SIMON: There are paeans in this work to the tavern life.ĪLSOP: I think the word excess probably captures this piece. I would say colorful, but of course, you know, when things are in Latin, the X-rated element almost gets elevated to a new level.ĪLSOP: If I could put all of my swearing in Latin, I think that would definitely elevate my life. SIMON: Some of the songs are a little colorful, even by today's standards. SIMON: The work is divided into three parts, titled Spring, In the Tavern, and Love.ĪLSOP: Everything that's important in life is in this piece. So I think that makes a lot of sense to me. It might have been some young people studying, about to go into the monastery, and I think from the text one could definitely get that sense, because so much of the text deals with the things that they are about to give up - you know, lust and drinking and all the really incredibly good things in life that they're about to give up. Yeah.ĪLSOP: There's a little bit of a controversy about who actually wrote the body of these poems. They were written by defrocked monk and minstrels, I'm told. SIMON: The poems were discovered in an abbey near Munich in the early part of the 20th century. You know, suddenly, let me tell you a secret. Isn't it? And it's all about fate and fortune and how that impacts our lives, and also the hushed quality after this enormous opening. SIMON: How does this set the scene for what follows?ĪLSOP: Well, the enormity of this opening is so spectacular. SIMON: Let's listen, if we could, to the opening section, 'O Fortuna. And also, it was envisioned to have a dance element and a theater element as well. He wanted it to be a piece for all of the senses: to hear the voice, to hear the words, to experience this enormous orchestra, two pianos. It's very hard to categorize, and that was Orff's the intent, really. SIMON: How would you describe this piece, Carmina Burana?ĪLSOP: It's a spectacle. Because I think some people would see themselves, you know, driving in a certain brand of car, where others would see themselves, you know, putting on a certain type of lingerie. And actually, something I love to do is, you know, go around and play the opening - the 'O Fortuna - for people, and see what image it evokes. It's amazing what kind of associations people make for this piece. MARIN ALSOP: This has to be probably the best-known 20th century piece, because it's been excerpted to sell everything from cars to aftershave. Earlier, she spoke with Scott Simon about this music.Īre there signatures from Carmina Burana that pop up in music over the years? Maestro Alsop takes over as music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra next year. NEARY: Conductor Marin Alsop has a new recording of Carmina Burana with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra on the Naxos label. But Carl Orff's famous piece has inspired countless others to produce their own versions, from the death metal group Therion to rappers Naz and Puff Daddy. Carmina Burana ranks up there with Beethoven's Fifth as a perennial favorite among concert-goers.