CARL ORFFS CARMINA BURANA

An Analysis of the Works Performance Practice on Commercial Recordings

Jonathan Babcock

Jonathan Babcock is the associate director of choral activities at Texas State University-San Marcos. He holds a DMA in choral conducting from the Hartt School, University of Hartford and an MM and BM in music education from the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam. Jonathan.babcock@txstate.edu

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Carl Orffs Carmina Burana is one of the most frequently performed and recorded twentieth - century works in the choral repertoire. Nearly every major orchestral conductor has recorded the work at least once: Seiji Ozawa has ve different recordings to his credit. The recording technology has created a great resource for musicians: it has documented performance practice and performance tradition dating back to the early 1900s. In his book, Early Recordings and Musical Style, Robert Philip states that [R]ecordings shed light on the limitations of documentary evidence in any period.1 Although the time span of Carmina Burana recordings is not extensive, there is still a great deal of interpretive information to be gained in an analysis of these sound documents. Sixteen separate recordings were chosen for this study.2

CARL ORFF'S CARMINA BURANA

The conductors represented are considered to be among the most esteemed of their time. In addition, three of the recordings in the study were prepared with Carl Orff present at rehearsals and at the actual recording session.3 These recordings are quite informative of what may have been Orff s original intentions. This analysis hopes to guide artistic decisions for future performances of the work. The sixteen recordings were selected according to issue date and nationality of conductor and performers. The recordings were analyzed based upon three principal categories: Tempo (tempos of the recordings were compared to Orff s tempo indications); Text (pronunciation, and articulation); Musical interpretation (rubato, stringendo, portamento, phrasing, articulation, and elision). Orff s metronome markings in the published score. In total, fty-one timings were taken from each recording.The studied recordings were also compared and contrasted with each other. Of all sixteen recordings, the Deutschen Oper Berlin recording, with Eugen Jochum conducting, was the closest to Orff s indicated tempo markings. Twenty-three of the fty-one-timed sections were within plus or minus ve clicks of the metronome markings given in the score. Of these twentythree, ten of the timed sections on the Jochum recording were exactly the tempos indicated in Orff s score. Second closest to Orff s tempo indications was the Hartford Symphony performance, conducted by Fritz Mahler. Twenty-two of the fty-one timings taken were within ve metronome markings of Orff s. Of these twenty-two, nine were exactly the tempos indicated in Orff s score. Orff was in attendance at both these recording sessions. The Jochum recording is marked as authorized by Orff.The fact that Orff was in attendance at the two recordings most resembling his tempo markings creates a compelling argument that Orff s markings were to be taken literally and followed as closely as possible. The recording that deviated most radically from Orff s markings was the Berlin Philharmonic recording, with Seiji Ozawa conducting. Only ve of Ozawas tempos fell within ve clicks of Orff s metronome markings. The one section in which most recordings came closest to Orff s markings was the rst four bars of the opening movement. Of the sixteen recordings, twelve were within ve clicks of Orff s marking.The movements in which all conductors were furthest from Orff s markings were the scatenato section at the end of movement 14 (In Taberna); the opening of movement 15 (Amor volat undique); movement 17 (Stetit puella); the ancora piu mosso in movement 18 (Circa mea pectora); and movement 24 (Ave formosissima). None of the conductors was within ve clicks of Orff s metronome markings in these movements or sections. The recording with the overall fastest tempos was the Michael Tilson Thomas recording with the Cleveland Orchestra. Twelve of the selected timed sections were

Tempo
Each movement of every recording in the study was timed with a Tempowatch, both at the beginning of the movement, and at various tempo changes indicated in the score.These timings were then compared to

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CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 51 Number 4

Table 1 - Tempo Study

Movement 1 O fortuna mm 1- 4 Movement Movement 14 11 In Taberna Estuans scatenato Interius Movement 15 Amor Volat undique m. 1 Movement 17 Stetit Puella m. 1

Movement 18 Circa mea pectora anocora piu mosso na = 106 = 92 = 94 = 78 = 90 = 90 = 170 = 84

Movement 24 Ave formosissima

Orff Tilson Thomas De Burgos Ozawa Jochum Mahler Sawallisch Slatkin Thiellemann

= 60 = 57 = 52 = 72 = 60 = 60 = 61 = 57 = 53

= 152 = 157 = 158 = 162 = 170 = 154 = 154 = 162 = 156

= 160 = 136 = 190 = 144 = 190 = 180 = 180 = 144 = 168

= 96 = 64 = 72 = 74 = 80 = 74 = 74 = 64 = 70

= 84 = 61 = 56 = 70 = 61 = 58 = 58 = 70 = 55

= 72 = 50 = 62 = 62

= 66
= 60 = 60 = 51 = 51

faster than any other recording. In contrast, the recording with the overall slowest tempos was the Rafael Frbeck de Burgos recording, with the New Philharmonia Orchestra. Eighteen of the selected timed sections were slower than any other recording (see table 1 for specic tempo timings). When the recordings were compared by their dates of performance, no noticeable trend or tendency was found. Neither was there anything of signicance found when the gathered data were compared by nationality of the conductor.

nounced with standard ecclesiastical diction or should German-Latin pronunciation be used? Should standard German and French pronunciation be used, or is there a particular pronunciation appropriate for the time period in which it was written? In analyzing the pronunciation of the Carmina Burana text the author observed three principal trends whether the: Latin text was performed with a Germanic pronunciation, an Ecclesiastical/ Italianate pronunciation, or some sort of hybrid pronunciation; German text was performed with modern German pronunciation or Middle High German pronunciation, representing the time period of the texts inception; and

French diction in movement 16 (Dies, nox et omnia) was performed with modern French pronunciation, Old French, or some sort of hybrid pronunciation. Two sources were used in the analysis of diction for this study: Harold Copemans Singing in Latin, and the collection of essays titled Singing Early MusicThe pronunciation of European languages in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance, edited by Timothy J. McGee, A.G. Rigg and David N. Klausner.

Latin Text
Of the sixteen recordings in this study, only four used Ecclesiastical/Italianate Latin pronunciation (Muti, Ormandy, Shaw, and Stokowskis). The other twelve followed Germanic diction rules.

Text Pronunciation
One of the greatest concerns in Orff s Carmina Burana should be how to approach the obscure text. Should the Latin be pro-

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CARL ORFF'S CARMINA BURANA

Specic to the Carmina Burana text, there are four principal differences in pronunciation between Ecclesiastical Latin and Germanic pronunciation: The treatment of the internal consonant combination sc, (for example crescis). In ecclesiastical pronunciation, crescis is pronounced [crESis]. In other words, the sc sounds like the English sh, and the nal syllable i is pronounced closed, as in the English word quiche. In Germanic pronunciation, crescis is pronounced [crEtsIs]. The sc becomes a ts sound and the nal syllable i is pronounced open, as in the English word it. The treatment of the consonant g, for example egestatem. The ecclesiastical pronunciation of egestatem uses a soft g sound [EdZEstAtEm]. The g sounds like an English j as in judge. The surrounding e vowels are both open as in bed. The Germanic pronunciation of egestatem uses the hard g sound [EgEst AtEm]. The g sounds like the beginning of the word get. The surrounding es sound like the a in ate. The treatment of c surrounded by two vowels (for example glaciem). In Ecclesiastical pronunciation, glaciem is pronounced [glAtSiEm]. The c like ch in the work cheese. In Germanic pronunciation, glaciem is pronounced [glAtsiEm]. The c is pronounced like the t and the s in the word pots. The treatment of the ch in michi. In Ecclesiastical pronunciation, michi is pronounced [miki]. In German pronunciation, michi is pronounced [miCi]. Here the ch is similar to the sound of h in the English word hue.4 There were several inconsistencies in those recordings using Germanic Latin pronunciation. 1. In movement 19 (Si puer cum puellula), the word Felix (fortunate) in most recordings

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CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 51 Number 4

The Studied Recordings

Conductor: Gaetano Delogu Orchestra: Prague Symphony Orchestra Chorus: Khn Mixed Choir, Pavel Khn, Choir Master

Conductor: Eugen Jochum (Orff present) Orchestra: Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin Chorus: Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin,

Bambini Di Praga, Bohumil Kulinsky, Choir Master Soloists: Zdena Kloubova soprano, Vladimir Dolezal tenor, and Ivan Kusnjer baritone Recording Date: December 12 and 13, 1995 Recording Place: Dvork Hall of Rudolnum, Prague Label: Supraphon Records. Copyright 1996
Conductor: Antal Dorati Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus: Brighton Festival Chorus, Laszlo Heltay,

Walter Hagen-Groll, Choir Master Schneberger Sngerknaben, Gerhard Hellwig, Choir Master Soloists: Gundula Hanowitz soprano Gerhard Stolze tenor Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau-baritone Recording Date: October, 1967 Recording Place: Ufa-Studio, Berlin (Recording authorized by the composer) Label: Polydor International. Copyright 1968, 1995
Conductor: Fritz Mahler (Orff present) Orchestra: Hartford Symphony Orchestra Chorus: Harford Chorale Soloists: Sylvia Stahlman soprano

Chorus Master; Southend Boys, Choir, Michael Crabbe, Chorus Master Soloists: Norma Burrowes soprano, Louis Devos tenor, and John Shirley-Quirk baritone Recording Date: February, 1976 Recording Place: Kingsway Hall, London Label: Decca Record Co. Copyright 1976
Conductor: Rafael Frbeck de Burgos Orchestra: New Philharmonia Orchestra Chorus: New Philharmonia Chorus Wilhelm Pitz, Chorus

John Ferrante tenor Morley Meredith baritone Recording Date: 1957 Recording Place: Hartford, Connecticut Label: Omega Record Group, copyright 1957, 1999
Conductor: Riccardo Muti Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra Chorus: Philharmonia Chorus

Master; Wandsworth School Boys Choir Russell Burgess, Chorus Master Soloists: Lucia Popp soprano, Gerhard Unger tenor, Raymond Wolansky baritone, and John Noble - baritone Recording Date: Not available Recording Place: Not available Label: EMI Records Ltd. Copyright 1966, 1987, 1997
Conductor: Stephen Gunzenhauser Orchestra: CSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava) Chorus: Slovak Philharmonic Chorus

Southend Boys Choir

Soloists: Arleen Auger soprano

John van Kesteren tenor Johnathan Summer baritone Recording Date: Unavailable Recording Place: Unavailable Label: EMI Records, Ltd. Copyright 1980, 1997, 1999
Conductor: Eugene Ormandy Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra Chorus: The Rutgers University Choir,

Pavol Prochazka, Choir Master

Soloists: Eva Jenisova soprano, Vladimir Dolezal tenor,

and Ivan Ksunjer baritone Recording Date: October 28 November 2, 1988 Recording Place: The Studio of the Czechoslovak Radio (Bratislava) Label: HNH International Ltd. Copyright 1989

F. Austin Walker, Director

Soloists: Janice Harsanyi soprano

Rudolf Petrak tenor Harve Presnell baritone Recording Date: April 24, 1960 Recording Place: Broadwood Hotel, Philadelphia, PA Label: Sony Music, Copyright 1960, 1991

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CARL ORFF'S CARMINA BURANA

Conductor: Seiji Ozawa Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker Chorus: Shinyukai Choir, Shin Sekiya, Chorus Master Conductor: Leonard Slatkin Orchestra: : Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Chorus: Saint Louis Symphony Chorus Soloists: Sylvia McNair soprano

Knabenchor Des Staats Und Domchores Berline, Christian Grube, Chorus Master Soloists: Edita Gruberova soprano, John Aler Tenor, and Thomas Hampson baritone Recording Date: June, 1988 Recording Place: Berlin Label: Philips Classics Prod. Copyright 1989
Conductor: Krzystof Penderecki Orchestra: State Krakow Philharmony Orchestra Chorus: State Cracow Choirs, Piotr Krawczynski,

John Aler tenor Hakan Hagegard baritone Recording Date: October 9 11, 1992 Recording Place: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis, Missouri Label: BMG Music, Copyright 1994
Conductor: Leopold Stokowski Orchestra: Houston Symphony Orchestra

Leopold Stokowski Symphony Orchestra

Chorus: The Houston Chorale, Alfred Urbach, Director

Bronislawa Wietrzny, Choir masters

Soloists: Venceslava Hruba-Freiberger soprano,

Piotr Kusiewicz - tenor, and Rolf Havenstein baritone

Recording Date: January 27, 28, 1989 Recording Place: Cracow, Poland (live) Label: Arts Music GMBH, Copyright 1995

Conductor: Wolfgang Sawallisch (Orff present) Orchestra: Klner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester Chorus: Chor des Westdeutschen Rundfunks und Ein

Houston Youth Symphony Boys Choir, Howard Webb, Director Soloists: Virginia Babikian soprano, Clyde Hager tenor, and Guy Gardner baritone Recording Date: April 9, 1113, 1958 December 18, 20, 1957 Recording Place: Jesse Jones Auditorium, Houston, Texas (1958) Stage Seven of the Samuel Gold wyn Studios, Hollywood, California (1957) Label: Angel Records. Copyright 1959, 2001
Conductor: Christian Thielemann Orchestra: Orchester Der Deutschen oper Chorus: Chor Der Deutschen oper, Helmut Sonne,

Kinderchor, Bernhard Zimmermann, Chorus Master Soloists: Agnes Giebel soprano Paul Kuen tenor Marcel Cordes baritone Recording Date: June 15 20 1956 Recording Place: Sartorysaal, Kln Performance authorized by Orff Label: EMI Electrola GMBH. Copyright 1956, 1992
Conductor: Robert Shaw Orchestra: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus: Atlanta Symphony Chorus, Atlanta Boy Choir Soloists: Judith Blegen soprano, William Brown tenor,

Chorus Master; Knabenchor Berlin, Karl-Ludwig Hecht, Chorus Master Soloists: Christiane Oelze soprano, David Kuebler tenor, and Simon Keenlyside baritone Recording Date: October, 1998 Recording Place: Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin Label: Deutsche Grammophon GMBH. Copyright 1999

and Haken Hagegard Recording Date: November 16 18, 1980 Recording Place: Symphony Hall, Atlanta memorial Arts Center, GA Label: Telarc International Corp. Copyright 1981

Conductor:

Michael Tilson Thomas

Orchestra: Cleveland Orchestra Chorus: Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and Boys Choir,

Robert Page, Director

Soloists: Judith Blegen soprano, Kenneth Riegel tenor,

and Peter Binder baritone Recording Date: 1974 Recording Place: Masonic Auditorium, Cleveland, Ohio 30th Street Studio, New York, NY

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CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 51 Number 4

Latin held a unique position in Western civilization in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, perhaps similar to that of present day English in Africa and India. Although it was the principal ofcial and literary language in Western Europe, it was no ones rst tongue. 9 No one spoke Harold Copeman best deLatin at home. It was taught scribes this discrepancy as in school to a very small follows: class of society and it did not come naturally to anyone.10 Latin vowels all had The constant use of Latin by more than one sound, speakers of vernacular lansometimes three or four. guages caused it to adapt its The vowels can all indicate grammar and pronunciation different moods. In rejoicing to vernacular patterns.11 As e can have a bright sound vernacular speakers spoke (Eu, Euge, Euoe, Euare); in sorrow it can have a more Latin according to their own open sound (He, Hei, Heu, idiom, the pronunciation of Heiulare).5 Latin divided according to national and regional languages However, Copeman goes and dialects.12 There were on to describe the pronunciaas many pronunciations of tion of the word Felix: Felix, Latin across Europe as there found on coins as FEELIX, the were languages.The Goliardic mouth is rst half closed, then poets of the Carmina Burana open, with lips moderately and the monks who compiled forward, with more vigorous the Burana Codex13 were breath, letting the tongue located primarily in the region touch the front teeth, (a rather known as Bavaria, or Southopen [e:]).6 ern Germany.14 Therefore, Taken from Burana Codex Depicting the Fortuna Wheel. their pronunciation of Latin 2. Another inconsistency bewould reect the German tween recordings lies in the vernacular of the day. Bearpronunciation of the word Ecce (behold) ciation [EtSe] follows the Ecclesiastical ing this in mind, it is most appropriate for in those recordings using the Germanic Latin rules; therefore, is incorrect in a the Latin texts to be pronounced using pronunciation of Latin. According to Germanic diction rather than ecclesiastical. Germanic Latin performance. Copeman, cc before e should be Moreover, an ecclesiastical pronunciation pronounced [kts] according to the rules 3. In Movement 7 (Floret silva), all of the lends itself to a more prayerful hearing of Middle High German.7 None of the recordings using Germanic Latin diction of the text, rather than the secular, profane chosen recordings observed this rule. pronounced oret (he/she/it ourishes) intentions of the poets. Instead, Ecce was either pronounced [flrEt] or [florEt], except for the Eu[EtSe] or [Eke]. gene Ormandy recording with the According to Copeman, cc before German Text Philadelphia Orchestra. In this recording, front vowels did not become generoret was pronounced [flore]. AccordMovements 7 10 contain German texts. ally [ts] until the seventh century, but ing to Copeman, the proper pronuncia- In the sixteen chosen recordings, two basic in (northern Europe), the Irish Latin [k] tion of oret is [florEt]. No justication diction philosophies were followed: of Columbanus and St. Gall was kept was found for the pronunciation [flore]. for centuries.8 This explanation justies Modern German diction rules were apthe pronunciation as [Eke]. The pronunplied to the texts; or was pronounced [fEliks] with an open e sound as in bed in the rst syllable. Christian Thielemann, Wolfgang Sawallisch and Eugen Jochum pronounced the word [filiks] with a closed e, as in beet.
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CARL ORFF'S CARMINA BURANA

A modied form of Middle High German pronunciation was applied.15 There were no signicant differences in pronunciation among those recordings that used modern German diction. Among those using modied Middle High German, the following discrepancies were noticed: In movement 10 (Were diu werlt alle min), measure 13 contains the words ih and mih. The hs in these words were interpreted in two different ways. Some kept the consonant silent [i] and [mi]. Others interpreted the h as the allophone [C]. According to Frenzel, medial h had probably become silent or lightly aspirated by the fteenth century in many European dialects. However, the digraph ch, pronounced generally [x] in Middle High German, at some point in the early modern period split into the allophones [C] (after e and I).17 He further explains that German spelling varied by region prior to the 15th century. Letters were often excluded.

The most obvious differences between the two styles came in the pronunciation of v and w. Those recordings that followed the Modern German diction pronounced The pronunciation of e at the end of a v as [f ] and w as [v]. Those following word following a consonant, for exthe modied Middle High German diction ample umbe, had two different variapronounced v as [v] and w as [w]. tions. Several recordings pronounced The recordings that used Modern this as [umb] while others used a German pronunciation were conducted more open sounding ending [umbE] by Ormandy, Muti, Jochum, Tilson Thomas, or [umbe]. According to Peter Frenzel, Shaw, Ozawa, Thielemann, Stokowski, Gune is pronounced [e], as in stay, when zenhauser and Mahler. The recordings using unstressed in open syllable, but lax a modied version of Middle High German and tending to a more open sound. were by Delogu, Dorati, Sawallisch, PendIt was noted that [] is also a possible erecki, Slatkin, and Frbeck de Burgos. ending.16

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For example, ih and mih meant the same and were pronounced the same as ich and mich.18 Following Frenzels logic, the correct pronunciation of ih is [iC] and mih [miC]. This would hold true for conductors following modern German pronunciation as well. Because the geographical inception of the texts has been traced to the German state of Bavaria, the correct German dialect to associate with the text is that of Middle Upper German.19 It is in this dialect group that most of the songs and stories seem to have been sung and told during the height of courtly entertainment, between 1175 and 1250.20

Mahler, Jochum, Delogu, Shaw, and Tilson Thomas conducted the recordings that obser ved a clear distinction between French and Latin. In the Frbeck de Burgos recording, modern French diction seems to be observed. Although all nine of these recordings obviously recognized the macaronic text, there were many discrepancies among all of the interpretations, too numerous to list here. It would seem that the importance lies in the recognition of the French text and an obvious performance of that recognition.

Individual conductors musical decisions that are not specically notated in the score.

Luftpause
The Luftpause is indicated by a comma, written above the staff. Orff uses this marking several times in virtually every movement of Carmina Burana. The dilemma is that the marking is a rather vague indication with no quantiable temporal value. An example of this conundrum comes in the rst four bars of the piece (Figure 1). In the surveyed recordings, the particular markings in the example above were interpreted in one of the following ways: A complete break in rhythmical time;

Musical Interpretation
In analyzing the musical decisions of these sixteen conductors, the author took into consideration three principal matters: The treatment of the Luftpause () Orff used throughout his score; The treatment of movements marked Attacca versus those that are not; and

French Text
The French text found in movement 16 (Dies, nox et omnia) contained the most discrepancies among all the studied recordings. Several recordings seemed to completely ignore the change in text and applied Latin pronunciation to the entire movement. The most notable examples of this were the Stokowski, Ormandy, and Penderecki recordings. It may also be possible, due to the archaic French spelling, that the conductors and soloists were unaware that the text was indeed French, rather than Latin. Others seemed to mix diction rules for Latin and French, using French consonant sounds, but Latin vowel sounds. This is heard most strikingly in the Ozawa recording. Robert Taylor states there is no standard phonology of Medieval French, and there were only the beginnings of scientific accuracy of phonetic description by the sixteenth century.21 Sawallisch, Slatkin, Muti,

A quarter rest on the last beat of the measure, while still maintaining a tempo; A fermata on the last half note of each

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CARL ORFF'S CARMINA BURANA

measure and then continuing directly into the next measure; An eighth rest on the last beat of the measure while still maintaining a tempo; The marking was not recognized at all. The problem lies in the fact that it is unclear which of the ve circumstances Orff is suggesting. Another challenging example comes in movement 14 (In taberna) at measure 74 (Figure 2). In this example, the four bars before the Luftpause are a repetition of the same twobar musical phrases. New musical material follows the Luftpause. The conductor could interpret this marking in all ve of the above possible scenarios. Of the surveyed recordings, not one conductor chose to observe this marking at all. Unfortunately, it is impossible to offer a definitive interpretation of Orff s intentions from the results of this study. Several additional issues concerning interpretation of the Luftpause are discussed later.

Attacca Markings
Orff worked within a concept he titled Theatrum Mundi, in which music, movement, and speech were inseparable. 22 There is an extreme element of drama inherent in all of Orff s later works. With this in mind, Orff divided the twenty-ve separate movements of Carmina Burana into five scenes. To keep these scenes intact, each movement within a scene was marked attacca to the subsequent movement. Of the sur veyed recordings, Mahler, Muti, Sawallisch, Shaw and Slatkin offered a strong sense of scenic structure and integrity. It is wor th noting that Shaw is the only con58

CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 51 Number 4

ductor who formatted the recording with only four tracks (1. Introduction - Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi; 2. Part 1, Primo vere and Uf dem Anger; 3. Part II - In taberna; 4. Part III - Cour damours, Blanzior et Helena and the return of Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi). It is also important to consider that it might have been the decision of a recording engineer or other technical factors that prevented a scenic continuity, rather than the conductors musical decisions. Within the surveyed recordings, the greatest discrepancy in attacca recognition came between movements 5 (Ecce gratum) and 6 (Tanz). These two movements occur in the middle of the scene labeled Primo vere. Movement 6 is the beginning of Primo veres internal scene Uf dem anger. There is no attacca marking between the two movements. Several conductors did perform what appears to be an attacca between these two movements (Jochum, Penderecki, and Thielemann). Perhaps this was done in order to maintain the structure of the overall Primo vere scene.

Musical Decisions Other Than Those Marked in the Score

In any piece of music, whether it be by Mozart or Bartok, conductors will take liberties outside of what the composer has indicated in the score. Such liberties include ritardandi, accelerandi, grand pauses, or fermati, to name only a few. However, taking into account how specic Orff was in marking his score, such liberties are even more evident than usual. The conductor who went farthest from Orff s indications was Leopold Stokowski in his 1957 recording with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. In this age of studied performance practice, Leopold Stokowski is now infamous for his romanticizing of Bach and other tremendous liberties taken with established repertoire. In Stokowskis rendition of Orff s work, he actually cuts the rst twelve bars as well as measures 53 and 54 marked feroce from Movement 14. There is no indication in Orff s score that these cuts are acceptable. In some cases, conductors will cut portions of the text to accommodate the performance

abilities of the ensemble. However, bearing in mind that these cuts are small and, in the case of movement 14, the material that was cut is repeated later, it is questionable as to whether this was Stokowskis motive. The cuts may also have been made due to time limitations on the recording medium available. Another decision made by Stokowski comes in the baritone solo, movement 16 (Dies, nox et omnies). In this recording, a baritone and tenor are used. The tenor sings the sections usually performed by the baritone in falsetto. Although this decision may have been made due to vocal limitations of the baritone soloist, artistically it pays no attention to the text or Orff s conception of characters playing a role. Throughout this performance, Stokowski takes numerous liberties with tempo and articulation that are not indicated in the score and are not heard in any other recording. One other conductor who took extreme liberties with the score was Penderecki in his 1994 recording of the Karol Szymanowski State Cracow Philharmony Orchestra and Choirs. For example, in the rst four measures of the piece, Penderecki makes extremely large pauses at each Luftpause, interpreting the marking as a fermata over a rest, rather than a slight pause.This luftpause interpretation is also taken at measure 31 (Figure 3) and each subsequent strophe

throughout movement 5. There also seems to be very little, if any, recognition of scenic unity on the Penderecki recording. Attacca markings are sporadically recognized, creating no cohesion between each scene. The single movement in which most conductors took some sort of artistic license was in movement 14 (In taberna). Orff s

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CARL ORFF'S CARMINA BURANA

Luftpause is particularly problematic in this movement. For example, in the rst 12 bars of the movement there are four Luftpause. No conductor in this survey made any observation of these four markings (Figure 4). However, in measure 24 a Luftpause is marked after the last beat of the measure (Figure 5). Fritz Mahler and Rafael Frhbeck de Burgos interpreted this marking as a grand pause before the new section of music. Sawallisch interpreted this marking as a one beat rest before the new tempo. De Burgos also places a grand pause in measure 36, where there is no indication for such an interpretation (Figure 6). One other recorded discrepancy comes in measure 70 of Movement 14 (Figure 7). Here, we see no indication for a break in sound or tempo before the subito molto stentato section. However, Frhbeck de Burgos, Mahler, Sawallisch, and Tilson Thomas all placed either a break or grand pause before this new section. When these two bars are analyzed harmonically, we see a series of rst inversion chords (perhaps mimicking fauxbourdon) in the choral part all over an E pedal.The downbeat of measure 71 is an F-major chord in rst inversion in both the choral and wind parts with a D pedal in the strings.The indicated E pedal of the strings and woodwinds is harmonically leading to the F-major 6-3 chord at the tempo change. In addition, the chord progression of measure 70 ends with an E-major 6-3 chord, which also leads the listener to F major. To place a break after this progression seems to destroy the harmonic
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tension, making this decision questionable. In addition, Stentato means with difculty. It is an expression mark often used by Verdi in vocal lines at moments of extreme anguish. In 1703, Sbastien de Brossard wrote it meant one should sing as though one were suffering.23 Orff not only indicates Stentato but also molto and subito. Something must be done, and immediately! Placing a grand pause prior to this indication does not seem to suit Orff s marking.

and Chorus is a strong performance of the work. The chorus is truly presented as the centerpiece of the work, as Orff intended.

Hkan Hgagard delivers a convincing performance of the baritone solos, particularly in the Circa mea pectoras. Judith Blegen gives the strongest solo performance, and, perhaps, is the finest soprano soloist in all the studied recordings. Shaw also demonstrates his understanding of the scenic structure by not only clearly observing attacca markings, but also inserting tracks on the CD by scene rather than movement. In the slower movements Shaw creates a beautiful, graceful sound in the chorus. However, the carnal power and drive expected in movements such as Were diu welt alle min and In taberna quando sumus seems absent. Shaws interpretation also falls short in this study: he uses liturgical Latin and modern German diction rather than the more appropriate medieval forms. Even though Seiji Ozawas 1988 recording with the Berliner Philharmoniker and the

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Summary
Many conductors use commercial recordings as a resource at some point in their score preparation. Most of them agree that the most effective way of listening is to select a number of divergent recordings to gain different insights on interpretation. Although this study found the Eugen Jochum recording to be closest to Orff s markings, many of the recordings in the study are valuable resources in gaining knowledge of Orff s desired interpretation. The 1980 recording of Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

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CARL ORFF'S CARMINA BURANA

give striking performances. John Aler, in particular, also heard on the Leonard Slatkin recording, gives a magnicent performance of the roasting swan. Leonard Slatkins 1994 recording with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus is an excellent source for pronunciation. Slatkin employs both the Germanic-Latin and medieval Middle High German pronunciations. In this recording, the soloists seem to be placed at the fore.The recording quality is superb. Unlike many recordings of Carmina Burana, the sound levels remain consistent. The 1995 Gaetano Delogu live recording with the Prague Symphony Orchestra and the Khn Mixed Choir exemplies much of the diction suggested by Copeman and Riggs. However, the chorus lacks the stunning rhythmic alacrity and unstinting energy that make others in the study so exciting and memorable. It is also interesting to note that the CD cover has a picture of a performance with various actors and actresses in medieval costume in front of a chorus dressed in monk habits. This picture may inspire some scenic interpretation. Although the recording technology used in Fritz Mahlers 1957 recording with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and Chorus seems archaic compared to todays standards, it is worth listening to for Mahlers tempos and interpretations. This is the rst commercial recording of Carmina Burana and Carl Orff was present at the rehearsals and performances.

Shinyukai Choir is one of the farthest from Orff s intentions according to the tempo study, it is still a thrilling recording. The tempos are very fast, yet do not seem rushed as they do in the Michael Tilson Thomas
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recording with the Cleveland Orchestra. Ozawa also employs a Germanic pronunciation of the Latin text, which comes across quite clearly. The three soloists (Edita Gruberova, John Aler, and Thomas Hampson)

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Concluding Remarks
Carl Orff s Carmina Burana has established itself as a cornerstone of the twentieth-century choral repertoire. Its combination of medieval and modern elements, along with Orff s distinctive compositional style, creates a thrilling experience for both the audience and the performer. Although the elements of strong adherence to score markings and principles of diction seem highly restrictive in this study, the freedom of scenic conception allows every new performance to be as innovative and fresh as the very rst. Many critics of Carmina Burana nd it vulgar, devoid of the standard techniques and elaborations that made music an art and a spiritual force.24 However, the reason for this opinion may be that too many performers indulge in its excesses rather than adhere to its strong sense of form and symmetry. When performed with all Orff s intentions accounted for, Carmina Burana becomes a pulsing, visceral, and cathartic musical experience. NOTES
1

14

15

16

17 18

19 20 21

monastery of Benediktbeuern. The source of these texts is known as the Burana Codex. This collection of Medieval Latin and Middle High German and French lyrics, the most important of its kind, was collected in Austria between 1220 and 1250. Parlett, David. Selections from the Carmina BuranaA Verse Translation. (Viking Penguin Inc. New York) p. 19ff. The word modied is used here, because no recording completely followed the rules of Middle High German, as summarized in Riggs Singing Early Music. Frenzel, Peter. Late Medieval German and Early New High German, Singing Early Music. Ed. McGee, T, Rigg, A.G. Klausner, D. (Indiana university Press: Bloomington 1996) 228. Ibid. Frenzel, Peter. Germany and the Low Countries. Singing Early Music. Ed. McGee, T. Rigg, A.G., Klausner. D. (Bloomington: Indiana University Press: 1996). 244. Frenzel, p. 220 Ibid. Taylor, Robert. Old French Singing Early Music The Pronunciation of European Languages in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. Ed. T.J.

McGee; A. G. Rigg; D. N. Klausner (Indiana University Press: Bloomington 1996) 65. 22 For more information see Babcock, Jonathan. Carl Orff s Carmina Burana: A Fresh Approach to the Works Performance Practice. Choral Journal 45, no. 11 (May 2006): 26 40. 23 David Fallows. Stentato. In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, http://www. oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/ar ticle/ grove/music/26681 (accessed July 22, 2010). 24 Lang, Paul Henry. Carl Orff Bungled Fire-works or Skillful Effects? High Fidelity (January 1982): 52. For complete tempo timings see: Babcock, Jonathan, Carl Orff s Carmina Burana: An Analysis of the works performance practice on commercial recordings. (D.M.A. dissertation, University of Hartford 2003) Appendix C. pp. 99113.

2 3 4

5 6 7

8 9 10

11 12 13

Philip, Robert. Early Recordings and Musical Style. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge 1992) 1. See appendix for complete list and information on each recording. These recordings are indicated as Orff present in the list of recordings. Wall, Joan. International Phonetic Alphabet for Singers. A Manual for English and Foreign Language Diction. (PSTInc: Dallas, Texas 1989). 218. Copeman, Harold. Singing in Latin. (Published at Oxford by the Author, 1996). 97. Ibid., 98. Copeman, Harold and Vera U.G. Scherr. German Latin. Singing Early Music. Ed. T. McGee, A.G. Rigg, D.N. Klausner. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1996. 261ff. Copeman. 170. Copeman. 6. Rigg, A. G. Singing Early Music The pronunciation of European Languages in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. (Indiana University Press. Bloomington) 1996. P. 5 Ibid. Copeman, p. 8. Carmina Burana literally means songs from the

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