I first heard Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in the 1950's when a combination of the New York City Opera and the New York City Ballet did a choreographed version in the City Center on 55th Street.That may be the best way to do it.
I played the two-piano and percussion version a number of times years ago.
I really don't like the piece all that well. There are a couple of orgiastic climaxes that raise the roof, but Mr. Orff falls in love with a melodic and rhythmic theme and beats it to death.
Having said this, tonight the Smith College Glee Club and the Virginia Glee Club did a commendable job with the work. There is as lot of mumbling and quite a bit of screaming, so the work is taxing on young voices.
The three soloists, Karen Smith Emerson, soprano, Rockland Osgood, tenor, and Sumner Thompson, baritone, were all fine in their 'off the wall', and sometimes, 'off the ceiling' solos. Ms. Smith Emerson, after singing everything in the mezzo-soprano range, has to suddenly produce a D above high C on the word Dulcissime. I am happy to report that Ms. Emerson, who happens to be a student of mine, did this to great effect.
Probably the most ungrateful role is that of the tenor, who must sing everything at the very top of the tenor range. Mr. Osgood did most of this in falsetto, which, frankly, is the only way to bring this off without strangling. The three conductors (yes, three) each did his section very well. Of course, with three men leading this large group, you get three different interpretations. They were Joseph Baldwin, Frank Albinder, and Jonathan Hirsh. They were all excellent. Mr. Hirsh was especially effective in the final section.
Not having heard or performed this work in many years, I am puzzled at how my view of the piece has changed. I would rather have had these forces and talents and energies put into a greater work, say Walton's Belshazzar's Feast, which I think holds up better with time.
