The 1230 Carmina Burana (Not Orff)

[Mandryka]

What are your favourite recordings?  I like Clemencic, the only one I've heard in fact.

[Mandryka]

There' a recording by Marcel Pérès and  Ensemble Organum. And there's one from Studio der Frühen Musik which I've just downloaded. And a big big set by Philip Pickett on spotify, so I can check that one myself sometime.

[Wakefield]

I have this one:

[asin]B002JIBCTO[/asin]
Carmina Burana / Sacri Sarcasmi
Recorded October 13th-17th 2008, Chiesa del convento francescano di Monte Mesma, Ameno, Italia

As usual "La Reverdie" is self-recommended.

With this new recording, La Reverdie explores the well-known collection of medieval songbooks known as Carmina Burana.The manuscript features a series of texts, mostly in Latin, compiled between the 12th and early 13th century at the request of an anonymous abbot of Kloster Neustift in the southern Tyrol. Already the object of many recordings, these refined songs are presented here in an absolutely new approach. This recording focuses on the amorous and, above all, moralising poems, partly because of the topicality of their messages. Performed in universities and ecclesiastical circles throughout all of Europe, they are a sort of highly refined 'clerical entertainment', lacking neither irony nor tender nostalgia. La Reverdie has conceived the programme as a sort of Remembrance of Things Past, recreated with enchanting music and savoury texts from one of the most celebrated of all medieval manuscripts.

[Wakefield]

La Reverdie:

http://www.youtube.com/v/bSU-KN-PuH0

BTW, I forgot this modern/medieval 2-CD set available on BC:

[asin]B000JJ5HD2[/asin]

I have had this set for years now, but frankly I haven't listened to it. Anyway, Modo Antiquo is generally a reliable ensemble, conducted by Bettina Hoffmann or Federico Sardelli.

[Mandryka]

I have this one:

[asin]B002JIBCTO[/asin]
Carmina Burana / Sacri Sarcasmi
Recorded October 13th-17th 2008, Chiesa del convento francescano di Monte Mesma, Ameno, Italia

As usual "La Reverdie" is self-recommended.

Thanks for that, I didn't know about that CD from La Reverdie, I will get it.

Carmina Burana is, I think, the earliest music I know, I think Perotin was slightly later. Are there any other fun examples of 13th century music or earlier?

[prémont]

There' a recording by Marcel Pérès and  Ensemble Organum. And there's one from Studio der Frühen Musik which I've just downloaded. And a big big set by Philip Pickett on spotify, so I can check that one myself sometime.

Actually there is quite a lot of different recordings, even if most of them only include one CD. If you give me a little time, I shall make a shortlist of the ones I own - and find recommendable.
But the Studio der frühen Musik release (on two LPs) was my first Carmina Burana purchase, and I still find this to be one of the most satisfying, even if I do not appreciate the rather individual voice of Andre von Ramm. The tenor Willard Cobb however is utterly charming.

[Mandryka]

I was curious about this, I like the bass up balance of Ensemble Organum, and I admire their boldness in, for example, Machault. I had no idea what it contained or what it was like until just this weekend, when someone put a copy on symphonyshare.

The CD contains the spiritual music from the Carmina Burana manuscript.

So far I've only listened to the first CD, and quite frankly  I'm gobsmacked by what these singers do here. I'm not going to dance about architecture trying to describe it, except to say that this contains some of the most authentic, passionate singing I've ever heard. Authentic in the sense of candid - these guys make you feel they're singing about something which matters, something which they're expressing from their deep insides. Sorry, don't ask me to explain what I mean. I'm now clear about what the real strength of Ensemble Organum is - they're quirky singers who are geniusus with words, the early music equivalent of Peter Pears and Karl Erb.

I'm also getting clearer about what I don't like about Jordi Savall, who prima facie seems like the polar opposite of Marcel Pérès.

The second CD contains some sort of passion music, based on St Luke. Dipping in suggests that it is no less passionate and authentic

I'm pushing the boundaries of my musical life here. There's stuff like nothing else I've ever heard in these CDs, and that's putting me on the edge of my comfort zone. It's a good experience. I commend the CD with no reservations.

[Mandryka]

http://youtube.com/v/ptjWmB2uNFo

I think this is a particularly attractive performance of Olim Sudor Hercules on Clemencic (DHM), how "authentic" the singing style is I could not say, but I like it.

The recording it comes from, Vol 3 of his series, seems to me a great success.

[Mandryka]

Willard Cobb however is utterly charming.

Ah yes.

[bwv 1080]

Here is  the 1230 O Fortuna

https://www.youtube.com/v/XMxaLJz2co4

Just think how primitive life was back then with no video games or movie trailers to play this music over

[Mandryka]

This is the second CD of Pickett's Carmina Burana, I think it's very very good: natural expressive singing with a good balance of ebullience and introspection. I hope that the rest of Pickett's set is as pleasing as this.

What I'm starting to see is that there's plenty of  music in Carmina Burana which really doesn't need an "oriental" treatment, though whether Pickett's relatively familiar singing style is justifiable I can't say, I'm going to hopefully do a course on Medieval music in performance  starting in September, hopefully questions of authenticity will get clearer.

[bwv 1080]

Ordinarily don't try to let the personal failing of artists interfere with my listenining , but rapist POS  Philip Pickett is an exception

[Traverso]

I have the complete set with Pickett and  and a Studio der frühen Musik release,both very rewarding.

[Mandryka]

I have the complete set with Pickett and  and a Studio der frühen Musik release,both very rewarding.

On the whole I'm enjoying the Pickett more than the Binkley, though there are some wonderful things in the latter. Of course, the music is not all equally interesting for me.   I've really turned against making the music sound exotic, Arabified. The shock of it wears off rapidly.

[Traverso]

Savall  does that in many recordings  and I suggest   that it is almost used  as a sort of make-up and I agree with you that spicing the music with exotic sounds quickly  is too much.

[Zeus]

This thread helped me realize I'm a bit annoyed by my version of Carmina Burana – from Ensemble Unicorn and Ensemble Oni Wytars on Naxos.  It sounds too much like raucous drinking music, and not even very fun music at that!

In comparison, the Clemencic above (based on sampling) sounds downright sophisticated to my ears.  The Pickett also samples well.

How has the Clemencic held up for you?  Still your favorite or do you like a newer version?

If you could only have one version, which would it be?

[Mandryka]

This thread helped me realize I'm a bit annoyed by my version of Carmina Burana – from Ensemble Unicorn and Ensemble Oni Wytars on Naxos.  It sounds too much like raucous drinking music, and not even very fun music at that!

In comparison, the Clemencic above (based on sampling) sounds downright sophisticated to my ears.  The Pickett also samples well.

How has the Clemencic held up for you?  Still your favorite or do you like a newer version?

If you could only have one version, which would it be?

At the moment I am enjoying both Clemencic's first recording and Pickett a lot.

[Mandryka]

Sabine Lutzenberger in fine fettle, and tasteful instrumental music to boot, with some atmospheric organetto playing. A good selection of music with interesting rhythms, and an expressive, reflective bent. What I mean is, there's not too much jaunty dancing. Indoor music rather than outdoor.  Well recorded,

Lutzenberger is a great singer IMO.

[Zeus]

Dang - I've got myself all confused.  Now I'm thinking that Clemencic did Carmina Burana twice, once very early, possibly on Harmonia Mundi, and once more recently, on Oehms.  Trying to figure this out....

Anyway, this is the Clemencic version I have and like:

[asin]B0021JLQTW[/asin]

Better than the Naxos disc, at least, IMHO.

And here we go, from one of the reviews on Amazon:
"Rene clemencic's first recording of the Carmina Burana was in 1974."

[Jo498]

The old Clemencic is on harmonia mundi 3 discs

ASIN: B000027P26

There is/was also one disc of highlights on musique d'abord.

Cannot comment myself as I have a few excerpts on another harmoniamundi anthology but not familiar with the music.