Carmina Burana

Monday 19th June

We have several members of the ACFAA choir who come into the Café.  And just lately they have all been excited about their coming performances of Carmina Burana.  Now, I start from the principle that “All music is good, there may be some I am less familiar with”.  And I am less familiar with Classical Music, but like most people I like what I know – which is the popular stuff.  So, we had no idea what Carmina Burana was.

In fact it is a collection of 12th Century poems and songs which were put to music in 1934 by the German composer Carl Orfff (a little known fact is that several of the musical motifs were actually suggested by his brother Foch, to say nothing of his nephews, Pizz, Blo and Yack).  The concert was in Eymet church, with wonderful acoustics.  But it was a hot night and the church was packed with people even standing at the back.  Well, it was certainly dramatic, the piano’s accompanied by timpani and drums for several rousing choruses.  Most of the singing was in Latin or Medieval German or French, but I find even when sung in English I can rarely understand the words of Operatic singing.  The choir were brilliant, especially the soloists, and the whole experience was enjoyable – even if the church pews were a bit hard.  There was a standing ovation and everyone walked across to the Café de Paris for a well-deserved drink.

Certainly a different musical experience than we normally have here in Eymet.