Prom 69: Orff – Carmina Burana (6.09.15)

[umslopogaas]

Orff seems these days to be one of those unfortunate composers - Paul Dukas is another - who are known for one very popular work. Does anyone remember ever hearing the other two members of the trilogy, Catulli Carmina and Trionfo di Aphrodite, from the Proms or anywhere else on Radio 3? I dont. They might not be as memorable as Carmina Burana, but I recall Catulli Carmina had some good bits; Trionfo I cant remember at all, though I do have a recording.

Never heard Die Kluge; the Sawalisch recording originally came out on a very early Columbia stereo LP. In thirty years of collecting such items I have never seen it, and suspect it would cost a fortune if one ever turned up.

Some other Orff items of which I have recordings,but have never heard broadcast, are Antigone, De Temporum Fine Comedia and Die Bernauerin. I also thought I had a recording of something called Les Choanephores (? spelling), but cant find it.

[Barbirollians]

Dukas is a far better composer than Orff !!!

[umslopogaas]

Happy to believe you, but he doesnt seem to have been recorded very much. Apart from the ubiquitous Apprentice, I have recordings of La Peri, Ouverture Polyeucte, Symphony in C and prelude to act 3 of Ariane et Barbe-Bleu: about the same amount of works as I have from Orff.

[umslopogaas]

#16. my mistake, I do have a recording of Les Choephores, but its by Milhaud, not Orff.

[Barbirollians]

Happy to believe you, but he doesnt seem to have been recorded very much. Apart from the ubiquitous Apprentice, I have recordings of La Peri, Ouverture Polyeucte, Symphony in C and prelude to act 3 of Ariane et Barbe-Bleu: about the same amount of works as I have from Orff.

True enough re works recorded but I think that the symphony and La Peri are terrific .

[zola]

True enough re works recorded but I think that the symphony and La Peri are terrific .

Dukas' piano sonata is a bit of a beast.

[Serial_Apologist]

Dukas' piano sonata is a bit of a beast.

Very Cesar Franckish - but a work greatly admired by Debussy.

[PhilipT]

Stop carping you lot! The Carmina Burana was a good performance; the chorus were spot on; the baritone was fine, and a good time was had by all. Yes, as someone said above, the tenor went in for some method acting, but who can blame him with so small a part? It was a shock(*) to read in the program (stop me if I mis-read it) that it hasn't been done since Choral Day in 1998. I stood through both Proms that day; now there's an idea worth resurrecting, but doubtless the logistical challenges are daunting.

One other comment: World premieres lasting half-an hour are rarely as good as that night's.

*: OK, one of the shocks. The program note explaining 'Lust' is beyond comment.

[ardcarp]

dukas is a far better composer than orff !!!

iyvho ??

[Serial_Apologist]

iyvho ??

imvho too

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I don't have "h" Os about Music, let alone "vh" ones - but in my considered opinion, Dukas knocks the spots off Orff.

I have no problem at all with Carmina Burana, which I find an totally enjoyable romp (both to perform and hear), and his education work was greatly impressive. But The sheer waste of time, effort and paper that Catulli Carmina, Die Kluge, Der Mond, Antigone and De Temporum fine Comoedia (Herbie! You did this and rejected Elgar's Second???!!!) constitute marks him as a truly rotten composer. (But perhaps he intended this as a response to Soviet troops invading Berlin or something, so that makes him a genius really?)

The wonderful Dukas scores that so rarely get a look-in in live performances are the work of a much higher Musical imagination.




imo.

[verismissimo]

... imo.

I came across imnvho recently. Suits me fine, but I'll stick to yours, ferney.

[Nick Armstrong]

I have no problem at all with Carmina Burana, which I find an totally enjoyable romp (both to perform and hear), and his education work was greatly impressive. But The sheer waste of time, effort and paper that Catulli Carmina, Die Kluge, Der Mond, Antigone and De Temporum fine Comoedia (Herbie! You did this and rejected Elgar's Second???!!!) constitute marks him as a truly rotten composer. (But perhaps he intended this as a response to Soviet troops invading Berlin or something, so that makes him a genius really?)

The wonderful Dukas scores that so rarely get a look-in in live performances are the work of a much higher Musical imagination.

I could have written the above myself, in all honesty! I agree with each comment there!