The Detroit Symphony Orchestra and its Music Director Jader Bignamini present Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, one of the most electrifying works of the twentieth century. Available in 5 Channel Surround Sound and Stereo DSD and DXD from NativeDSD. This is a DSD Exclusive, Not Available on SACD release.
Drawing on thirteenth-century manuscripts from Benediktbeuern Abbey, Orff transformed the exuberant, irreverent texts of wandering scholars and rebellious clerics into a monumental scenic cantata. From the iconic opening of “O Fortuna” to the exuberant outdoor dances, tavern scenes, and courtly love interludes, the work pulses with elemental rhythms and striking orchestration, with chorus, percussion, two pianos, and celesta playing central roles. Motifs from “O Fortuna” recur throughout, linking the contrasting worlds of humor, erotic longing, and the inexorable wheel of fate.
Orff balances diatonic simplicity with rhythmic ostinati, while movements such as the flute–timpani duet, castanets solo, and piano–percussion passages evoke primal energy and recall Stravinsky’s Les noces. From the introspective soprano arias in “In trutina” to the sardonic baritone tavern numbers, the score alternates between joy, melancholy, and satire, culminating in the final return of “O Fortuna” to close the cycle. Following their acclaimed release of Marsalis’ Blues Symphony in March 2025, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Jader Bignamini return to Pentatone, reaffirming their mastery of landmark repertoire.
Chen Reiss
Reginald Mobley
Andrzej Filończyk
Audivi
Detroit Opera Youth Chorus
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Jader Bignamini, Conductor & Music Director
Tracklist
Please note that the below previews are loaded as MP3.Total time: 01:00:55
Additional information
| Label | |
|---|---|
| SKU | PTC5187519 |
| Qualities | DSD 128, DSD 512, DSD 64, DSD 256, DXD 32 Bit, DXD 24 Bit, FLAC 192 kHz, FLAC 96 kHz |
| Channels | |
| Artists | Andrzej Filończyk, Audivi, Chen Reiss, Detroit Opera Youth Chorus, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Jader Bignamini, Reginald Mobley |
| Composers | |
| Genres | |
| Conductors | |
| Original Recording Format | |
| Release Date | June 26, 2026 |
Press reviews
Gramophone
With a piece as over-exposed as this it’s the little things – the tiny nuances, the risky impulses – that can make the difference between good and sensational. The catalogue has long been dominated by the breakthrough recordings of Jochum and Frühbeck de Burgos – both of whom in such different ways made a revelation of it.
The present contender, energetically led by Jader Bignamini, is not in their league but will find I imagine a local audience in the Detroit region which I am sure will have revelled in the live performances and taken pride in the quality of their city’s excellent orchestra and chorus. They deliver in spades here, the chorus in particular relishing the onomatopoeic drive of the texts. I like Bignamini’s cool way with the more fragrant pages of springtime and the court of love. But the fireworks are kept on a pretty tight rein and in passages like the ‘Dance’ of ‘In Springtime’ (which could be more of a raucous knees-up) and the whole of ‘In taberna’ don’t quite ignite as they can. All the nodal points in this piece can take being ratcheted up to their extremities. The riotous ‘Were diu werlt alle min’ – the conclusion of ‘On the Green/In the Meadow’ section, for instance. It doesn’t explode as it can and must.
The Classic Review
Let me say straight away that this is a very good performance of Carmina Burana. The choral singing is excellent, the singers balanced well forward so we hear them at every dynamic level. The soloists sing well, each having clearly thought about the text and its characterization. The orchestra plays with energy and exactitude.
The wide, deep soundstage lets us hear its tummy-rumbling power at climaxes, but there are quieter moments where the ensemble and solo playing is finely turned. The different components come together in the second part (In Taberna) and through much of the third (Cour d’amours).
Conductor Jader Bignamini has a sharp vision of how this music should sound, and has convinced his performers to realize it.
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