Orff: Carmina Burana

Carl Orff's setting of Latin texts (mostly describing debauchery) is a classic and one of the most fun choral works of all time. It's loud and playful, and it's one of Hollywood's favorite pieces of classical music. (You can hear it in such movies as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Glory, and Natural Born Killers.) Antal Dorati and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra get it right on this disc, delivering a polished account with plenty of drama and fine soloists (especially soprano Norma Burrowes).

Truth be told, Eugen Jochum still delivers the most riveting performance of this work available to date, but when the music is this good, owning a few different recordings is recommended. As part of the Penguin Classics line of CDs, liner notes by author John Berendt (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) reveal why he loves this work so much; sadly, though, the disc fails to include the choral texts and translations. --J.V.

MP3 320 · 139 MB