Great tease of a review, but how did you miss Carmina Burana in the 1989 film, "Glory" about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, among the first Union Army African American regiments during the Civil War and the storming of Fort Wagner ??

This was the Carmina Burana of all Carmina Buranas in American film history, after which all the rest, including and especially with Stallone (who I enjoy in many a film but nevertheless looks ridiculous doing his cliff climbing and jumping to this music.

You do not know the true meaning of this powerful music until you experience in that incredible film about the Civil War. But maybe you just had to be there in 1989?

@1 That was only in the trailer. In the actual movie, the soundtrack was by James Horner.

Also, thanks for this. Just bought my ticket and parking pass. Can't wait!

Thank you for the spirited and delightfully forthright essay on Orff’s masterpiece and our upcoming performance of it; you’ve doubtless compelled more than a few of your readers to attend the concert.

I can’t resist adding that Orff’s sequel to this piece, “Catulli Carmina”, sets texts that totally outdo “Carmina Burana’s” for bawdiness and pungency. In case you’re curious…

https://www.duzan.org/gary/catulli_carmina.html

Adam Stern
Music Director and Conductor, Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra

@4 Really looking forward to the concert. Should I bring my own lyric/translation cheat sheet(s) or will there be a program with these?

We’ll have English translations of the complete texts available to audience members.

Had never really thought about the unofficial moratorium before.

Are kids these days generally unfamiliar with the music?

It was like a 90s content filter. You could take the most meh of content, slap on that section of music, and instantly (seemingly) elevate it to something better. I know I did that for a project.

There is no such thing as “Seattle Philharmonic”! The orchestra is called the Seattle Symphony. Errors like this tend to discredit the validity of your work.

Orff. So popular, and yet... none of his other stuff gets played. The boyfriend who took me to my first C. Burana (Duke Chapel: 2-piano, full chorus, danced, because Duke) had a copy, I'm pretty sure LP of Catuli Carmina. Only other thing I've found is an LP of Der Mond. I still have that program, as it's an actual-legible in actually-readable-size-font translation.

That performance spoiled me. Since, I've seen it with the Seattle SO, no dance. I was in about the 4th role with a Carmina-newbie, and a couple approving/egging-on noises on my part seemed to loosen up the baritone soloist, who really started interpreting, vs the typical recital-type performance that often happens in concert for the operatically trained.

I saw it in Ann Arbor, danced, and felt a bit slightly-underwhelmed, as well: I think that was my 2nd, and just put that down to the repetition effect. That was about when the 1st/last movement was being overused by Hollywood. Often when it's 'danced' it's a 2-piano + percussion score, vs full orchestra.

But it's sad when it's danced, some places: the ballet does it regularly -- and I know the soprano soloist who seems to have a regular gig -- but THEY DO NOT AT ALL GAIN INSPIRATION FROM THE LYRICS. Weird. Sometimes what's happening on stage is just jarring if you know the lyrics. So disappointing after my initial baptism at Duke. Sigh.

I'd go again, but for me, it's like Disneyworld: I've been, plenty, at different ages/stages. I should go accompanying someone else if I do.

But reviewer-friend: you used the world 'album' to describe this work. It assuredly wasn't an 'album' in the 1940s. Opus. Work. Cantata.

Dear Flyboy06,

I respectfully beg your pardon, but there absolutely •is• a Seattle Philharmonic, and has been since 1944. I have been their grateful conductor since 2003.

https://seattlephil.org/

May I suggest a tad more research before sending off any more diatribes?

Adam Stern
Music Director and Conductor, Seattle PHILHARMONIC Orchestra