonistic pleasures are given their due in a work that bears a striking stylistic kinship to those of Stravinski and Prokofiev.

 

Carmina Burana is a bombastic and exciting piece, executed by an orchestra often running at full-tilt, fortified by a full chorus, punctuated by solemn and affecting solo vocal efforts. The contrasting flavors give the piece its emotional appeal. First-time listeners will no doubt recognize several portions of the work borrowed for the Highlander series of films, not to mention the occasional butter or beer commercial -- but dont let that hinder you; every once in a while, even Madison Avenue recognizes a good thing when it hears it.

 

The mix is tasteful, utilizing the surround channels properly, which means that they are restricted to the reproduction of hall ambience (which they contribute in spades). There's no middle-of-the-stage perspective or other silliness here -- excellent. Bass drum and choral voices can clearly be heard resonating throughout the hall in a completely natural way, convincingly placing the listener smack-dab in the middle of the venue.

http://www.soundstage.com/music/reviews/rev419.htm
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Maziar View Drop Down
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Posts: 1155 		  Quote Maziar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Feb-2006 at 17:19

Lyrics are in Latin and early German.

Latin:

1. Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi (Fortune, Empress of the World)

O Fortuna  O Fortune,
velut luna  like the moon
statu variabilis,  you are changeable,
semper crescis  ever waxing
aut decrescis;  and waning;
vita detestabilis  hateful life
nunc obdurat  first oppresses
et tunc curat  and then soothes
ludo mentis aciem,  as fancy takes it;
egestatem,  poverty
potestatem  and power
dissolvit ut glaciem. it melts them like ice.



Sors immanis  Fate - monstrous
et inanis,  and empty,
rota tu volubilis,  you whirling wheel,
status malus,  you are malevolent,
vana salus  well-being is vain
semper dissolubilis, and always fades to nothing,
obumbrata  shadowed
et velata  and veiled
michi quoque niteris; you plague me too;
nunc per ludum  now through the game
dorsum nudum  I bring my bare back
fero tui sceleris.  to your villainy.



Sors salutis  Fate is against me
et virtutis  in health
michi nunc contraria, and virtue,
est affectus  driven on
et defectus  and weighted down,
semper in angaria.  always enslaved.
Hac in hora  So at this hour
sine mora  without delay
corde pulsum tangite; pluck the vibrating strings;
quod per sortem  since Fate
sternit fortem,  strikes down the string man,
mecum omnes plangite! everyone weep with me!

Early German:

Chramer, gip die varwe mir (Shopkeeper, give me colour)

Chramer, gip die varwe mir, Shopkeeper, give me colour
die min wengel roete, to make my cheeks red,
damit ich die jungen man so that I can make the young men
an ir dank der minnenliebe noete. love me, against their will.
Seht mich an,  Look at me,
jungen man!  young men!
lat mich iu gevallen! Let me please you!



Minnet, tugentliche man, Good men, love
minnecliche frouwen! women worthy of love!
minne tuot iu hoch gemout Love ennobles your spirit
unde lat iuch in hohen eren schouwen and gives you honour.
Seht mich an  Look at me,
jungen man!  young men!
lat mich iu gevallen! Let me please you!



Wol dir, werit, daz du bist Hail, world,
also freudenriche!  so rich in joys!
ich will dir sin undertan I will be obedient to you
durch din liebe immer sicherliche. because of the pleasures you afford.
Seht mich an,  Look at me,
jungen man!  young men!
lat mich iu gevallen! Let me please you!

To see all lyrics click here:

http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/works/orff-cb/carmly r.html



Edited by Maziar
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Frederick Roger View Drop Down
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Posts: 658 		  Quote Frederick Roger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Feb-2006 at 17:47

Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" is good, but not the best version of the medieval songs. The classical composition doesen't fit that well in a lot of subjects (although it works quite well for some).

Rene Clemencic (or Clemencic Consort) has a far superior version, with medieval instrumentation that has the closest sound the supposed real versions played by the Goliards througout Germany.
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Maziar View Drop Down
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Arteshbod

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Posts: 1155 		  Quote Maziar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-Feb-2006 at 18:13

Carmina Burana isn't thought as "medieval" , although the lyrics are in a medieval style, but Carl Orff has created a modern art.

I know the Clemencic as well. Personally i find Carl Orff more tastyfull and more diversified as others. It depends on how is your taste anyhow.
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Posts: 416 		  Quote Socrates Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Feb-2006 at 05:15
I thought those lyrics in latin weren't translated-or at least their meaning was a matter of discussions-as i remember it from my gymnasium days (so there's a few years of distance)-anyway, it could be that i misunderstood my music education professor...or she mixed it up with something else...
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Frederick Roger View Drop Down
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Posts: 658 		  Quote Frederick Roger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15-Feb-2006 at 10:23
Originally posted by Maziar

Carmina Burana isn't thought as "medieval" , although the lyrics are in a medieval style, but Carl Orff has created a modern art.

I know the Clemencic as well. Personally i find Carl Orff more tastyfull and more diversified as others. It depends on how is your taste anyhow.

What do you mean, "isn't thought as "medieval"? It was written in the 13th century.

I just like Clemencic better because the music sounds like it was composed in the Middle Ages, thus adjusting to the lyrics in a better way.

But of course Carl Orff's work is very good as well.

 

BTW, have you heard Ray Manzarek's version? I never did, and I'm kind of curious.



Edited by Frederick Roger
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Maziar View Drop Down
Chieftain
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Arteshbod

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Posts: 1155 		  Quote Maziar Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-Feb-2006 at 07:58

I mean the lyrics are medieval but not the music. The music isn't in medieval style, it is modern.

No, i havn't heared ray Manzarek's version. It must be very nice i've heared.
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kotumeyil View Drop Down
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Posts: 1494 		  Quote kotumeyil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17-Feb-2006 at 02:19

Thanks, Maziar. I always wondered what is said in that gothic atmosphere.

Carmina Burana is so much listened and loved in Turkey that the performers are very bored and call it "Carmina Buhrana - (Carmina trouble)"
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