Ray Manzarek : Carmina Burana 1983

 Raymond Daniel Manczarek Jr. (February 12, 1939 – May 20, 2013), known as Ray Manzarek, was an American musician, singer, producer, film director, and author, best known as a founding member and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973.

This is a staggeringly different piece of music for those who only know the Ray Manzarek of "Light My Fire" or "L.A. Woman" fame. The 1983 collaboration with Philip Glass and Kurt Munkacsi holds many revelations.
As the post-Morrison Doors splintered off into various side projects, Manzarek's notable The Golden Scarab and The Whole Thing Started With Rock & Roll Now It's Out of Control to the Krieger/Densmore schizophrenic unit known as the Butts Band, as well as guitarist Krieger's jazz-flavored solo discs, the journeymen musicians opened windows beyond the music of the Doors.

Carmina Burana's power emerges from the fusion of musical forms, heralded by Manzarek's sincere approach to the project. The liner notes give an explanation of German composer Carl Orff's rediscovery in 1935 of the Medieval poems found in 1803 from 13th century "renegade monks and wandering poets." The modern-day minstrels that Manzarek and Glass are add a contemporary twist to the music Allen Lannon helped bring to America in 1954, when it was first performed on these shores in Boston.

There are seven primary musicians who back the chorus, which features ten principal singers conducted by Michael Riesman. The music is intense, evocative, and highly spiritual, with Larry Anderson's drums adding something the rebels from hundreds of years ago would probably be proud of.

It was the popularity of the Doors which gave their keyboard player the opportunity to record such a beautiful and compelling work, and hopefully that significance will lead to these 16 selections finding a wider audience.
(all music)

There is clearly public interest waiting to be tapped, and Ray Manzarek’s choice of Carmina Burana could spark that interest.
A few high tech classics can offer what this version of Carmina Burana represents: an unprecedented collaboration between a legendary rock musician like Ray Manzarek and a modern classical talent like Philip Glass.



TRACKS

01. Destiny: Ruler of the World - The Wheel of Fortune (O Fortuna)
02. Destiny: Ruler of the World - The Wounds of Fate (Fortune Plango)
03. Springtime: The Face of Spring (Veris Leta Facies)
04. Springtime: Sunrise (Omnia Sol Temperat)
05. Springtime: Welcome (Ecce Gratum)
06. Springtime: The Dance (Tanz) - (Tanz Mix: Ich Schau D mix)
07. Springtime: Sweetest Boy (Dulcissime)
08. Springtime: If the Whole World Was Mine (Were Diu Werlt)
09. In the Tavern: Boiling Rage (Estuans Interius)
10. In the Tavern: The Roasted Swan (Olim Lacus)
11. In the Tavern: In the Tavern (In Taberna)
12. The Court of Love: Love Flies Everywhere (Amor Volat)
13. The Court of Love: A Young Girl (Stetit Puella)
14. The Court of Love: Come, My Beauty (Veni Veni Venias)
15. The Court of Love: The Lovers (Blanziflor et Helena)
16. Destiny: Ruler of the World - The Wheel of Fortune (O Fortuna)

Music composed by Carl Orff
Produced by Philip Glass and Kurt Munkacsi
Arrangements by Ray Manzarek

Ray Manzarek - Piano, Organ, Keyboards
Michael Riesman - Synthesizers and Orchestrations
Larry Anderson - Drums
Ted Hall - Guitar
Doug Hodges - Bass
Adam Holzman - Synthesizers
Jack Kripl - Saxophons, Flutes

Carmina Burana is a scenic cantata composed by Carl Orff in 1935 and 1936, based on 24 poems from the medieval collection Carmina Burana.
The first and last movements of the piece are called "Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi" (Fortune, Empress of the World) and start with the very well known "O Fortuna".

O FORTUNE Lyrics 

O Fortune,like the moon
you are changeable,
ever waxing and waning;
hateful life
first oppresses
and then soothes as fancy takes it;
poverty and power
it melts them like ice.

Fate – monstrous and empty,
you whirling wheel,
you are malevolent,
well-being is vain and always fades to nothing,
shadowed and veiled
you plague me too;
now through the game
I bring my bare back to your villainy.

Fate is against me in health and virtue,
driven on and weighted down,
always enslaved.
So at this hour without delay
pluck the vibrating strings;
since Fate strikes down the strong man,
everyone weep with me!

FLAC : Size : 242 MB