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| Teldec (Full price) (CD) 9031-74886-2 (60 minutes: DDD). Texts and translations included. |
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| Ormandy (9/61) (R) (SONY) SK47668 |
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| Ozawa (7/89) (PHIL) 422 363-2PH |
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| Blomstedt (12/91) (DECC) 430 509-2DH |
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Zubin Mehta's new Carmina burana was made at The Maltings, Snape, and its resonant acoustic encompasses the climaxes spectacularly, even if the sotto voce choral singing seems at times a little distanced. There is plentiful percussion (the timps at the opening are splendidly incisive and the splashes of tam-tam equally colourful). This is a lively, enjoyable performance with excellent contributions from all concerned. The unison choral singing of the "Veris leta facies" (track 3) is balanced by the vigour of men and boys alike at the joyous "Ecce gratum" (track 5) and there is good control of light and shade in the "Floret silva" (track 7). Boje Skovhus is suitably vociferous in the Tavern scene with a vibrant response from the orchestral percussion and chorus, and plenty of energy later in the "Tempus est iocundum" (where the boys are pubescently throaty). Sumi Jo makes an attractive "Girl in the red shift", and her strong swelling line and later moment of submission (with a lovely scale up to a pianissimo climax) suggests a rather knowing virgin. The choral "Ave formosissima" is then exultantly broad in its praise of her beauty.
Overall, with such a well balanced recording this is an enjoyably impressive Carmina burana, but at times Mehta could press on more spontaneously. Blomstedt's Decca version has even more character. He is more imaginative in his detail and I particularly liked Lynne Dawson's seductive innocence. Moreover the performance positively erupts with energy and the Decca sound is very much demonstration-worthy. Ozawa, too, on Philips has an exuberant freshness, while at mid price Ormandy's splendid Philadelphia version (reissued on Sony) is gloriously, resonantly memorable—one of this conductor's very finest records.
IM