Massed chorus sings medieval poems with gusto

NAC orchestra terrific in every way; singing balanced, spirited, delightful

Carmina Burana is a collection of about 250 medieval Latin poems, some on sacred, serious themes, but mostly dealing with drink, secular love and other subjects that didn't make it into the weighty tomes that the philosophers of the era bequeathed us.

Although the poems were certainly meant to be sung, we don't have much of an idea what the tunes were. In this century, some of them have been set anew to music, and some of those settings make up this week's pair of National Arts Centre Orchestra concerts.

Certain efforts attempt to provide some degree of mediaeval plausibility. Those of Philip Pickett which opened the program, fall into that category. The most famous version, however, that of Carl Orff, makes no such attempt. It is a kind of mega-cantata that is valued chiefly for the sheer fun of its faux-primitive rhythms and big choral sound. The Orff is what makes up the second half of the program.

Laurence Ewashko led his Cantata Singers, percussionists Jonathan Wade and Kenneth Simpson and organist Chris Devlin last night in delightful renditions of the Pickett arrangements.

The singing was precise, balanced and spirited. The singers were obviously having a lot of fun with it.

For the Orff Carmina Burana, there were no fewer than three additional choirs, the Ottawa Choral Society, the Central Children's Choir of Ottawa and the Ottawa Regional Youth Choir.

They were supported by a richly augmented National Arts Centre Orchestra, complete with six percussionists, and complemented by soprano Jackalyn Short, tenor Christopher Pfund and baritone Kevin McMillan. All of this was conducted by Duain Wolfe of the Chicago Symphony Chorus.

It will come as no surprise that the orchestral work was terrific in every way. If it was a particular feast for percussion lovers, each section contributed its share to the many pleasures of the performance. The massed chorus was impressive too, singing with gusto, precision and unanimity, only occasionally exhibiting signs of strain or uncertainty. The children's choir was a delight.

The soloists were all strong too. Tenor Pfund was suitably whiney and indignant as the roasting swan. McMillan's lusty singing was a pleasure throughout, especially when he portrayed the drunken abbot.

Jackalyn Short sang her numbers in the Court of Love section with fluid loveliness.