Most who know me will recall that I love the classical work, Carmina Burana by Carl Orff. And, in fact, my Real Life Self has sung this work on a number of occasions, most notably with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.
The passion and strength of Carmina Burana is enough to have not only moved the listener, but also have the chorus and orchestra shaking from the emotion and exertion by the end of the last note. (The flow of adrenaline is remarkable.)
If you are not familiar with the work, I encourage you to find a recording and have a listen. And perhaps you will get a mere taste of it at the next rave in Caledon. I nearly always request the techno mix of O Fortuna. :-D
Enjoy this musing on Spring from Carmina Burana.
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VERIS LAETA FACIES
Veris laeta facies
mundo propinquatur.
Hiemalis acies
victa iam fugatur.
in vestitu vario Flora principatur,
nemorum dulcisono
quae cantu celebratur.
Florae fusus gremio
Phoebus novo more
risum dat, hoc vario
iam stipatae flore.
Zephyrus nectareo
spirans it odore.
certatim pro bravio
curramus in amore.
Cytharizat cantico
dulcis Philomena.
flore rident vario
prata iam serena.
salit coetus avium
silvae per amoena.
chorus promit virginum
iam gaudia millena.
*****
The happy face of Spring comes to the world. The army of Winter, conquered, is now put to flight. In gay clothes Flora rules, and she is praised by the sweet sound of the woods.
Stretched out in the lap of Flora Phoebus in his new way laughs - she is now covered with these gay flowers. Zephyrus goes blowing the scent of nectar. In competition for the prize let us run in the race of love.
Sweet Philomela accompanies her song with the lyre. The fields, now bright, smile with gay flowers. A flock of birds hop through the pleasant places of the wood. A dancing band of girls now brings a thousand joys
Swank & Co at Fantasy Faire 2022
2 years ago
1 comments:
Gosh, Your Grace, I have similar feelings for NEW WORLD ORDER by Ministry. (grinning)
Seriously, I adore the Burana, and it should be played LOUD and it should be played ENERGETICALLY.
My last experience with a stage version took place in Washington DC when Montreal's Carmina Burana Monumental Opera came to town. The music was wonderful; the staging, eh.. not so much.
I would have prefered Haupt (the director of Metropolitan Orchestra and Chorus of Greater Montreal, who put this show on the road) had stayed with the straight chorale and orchestration piece, which was pretty impressive just by itself (something like 100 people were in the chorale risers behind the orchestra, all in red robes.. illuminated by torchlight). The confused medieval imagery that was going on as a performance piece looked like a cross between Mummenshantz, Cirque Soleil and a Ren Faire open mike night.
Despite all that I bought the audio CD and that's a danged fine listen...
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