Search - Orff :: Carmina Burana Piano

A big accomplishment, with some reservations.

10/16/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Orff's original orchestral score for this monumental work is huge, requiring over 90 performers. I saw Chumachenco's piano score before I heard this CD, and had already begun to learn several of the movements. I am amazed at how he is able to cleverly imitate many orchestral sounds, among them the tam tam in Fortuna imperiatrix mundi (O fortuna), the marimba/xylophone quality in Primo vere (Veris leta facies) and the glockenspiel in Primo vere (Ecce gratum). Brilliant! I have reservations, however, about several choices he made particularly in the large (read: loud) movements, since many chords are not accessible to the standard size piano hand! I have large hands, yet have struggled to catch all those notes in the odd arrangements Chumachenco decided upon. I thought it was just me until I heard the recording. Chumachenco himself does not play many of the internal chords, and often does not play all the inner notes as they are written in his score. Just to be sure, I entered several movements into Finale 2000 (TM) to hear what it would sound like at tempo with all the notes, and it is obvious that my hearing was not failing me. Aside from that, the recording is inspiring, from both an aesthetic and technical point of view. Buy it, if you love this great work by Orff."