[PhilNYC]

Can someone recommend a recording of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana?  Ideally the sonics would be great, but most importantly I'm looking for a great performance...

[Blackmore]

I always liked the Telarc version with Robert Shaw and Atlanta, but a music lover friend of mine claimed he disliked their "southern accents" creeping through the Latin text and chose Eugene Ormandy and Philadelphia on CBS.

[jimdgoulding]

I always liked the Telarc version with Robert Shaw and Atlanta, but a music lover friend of mine claimed he disliked their "southern accents" creeping through the Latin text and chose Eugene Ormandy and Philadelphia on CBS.

Phil-  The Shaw/Telarc IS nicely done.  Can't say that I have anything to compare it with, tho.

[Tyson]

I have a ton of them, and Blomstedt is the only one that keeps the intensity as high as I think it should be.

[JoshK]

Phil, have you been watching So You Think You Can Dance?

 

[gsm18439]

I also like Slatkin's performance with the St Louis Symphony and Mutis performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra

[PhilNYC]

Phil, have you been watching So You Think You Can Dance?

 

Guity as charged...   I've heard the O Fortuna movement a zillion times in various movie trailers and such, but never knew what piece it was.  Then, watching SYTYCD with my daughters, lo and behold, there it was...so finally I was able to find out the name.

Thanks for the suggestions.  Anyone know this one?

[Tyson]

Previn is OK, so is Shaw.  Jochum is better, as is Levine, but trust me, THIS is the one you want - outstanding performance with recording to match - Blomstedt on Decca:

http://www.amazon.com/Orff-Carmina-Burana-Kevin-McMillan/dp/B0000041YC/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1246133946&sr=1-10



Leaves everyone else in the shade.

[SET Man]

Can someone recommend a recording of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana?  Ideally the sonics would be great, but most importantly I'm looking for a great performance...

Hey!

   Good one Phil. I want to know too since this is one of my favorite classical piece

   I don't know there is something about this piece that I could listen to from start to finish. Maybe it is because it is a more modern?

   Anyway, I have the Telarc version...



    A couple of years ago I saw it live at the Carnegie Hall performed by the Canadian Symphony Orchestra... I forgot the name of the exact group. But anyway, it was wonderful! I think I should keep an eye on Carnegie Hall for another Carmina Burana performance again.

   BTW... if anyone know a good older or new (unlikely) one that on vinyl LP please let me know.

Take care,
Buddy

[no1maestro]

I own all of the above but one of the most memorable performances was one my choir did, not with an orchestra, but with the two piano version. The focus then is on the chorus. An interesting way to hear it. I recommend two versions, the STL/Slatkin one due to parochial reasons and the Shaw/Telarc version because I don't think I can hear the difference between Latin and Latin with a southern accent,lol!

[gsm18439]

If you get a chance to see Carmina Burana performed as a ballet with full chorus and orchestra and soloists. . . don't pass it up. It is spectacular!

[Tod]

I have a ton of them, and Blomstedt is the only one that keeps the intensity as high as I think it should be.

+1 for Blomstedt. I've got several, can't stand the Shaw version for several reasons (tempi, excessive warmth, and his completely stupid translation), and none of the others beat Blomstedt either.

I do have a BIS recording with Lena Alin conducting the 2-piano version. It's a fun change also. As a previous poster, I got to perform it once as well. It's 2 pianos with full percussion, designed so schools and such could afford to perform the work (Orff was an educator). The percussion makes enough noise you hardly miss the orchestra.

[jimdgoulding]

Shout out to Tod.  Makes a man want to hear your favorite version.  And the mention of Bis in the same paragraph makes it even more compelling.  Think I have an Ozawa version somewhere I'll have to find and give a listen.

[PhilNYC]

Ok, so I picked up 3 different versions of this....the Shaw/Telarc, the Herbert Blomstedt/SF Orchestra, and the Previn/London Symphony.  Have listened to the Shaw and Blomstedt versions, and must say that hands-down the Blomstedt version wins.  I am not an expert in this genre of music at all, but from my pedestrian viewpoint, the Blomstedt version just has so much more energy and drama in the performance. 

Will listen to the Previn version soon and compare....

[Tod]

Ok, so I picked up 3 different versions of this....the Shaw/Telarc, the Herbert Blomstedt/SF Orchestra, and the Previn/London Symphony.  Have listened to the Shaw and Blomstedt versions, and must say that hands-down the Blomstedt version wins.  I am not an expert in this genre of music at all, but from my pedestrian viewpoint, the Blomstedt version just has so much more energy and drama in the performance. 

Glad you liked it! I can't help but also recommend pretty much any of Blomstedt's other London recordings if you're feeling exploratory - Mahler's 2nd Symphony and Nielsen's 4th and 5th are two others of my all-time favorites, again not quite matched by others I've heard.



And for anyone else reading this, for a slight broadening of your Orff horizons, look for a recording of the other 2 works in the trilogy that includes Carmina Burana: Catulli Carmina and Trionfi di Afrodite. Franz Welzer-Most conducted a good recording on EMI. Carmina is a bit suggestive at times. One of these works is just plain explicit in one movement. Musically not as fun as Carmina, but of interest anyway...

[Emil]

What I find fascinating about the Shaw version is that this recording is at least 20 years old, recorded during CDs infancy but sounds great!

[guest46813]

I also like the one with Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos. He conducted Carmina Burana at Tanglewood this past August 8th.

[storman]

What I find fascinating about the Shaw version is that this recording is at least 20 years old, recorded during CDs infancy but sounds great!

I agree with you, but then again Telarc more often than not does an excellent miking and recording job. I bought my copy back in the 80's and it still sounds great.  One of the miracles of digital storage on optical media.   
I second other's comments on hearing it performed live.  I had the opportunity to hear it two years ago played by the Madison Symphony Orchestra in their Overture Hall.  This hall is considered to have some of the best acoustics of modern halls in the U.S.  My daughter and I were blown away by the performance.  Still sends chills down my spine when I think back on it ! 

Bill

[Jon L]

I have sevaral versions, and lately, I've been listening more to the 24bit/88.2 kHz Chandos version with London Symphony Orchestra from HDTracks..

https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=HD095115506721