CARMINA BURANA
CARMINA BURANA CARMINA BURANA
For example, ih and mih meant the same and were pronounced the same as ich and mich. 18 Following Frenzel’s 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 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, Mahler, Jochum, Delogu, Shaw, and Tilson Thomas conducted the recordings that observed a clear distinction between French and Latin. In the Frübeck 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. 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 • Individual conductors’ musical decisions that are not specifi cally 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 quantifi able temporal value. An example of this conundrum comes in the fi 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; • A quarter rest on the last beat of the measure, while still maintaining a tempo; • A fermata on the last half note of each CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 51 Number 4 57
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; 58 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 51 Number 4 • The marking was not recognized at all. The problem lies in the fact that it is unclear which of the fi 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 fi 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-fi 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 surveyed recordings, Mahler, Muti, Sawallisch, Shaw and Slatkin offered a strong sense of scenic structure and integrity. It is worth noting that Shaw is the only con-
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CARL ORFF'S <strong>CARMINA</strong> <strong>BURANA</strong><br />
measure and then continuing directly<br />
into the next measure;<br />
• An eighth rest on the last beat of the measure<br />
while still maintaining a tempo;<br />
58 CHORAL JOURNAL Volume 51 Number 4<br />
• The marking was not recognized at all.<br />
The problem lies in the fact that it is unclear<br />
which of the fi ve circumstances Orff is suggesting.<br />
Another challenging example comes<br />
in movement 14 (In taberna) at measure 74<br />
(Figure 2).<br />
In this example, the four bars before the<br />
Luftpause are a repetition of the same twobar<br />
musical phrases. New musical material<br />
follows the Luftpause.<br />
The conductor could<br />
interpret this marking<br />
in all fi ve of the above<br />
possible scenarios. Of<br />
the surveyed recordings,<br />
not one conductor<br />
chose to observe this<br />
marking at all. Unfortunately,<br />
it is impossible<br />
to offer a definitive<br />
interpretation of Orff’s<br />
intentions from the<br />
results of this study.<br />
Several additional issues<br />
concerning interpretation<br />
of the Luftpause are<br />
discussed later.<br />
Attacca Markings<br />
Orff worked within<br />
a concept he titled Theatrum<br />
Mundi, in which<br />
music, movement, and<br />
speech were inseparable.<br />
22 There is an<br />
extreme element of<br />
drama inherent in all<br />
of Orff’s later works.<br />
With this in mind, Orff<br />
divided the twenty-fi ve<br />
separate movements<br />
of Carmina Burana into<br />
five scenes. To keep<br />
these scenes intact, each<br />
movement within a<br />
scene was marked attacca<br />
to the subsequent<br />
movement.<br />
Of the surveyed<br />
recordings, Mahler, Muti,<br />
Sawallisch, Shaw and<br />
Slatkin offered a strong<br />
sense of scenic structure<br />
and integrity. It<br />
is worth noting that<br />
Shaw is the only con-
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