Orff - Carmina Burana / Oelze, Keenlyside, Keubler; Thielemann

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Every concert-season programmer can depend on Carmina Burana to bring down the house. Since its premiere in 1937, Carl Orff's theatrically vivid, earthy cantata setting of the medieval poetry of wandering minstrels has kept its extraordinarily popular status. Christian Thielemann's new recording by no means displaces the classic accounts by Jochum or Ormandy, but it dusts off many of the clichés that have gathered around Carmina and conveys an overarching, coherent vision that is frequently lacking in performance. Thielemann brings this triptych of scenes to life--springtime, the tavern, and the court of love--with an understanding of pleasure and pain as opposites of the same coin in each, so that the framing chorus to "Fortune, Empress of the World" carries tremendous weight. Contrasts between Orff's exuberant, Stravinsky-derived rhythmic vigor and the score's more introspective moments are favored, with subtle adjustments of tempo along the way. Rich percussive details as well as the choral body itself are sometimes obscured in the recorded sound (not nearly so bright or forward as in Previn's fine 1975 account), but one of this disc's great assets is its trio of soloists, including a fantastically expressive baritone in Simon Keenlyside and a ravishing portrayal by Christiane Oelze of the young girl in the tunic who comes to discover love. Thielemann allows them ample freedom to shape their phrases with the most varied meaning. This performance isn't interested solely in pumping up your metabolism, but in searing your heart as well. --Thomas May

Orff - Carmina Burana / Oelze, Keenlyside, Keubler; Thielemann, Music, Carl Orff, Christian Thielemann, Christiane Oelze, Simon Keenlyside, Chor und Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin, David Kuebler, Cantata, Choral, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio

Average customer rating:

A well put together reading, but where's the fun?

A different feel for Orff's scenic cantata

A Serious Contender for the Baton of Carmina Burana

Powerful emotional roller-coaster that will knock you out

Power Music for That... kicking feeling

Orff - Carmina Burana / Oelze, Keenlyside, Keubler; Thielemann
Carl Orff , Christian Thielemann , Christiane Oelze , Simon Keenlyside , Chor und Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin , and David Kuebler
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Carl Orff: Carmina Burana

Orff: Carmina Burana

Carl Orff: Carmina Burana

Orff: Carmina Burana

Orff - Carmina Burana: Battle, Allen, Lopardo, Ozawa, Berlin / Beethoven - Symphony No. 9: Schwanewilms, Groves, Dever, Hawlata, Ozawa, Saito Kinen Orchestra

ASIN: B00000JSAM
Release Date: 1999-08-10

Tracks:

Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi: O Fortuna
Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi: Fortune plango vulnera
I. Primo Vere: Veris leta facies
I. Primo Vere: Omnia Sol temperat
I. Primo Vere: Ecce gratum
Uf dem Anger: Tanz
Uf dem Anger: Floret silva nobilis
Uf dem Anger: Chramer, gip die varwe mir
Uf dem Anger: Reie - Swaz hie gat umbe - Chume, chum, geselle min! - Swaz hie gat umbe
Uf dem Anger: Were diu werlt alle min
II. In Taberna: Estuans interius
II. In Taberna: Olim lacus colueram
II. In Taberna: Ego sum abbas
II. In Taberna: In taberna quando sumus
III. Cour d'amours: Amor volat undique
III. Cour d'amours: Dies, nox et omnia
III. Cour d'amours: Stetit puella
III. Cour d'amours: Circa mea pectora
III. Cour d'amours: Si puer cum puellula
III. Cour d'amours: Veni, veni, venias
III. Cour d'amours: In trutina
III. Cour d'amours: Tempus est iocundum
III. Cour d'amours: Dulcissime
Blanziflor et Helena: Ave, formosissima
Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi: O Fortuna

Amazon.com

Every concert-season programmer can depend on Carmina Burana to bring down the house. Since its premiere in 1937, Carl Orff's theatrically vivid, earthy cantata setting of the medieval poetry of wandering minstrels has kept its extraordinarily popular status. Christian Thielemann's new recording by no means displaces the classic accounts by Jochum or Ormandy, but it dusts off many of the clichés that have gathered around Carmina and conveys an overarching, coherent vision that is frequently lacking in performance. Thielemann brings this triptych of scenes to life--springtime, the tavern, and the court of love--with an understanding of pleasure and pain as opposites of the same coin in each, so that the framing chorus to "Fortune, Empress of the World" carries tremendous weight. Contrasts between Orff's exuberant, Stravinsky-derived rhythmic vigor and the score's more introspective moments are favored, with subtle adjustments of tempo along the way. Rich percussive details as well as the choral body itself are sometimes obscured in the recorded sound (not nearly so bright or forward as in Previn's fine 1975 account), but one of this disc's great assets is its trio of soloists, including a fantastically expressive baritone in Simon Keenlyside and a ravishing portrayal by Christiane Oelze of the young girl in the tunic who comes to discover love. Thielemann allows them ample freedom to shape their phrases with the most varied meaning. This performance isn't interested solely in pumping up your metabolism, but in searing your heart as well. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

A well put together reading, but where's the fun?.......2007-01-18

The crowd loves Carmina Burana as much as serious musicians disdain it, and the whole point is to raise the roof. Intrinsically Orff's idiom is pop crossover from Stravinsky (primarily) with college glee club tunes. In live performance the work can be as much fun as the circus, but not here. I've rarely heard such a poker-faced reading. Thielemann usually wears an emotional mask; in this case it's imprenetrable. You can't tell which songs are erotic, joyous, parodistic, or mock reverent. Those qualities come out vividly in readings by Jochum, Fruhbeck de Burgos, and Stokowksi.

For all that, Thielemann knows how to marshal large forces, and everyone concerned does well. Nothing drags or sounds turgid in texture. Simon Keenlyside is especially smooth and sensitive in his solos (if that's what you want--parody is beyond him) and fantastically in tunje when asked to sing in falsetto. Tenor David Kuebler does a brave job reaching the in excelssis high notes of the roasted goose's lament. Soprano Christiane Oelze, assigned another stratospheric song, applies a lovely tone and never shrieks. In all, these three are the best thing about the performance. If only everybody could have had more fun. This isns't the B minor Mass, after all.

A different feel for Orff's scenic cantata.......2006-04-21

Back in 1967, maestro Eugen Jochum, who is well-known for his Bruckner interpretations, released Carmina Burana with the original composer present during the recording. It was a supreme rendition, and it overshadowed many newer recordings such as Previn's, Dutoit's, and Stokowski's. For this fresh recording from Christian Thielemann, who uses the same orchestra and choirs as did Jochum, it does not overpower the excellent 1967 recording, but it is as outstanding as the 1967 recording.

Thielemann seems to know the cantata very well. He doesn't overstress the energy nor does he quiet down the lyrical passages. He is also noteworthy for slowing down the tempi when it needs to be slowed down. In the Jochum version, an adagio is never present in Cour d'amours, which makes it more invaluable through tone and technique. For Thielemann, the Cour d'amours sounds more poetic and unhurried. Indeed, the faster sections, such as "Veni, Veni, Venias," still have the same atmosphere as Eugen Jochum's rendition.

Uf dem Anger and In Taberna still have the same addictive energy as every other Carmina recording. However, what's different about this version is it sounds both energetic and calm at the same time. Tension is somewhere right in the middle. There is no overblowing and no alleviating. It's seems flawless in every level.

While I still prefer Jochum's superb rendering of Orff's cantata masterpiece, I also think that Christian Thielemann is highly recommendable. Get it while you still can.

A Serious Contender for the Baton of Carmina Burana.......2005-09-11

Christian Thielemann has the equivalent of an architect's mind blended into the vision of a musician. His concept of the ever-popular CARMINA BURANA may not knock the socks off your sound system, may not hit the raucous highs of other recordings that strive for dramatic and lusty effect, but as for the work rethought as a cantata, this version is among the best.

Thielemann has his huge forces (Deutschen Staatsopernchor und Orchestra Berlin, Knabenchor Berlin, soloists Christiane Oelze, Simon Keenlyside and David Kuebler) in meticulous control and that is not to say he doesn't allow the passion inherent in this work to flow. Quite the opposite, he pays attention to the gentler moments of each section so that the outbursts become more impactful.

Oelze, Keenlyside and Kuebler are just about as fine a group of soloists as could be gathered for this work and they each perform with great beauty and style. The chorus proves its reputation as one of the finest opera choruses with crystal clear enuciation and unity of sound. Clearly this recording of a chestnut is one that will open the eyes of even the most critical audiences who have their own favorite versions of Carmina Burana. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, September 05

Powerful emotional roller-coaster that will knock you out.......2002-04-16

my sophomore, i had joined the school marching band, and this was the repitoire for that season. We had an excellent season which brought us to finish 3rd in our division in the Wi state marching band Championships. To put it lightly; when they played they sounded twice the size we actually were (75 instrument players sounding like 150 is fairly strong). The music on this CD is a very good representation of the 15th Century monks that wrote the poetry for the musical interpretation done by Orff. Excellent CD for any one who appreciates good and true music.

Power Music for That... kicking feeling.......2002-04-15

This is an excellent recording of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. The German Opera in Berlin did an excellent job of just pounding the emotion in when it needed to and just tapping at the right parts. Definitely a must for anyone who appreciates true music.

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