Orff: Carmina Burana

Advantages: A fine mixture of gothic, medieval and modern music and words. You will know some of the themes - it will repay study. This is a superb rendition.
Disadvantages: None

...”Si puer cum puellula moraretur in cellula, felix coniunctio. Amore suscrescente, partier e medio avulso procul tedio, fit ludus ineffabilis membris lacertis labiis” I decided to try my hand at a review of a piece of classical music. My CD library has a fair smattering of conventional pieces by Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikowsy and Brahms. Of course you will have known by now my interest in Gilbert and Sullivan, but I have chosen instead to look at this sensational work from the 1930s by Carl Orff “Carmina Burana” (Songs, secular and profane). It is one of those works that has been subject to “borrowing” from the mass media and its main theme will be extremely well known. However, the whole work does repay some study and is well worth a listen. It has a curious history with shades of dissolute monks, lusty wenches, inns filled... Read review

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Advantages: Everything you could ever want from a classical CD
Disadvantages: none

...by Giuseppe Verdi 32. Les pêcheurs de perles Composed by Georges Bizet 33. (Il) trovatore Composed by Giuseppe Verdi 34. Turandot Composed by Giacomo Puccini 35. Carmina Burana Composed by Carl Orff 36. Messa da Requiem Composed by Giuseppe Verdi 37. Messiah Composed by George Frideric Handel 38. Also sprach Zarathustra, 'Thus spake Zarathustra' Composed by Richard Strauss 39. (The) Planets Composed by Gustav Holst 40. Toccata and Fugue in D minor Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach 41. Symphony No. 40 in G minor Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 42. Symphony No. 5 in C minor Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven 43. Romeo and Juliet Composed by Sergey Prokofiev 44. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor Composed by Edvard Grieg 45. Boléro Composed by Maurice Ravel 46. Fanfare for the Common Man Composed... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Good intro, great pieces
Disadvantages: Extracts, some favourites missing

...aged about 20 years! So I'll compromise – a track listing (along with where you may know any of the pieces from), and then a summary of the highlights at the bottom. Happy? I know my GP is :) CD 1 1. Dies Irae (from Requiem) by Verdi 2. O Fortuna (from Carmina Burana) by Orff [Old Spice advert anyone?] 3. Mars (from The Planets) by Holst ['Quatermass', as well as numerous adverts] 4. The Ride Of The Valkyries (from Die Walkure) by Wagner [Rebel Without A Cause, Small Soldiers, amongst others] 5. Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves (from Nabucco) by Verdi 6. Fanfare For The Common Man by Copland [some BBC sport event?] 7. Pomp And Circumstance March – No. 1 by Elgar [Last Night Of The Proms] 8. Grand March (from Aida) by Verdi [ 9. Presto (from Summer – Four Seasons) by Vivaldi [lots of films, including Up Close... Read review

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