Orff: Carmina Burana / Bonney, Lopardo, Michaels-Moore; Previn

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The recording's producers bill it as an "audio spectacular," and indeed, its sound is big, full, and surprisingly detailed, considering the large performing forces involved. It's also a live concert performance, that, in spite of some sluggish tempos, holds up well against the best studio versions thanks to a first-rate chorus and soloists. --David Vernier

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
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
III Cour d'amours: Ave formosissima
III Cour d'amours: O Fortuna

Amazon.com

The recording's producers bill it as an "audio spectacular," and indeed, its sound is big, full, and surprisingly detailed, considering the large performing forces involved. It's also a live concert performance, that, in spite of some sluggish tempos, holds up well against the best studio versions thanks to a first-rate chorus and soloists. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

A very acceptable rendition........2006-10-17

'Carmina Burana' by Carl Orff is easily one of the major movements if one were to make a soundtrack of the 20th century, along with the likes of 'The Rites of Spring', 'Rapsody in Blue', 'Mack the Knife / Mackie Messer', 'Tommy', 'Sargeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' and 'Take the A-Train'. I have heard it used as part of both advertising and themes to intro news pieces for the last 20 years, with its use increasing at almost the same rate as the use of 'The Who's 'Baba O'Reilly'. While I have not heard many of the dozens of other recordings available, I have heard it performed live several times, and this issue is quite acceptable to my ears.

For any who are totally unfamiliar with this work (and happen to stumble on this review while checking out the latest cookbooks)it is NOT from the Middle Ages (althought there IS a middle ages work of the same name). It was written in the 1930s and based on Medieval texts. As you can tell from the many recordings, it probably rivals Mozart's unfinished Requium as one of the most commonly recorded choral works.

If you are proud of your classical music collection and do not have a recording of this work, get one now!

No Way!! Keep looking elsewhere..........2004-04-24

One thing is for certain: the engineering of the chorus is far too recessed in this Previn re-recording. That is NOT a minor issue to me. It also sounds fairly "slack" and uncommitted. Hardly jubilant where it needs to be. Nor did I find the recording that wide-ranging either. I didn't even care for the soloists who were largely uninspired as everything else. Junk! Better keep the earlier Previn, which was altogether a more sensual performance. But my nod goes to Levine, overall...

Among The Best Modern Digital Recordings of Carmina Burana.......2003-01-18

Andre Previn leads the Vienna Philharmonic and its chorus in a spellbinding live performance of Orff's Carmina Burana. Unfortunately it doesn't sound nearly as electrifying as Ormandy's classic recording with the Philadelphia Orchestra. For instance Deutsche Grammophon made the mistake of not emphasizing the chorus's singing, so in this recording it is the Vienna Philharmonic's excellent playing which tends to dominate - and occasionally dominate - the voices of the choir. Still it is blessed with magnificient singing from soloists Lopardo, Michaels-Moore, and especially, Bonney. Fans of Carl Orff's most popular work will not be disappointed with this recording.

Pretty good, but could be better.......2000-07-25

The real highlights of this recording (as stated by another reviewer) are the singing of Bonney and Michaels Moore. Bonney sings beautifully on "In Trutina" and Michaels Moore has a wonderful tone. Lopardo is straining in places and you can really hear it. The Vienna Philharmonic does a fine job, as does Previn, but in places I found myself wanting to hear the chorus a little better, as well as the brass and percussion. If you can get past the below average sound quality, it certainly isn't a bad choice. Unfortunately for this version the competition is quite good. I prefer Previn's earlier EMI recording to this one, but if you want a great performance coupled with excellent sound my recommendation would be the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Herbert Blomstedt on Decca. It is head and shoulders above this one.

One of the best.......1999-05-03

The sound in this recording is, as stated above, big and full, and the orchestra plays excellently. The chorus sounds good, but unfortunately is too quiet in relation to the orchestra. Previn does a wonderful job conducting, both in this and in the Emi recording (Emi-56444), though a few tempos are too slow. The baritone, Anthony Michaels-Moore, sings beautifully and fully, and is one of the best I have heard in this piece. I would prefer John Aler, in Philips' Ozawa recording (Philips-22363), to Frank Lopardo as tenor, but Barbara Bonney is perfect as the soprano, and especially shines in Dulcissime. Overall, the recording is one of the best I have heard.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

A Piece of Sunshine

Cortot Plays Schumann, Vol.1

Good For What Ails You: Music of the Medicine Shows 1926-1937

West Coast Sounds [Import]

Flower King [Box set]

Dude [Import]

Christmas Time Is Here

Church Music by John Sheppard, Vol. 4

Glass Bead Game [Import]

Carolus Maximus: Music in the Life of Charles V

Dancing on the Ceiling

Bailamos, Pt. 2 [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]

Coleccion de Oro: Las Mananitas

Honkin' 'N' Hollerin': R&B from the Radio Corporation, Vol. 1

Bridge to Havana