Customer Reviews

Carmina Burana

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought Carmina Burana on cassette tape when it was first issued after hearing it at a local music store. While I was listening, I had no idea that it was Ray Manzarek but thought that it would be an interesting addition and conversation piece for my music collection, and so it was. Certainly no one ever guessed that ex-Doors keyboardist Manzarek was responsible for this strange-sounding music! The listing here says this is Doug Hodges' work, but Hodges is just one of many musicians on this Manzarek project.
Well, that cassette wore out years ago and I spent a lot of time looking for it online to no avail. As many out of print CDs are being re-mastered and reissued, I recently thought to try again. And voila, there it was!
I read a review of the unremastered edition in which the reviewer said he thought the CD was cheesy and reeked of the 1980s. Well, everyone hears things differently, but he gave me the impression that he was hoping to hear some Doors-type rock and roll music when he bought it. If you are looking for that, well that is not on this CD. What is here is some of the most mysterious and rousing music you are likely to hear in the pop idiom! This is a great road-trip recording and also a great CD to listen to as heavy thunderstorms pound everything around you.
Ray Manzarek has taken German composer Carl Orff's music to the poetry known as the Carmina Burana and modernized it. And despite the modernization, it retains a distinctly medieval feel. My opinion is that the project works. The often-strident Latin chorus and the instrumental arrangements are inspirational to say the least. Even my father and some of his friends like it!
Now I have heard Manzarek's Carmina Burana used as a backdrop to a TV show about Satanism, but there is nothing Satanic about the Carmina Burana. It is merely a song cycle celebrating the sweetness of life and lamenting its vagaries.
With Carmina Burana, Ray Manzarek shows a wider range of talent than I would have ever expected. If you are looking for something unusual in music and are open to something vastly different from most of what you hear in the world of pop, then Carmina Burana may be for you. Put this on for your friends and they will be as surprised as mine were when they learn whose album it is!

Philip Glass and his reputation notwithstanding, this is quite dreadful, unless you do not know the original, or do not care for classical music. The best thing that can be said for it is that it is not a tortuous attempt at a place in "serious music" usually embarked upon by wanna-be's such as McCartney. In fact, it positively exudes genius: naturally, since it is one of the most famous masterpieces of the twentieth century, only by Carl Orff, not by Ray Manzarek. I don't believe that excellent adaptations are not possible, be it in music or theatre, but I do know that they are few and far between, and this is not one of them. Here and there, there are glimpses of what it might have been, if properly thought out: clear, atmospheric piano playing by Manzarek--whose abilities at the keyboard are not disputed--with very few frills around it; listen to "Sunrise," for example. However, when everybody kicks in, the derisive excesses of 60s prog rockers come to mind; Keith Emerson --remember him? -- was also a brilliant keyboardist, but what he did with his talent often sounded like a musical equivalent of Roy and His Tiger Stun Las Vegas. Fortunately, Manzarek never gets quite that awful. But he tries.
You could argue that Orff himself made a huge leap in tradition when he set seven hundred years-old (rather blasphemous) texts to what is essentially late romantic music, some of it very bombastic (you might recognize the opening theme from such Goth movies as Excalibur, where it fits very nicely). However, if good ideas were all it took, we'd all be richer. But you either hit the nail on the head or you don't: Orff did, Manzarek didn't.

I came across this album while browsing absent-mindedly through the public library selection. I had not recognized the name "Carmina Burana", but upon listening, realized that I had heard the piece many times, from many conductors, before. I am a lover of the medieval period, church music, and 80's synthesized music, amongst many other genres. I was astounded to find such a synchronically composed piece that brought together such diverse theories.

This album is an excellent electronic rendition of Carl Orff's classic tale. Inspired keyboard work by Ray Manzarek, along with brilliant performances by the rest of the crew, make this cd well worth a listen!

One must realize members of the Philip Glass Emsemble are performimg here. True it has somewhat a disco feel at times. It is colorfull and upbeat. It has repetative framework that I think works well here. Because it follows closely to the original piece the Glass minimalism is incorporated within the music instead of controling it. I wished it had a bit darker and brooding soundscape and had say Fripplike guitar for example.( King Crimson- The Construction Of Light - to me that track sounds like Fripp meets Glass )Anyways, I managed to find this a few years ago on import after extensive searching. Now I see it is much more easily available. This was one of those albums I had that I was not happy till I found a cd version. Personally I love this.

Very Very Very 80s sounding. While that normally isn't a bad thing for me, it just makes this album very boring and cheesey. I'm a Manzarek fan, but he still plays at his best in the Doors.

Carl Orff's Carmina Burana has its own compelling power and majesty in the classical domain. What Ray Manzarek has done is approach it from a different perspective -- not better, not worse -- just different. I have several different recordings of the piece, but this remains my favorite because it feels like a bridge between serious rock and joyful classical music. But even that's a mistaken way to describe this piece, because it's a comparison and it encourages expectations. Just put your expectations aside and enjoy this for what it is -- a joyous approach in its own right.

This is the remastered version and if you compare it to the original (discontinued) CD, you will hear immediate differences in aural emphasis. I prefer this version for its clarity and impact.

Carmina BuranaInstead of the Ray Manzarek Carmina Burana, which I requested, I received an unknown, traditional version. Spoke to customer service and was told that amazon only markets the product and does not have the original. They do, for a more expensive price. I think that, since this was their mistake and since they have it in stock,I should receive the product that I was supposed to.

This was a GREAT find. First bought the vinyl back in the 80's and snagged the disc quite some time ago. Ray signed the cover in 2002 @ the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio

About 20 years ago I purchased this album on a whim. It turned out to be one of my favorites of all time. I still have the original album, and now I have the CD as well.

I grew up on bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, B.O.C. and Cream, just to name a few of the heavier ones. I'm also a big fan of more recent bands like Primus and QOTSA. If your tastes are ONLY in these types of music you may or may not love this album. I'm really not sure.

However, if you are like me and are also a big fan of bands like Jethro Tull, Steeleye Span, and of course The Doors, then I am almost certain you will really like this album.