Orff, Carmina Burana

The "Carmina Burana" is a manuscript collection of medieval songs which was discovered at the Bavarian monastery of Benediktbeuren in the 19th century. The songs glorify the secular aspects of life as a counterweight to the menaces of plague, war, terror and the Inquisition. The texts radiate the ribald, robust love of life shared by all social classes - nobility, clergy and peasantry. The premiere of "Carmina Burana" in Frankfurt/Main on 8 June 1937 caused an absolute sensation. It seemed as though Orff had reduced music to its most basic elements of rhythm and melody. He utilized the simplest harmonies and eliminated virtually all counterpoint and polyphony. Called a "scenic cantata" by Orff, the work was intended to be danced and staged. Horant Hohlfeld's production enhances Orff's music with its sensuality and primeval energy.