Many, many moons ago, I was a wee student at Regensburg University, Bavaria. The university decided to bestow not an honorary doctorate, but an honorary membership upon Carl Orff. Whatever. Yet the truly grand occasion was this: a performance of Catulli Carmina, in the composer's presence, by the university chorus, with a young Barbara Schlick as soprano soloist. Glorious. After that, a laudatory speech by the university prseident, whereupon Orff himself proceeded to appear from his seat in the auditorium and on the podium, carrying a small booklet with him. He sat down next to one of the tympani, and dropped the booklet on it -'boing!'. Thus he began the rendition of an old Bavarian folk tale ("Agnes Bernauerin'), holding the text in one hand, while using his other to perform all sorts of percussionary accompaniment in his particular style. The Great Auditorium was packed, and everyone was mesmerized by this quite unique experience. I remember it fondly after nearly half a century.
Der Mond is just terrific. I remember that the Kegel recording made quite a splash when Philips first released it almost 50(!) years ago. I don’t think that it has received a major recording since, which amazes me because the work is so appealing. Fortunately, the Kegel recording was extremely well recorded (analog) and the performance of course could hardly be bettered. Thanks, Dave, for showing us that this work is ripe for enjoying by a lot of people who don’t even know it exists.
I would love to see you do a video of Carmina Burana sequels in the vein of the Daphnis & Chloé or Franck Symphony sequels videos, i.e., works by other composers. It'd be a great opportunity to discuss The Vigil of Venus by George Lloyd!
So happy to see you comment on this. I love Der Mond and have played a triple bill of Mond (much of whose dialogue is rhythmically notated), Kluge, and Carmina. Though I have both the Kegel and Sawallisch, I really do prefer the latter with Hans Hotter's commanding yet warm and sympathetic attitude to the foibles of fallible men. Alle neune!
Carl Orff made one of the spookiest operas I've ever listened to: "De Temporum Fine Comoedia". I would like to see your comment/review/suggestion about this composition. Thanks Dave, as always 🙂
Well, I confess to be an Orffnick - and you're right: "The Moon" is great! In fact, I love it more than "Carmina burana"; although I like the "Catulli carmina" also: not so much the framework, but the a-cappella-part, which has some lovely tunes, in which the old latin sounds like modern italian. But what about after "Carmina burana" NOT by Orff? I'm sure you know "Remembering Esenin" by Georgy Sviridov. But this seems to me nearly the only real "Carmina"-follower. There was also another one: "Eucharistische Hymnen" by the austrian composer Friedrich Wildgans, recorded on the now deceased label of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation ORF (but on TH-cam), in my opinion a great piece and a true alternative to the "Carmina".
Enlightening talk. Thank you. For amusing faux Orff, I suggest the brief "Waxing Elizabeth" from the Young Sherlock Holmes soundtrack by Bruce Broughton. It's on TH-cam with nonsense words.
Orff's single famous work could be the kick-off for a video of "One Hit Wonders." Just saying.
Many, many moons ago, I was a wee student at Regensburg University, Bavaria. The university decided to bestow not an honorary doctorate, but an honorary membership upon Carl Orff. Whatever. Yet the truly grand occasion was this: a performance of Catulli Carmina, in the composer's presence, by the university chorus, with a young Barbara Schlick as soprano soloist. Glorious. After that, a laudatory speech by the university prseident, whereupon Orff himself proceeded to appear from his seat in the auditorium and on the podium, carrying a small booklet with him. He sat down next to one of the tympani, and dropped the booklet on it -'boing!'. Thus he began the rendition of an old Bavarian folk tale ("Agnes Bernauerin'), holding the text in one hand, while using his other to perform all sorts of percussionary accompaniment in his particular style. The Great Auditorium was packed, and everyone was mesmerized by this quite unique experience. I remember it fondly after nearly half a century.
Der Mond is just terrific. I remember that the Kegel recording made quite a splash when Philips first released it almost 50(!) years ago. I don’t think that it has received a major recording since, which amazes me because the work is so appealing. Fortunately, the Kegel recording was extremely well recorded (analog) and the performance of course could hardly be bettered. Thanks, Dave, for showing us that this work is ripe for enjoying by a lot of people who don’t even know it exists.
I would love to see you do a video of Carmina Burana sequels in the vein of the Daphnis & Chloé or Franck Symphony sequels videos, i.e., works by other composers. It'd be a great opportunity to discuss The Vigil of Venus by George Lloyd!
So happy to see you comment on this. I love Der Mond and have played a triple bill of Mond (much of whose dialogue is rhythmically notated), Kluge, and Carmina.
Though I have both the Kegel and Sawallisch, I really do prefer the latter with Hans Hotter's commanding yet warm and sympathetic attitude to the foibles of fallible men. Alle neune!
I remember playing Percussion in Orff s Catulli Carmina which required a much smaller Percussion Section but a very characteristic Orff sound
Carl Orff made one of the spookiest operas I've ever listened to: "De Temporum Fine Comoedia". I would like to see your comment/review/suggestion about this composition. Thanks Dave, as always 🙂
I think it's dreadful, to be honest.
Well, I confess to be an Orffnick - and you're right: "The Moon" is great! In fact, I love it more than "Carmina burana"; although I like the "Catulli carmina" also: not so much the framework, but the a-cappella-part, which has some lovely tunes, in which the old latin sounds like modern italian.
But what about after "Carmina burana" NOT by Orff? I'm sure you know "Remembering Esenin" by Georgy Sviridov. But this seems to me nearly the only real "Carmina"-follower. There was also another one: "Eucharistische Hymnen" by the austrian composer Friedrich Wildgans, recorded on the now deceased label of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation ORF (but on TH-cam), in my opinion a great piece and a true alternative to the "Carmina".
Carmina Burana has so much...let's say 'borrowed' music. I never understood the fascination with it and the success of the piece
Enlightening talk. Thank you.
For amusing faux Orff, I suggest the brief "Waxing Elizabeth" from the Young Sherlock Holmes soundtrack by Bruce Broughton. It's on TH-cam with nonsense words.
"faux Orff"... I imagine that's how an irritated -Prince- King Charles tells people to go away ;)
Trionfo di Afrodite has some sections in Greek and some in Latin; Catulli Carmina is entirely in Latin
Same difference.
Too much dialogue for me as well in Die Kluge, but the music is wonderful. With CDs, however, it's easy to skip the prose.