Search - Earle Patriarco, Carl Orff, Donald Runnicles :: Orff: Carmina Burana [Hybrid SACD]

10 stars and counting!

Dennis Brandt | Red Lion, PA United States | 05/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow! Holy cow! What a performance! What a recording! Did I tell you that I L-O-V-E this recording?



For those of you who refer to Orff's semi-minimalist work as "Carmina Bore-anna," try this recording on for size. This is the most exciting performance of this much- (if not over-) recorded work I've ever heard, with the sonics of Telarc and SACD to boot. Imaging is magnificent. I can point to the exact spot left of center where the bass drummer did his work. Baritone soloist Earle Patriarco stands just to the right (from my perspective) of my center speaker, and soprano Hei-Kyung Hong stands by his right arm. Tenor Stanford Olsen is on the opposite side of the center speaker. You say you like dynamic range? Buy 500 watt amplifiers, sturdy speakers, and stand back. Whoa!!!



Patriarco's performance of the "Ego sum abbas" recitative (I suppose you could call it) is a perfect combination of control, irreverence, and humor that section requires but seldom gets. Hong's light soprano on the "Dulcissime totam" brings out goose bumps and sets up the finale magnificently. The singing of the Atlanta Symphony Chorus has not faded one iota since the death of its beloved director, Robert Shaw. His teaching happily stuck and won't let go. This is simply the finest chorus in the country, if not the world.



Do not walk, do not run, do not even drive, but FLY to purchase this recording.

"

Great performance, not so great recording quality

E. Smith | USA | 05/30/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'll leave out the hi-fi jargon like "bright" and "thin" and just say that high-end listeners judge a CD ( generally ) by two basic factors: the performance of the musicians and the quality of the recording done by the engineers. This performance is at least a 4.5 ( of five ) for me and 3 on the recording quality.



This piece is popularly known for its very moving overture. Unfortunately, the percussion during the overture is recorded so prominently that the thunderous booms of the drums almost completely wash out the rest of the orchestra and, even worse, the choir. This robs the piece of most of its emotional appeal. In stead of enjoying the opening it makes me feel like I should duck and cover my ears from the percussive bombs being dropped. The rest of disc is great, but without the famous overture half the appeal of the CD is gone. Finally, the recording quality is just a little above average.



Is it worth owning? If you own more than one performance of this work ( especially if you have an SACD player ), yes. If not, I would say find another recording that has a more enjoyable overture.

"