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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Dec 22, 2004 15:53:47 GMT
DESTINY RULER OF THE WORLD *The Wheel Of Fortune(O Fortuna) *The Wounds Of Fate (Fortune Plango)
SPRINGTIME *The Face Of Spring (Veris Leta Facies) *SunriseE (Omnia Sol Temperat) *Welcome (Ecce Gratum) *The Dance (Tanz) *Sweetest Boy (Dulcissime) *If The Whole World Was Mine (Were Diu Werlt)
IN THE TAVERN *Boiling Rage (Estuans Iinterius) *The Roasted Swan (Olim Lacus) *In The Tavern (In Taberna)
THE COURT OF LOVE *Love Flies Everywhere (Amore Volat) *A Young Girl (Stetit Puello) *Come, My Beauty (Veni Veni Vemias) *The Lovers (Blanziflor Et Helena)
Ray Manzarek. The 1983 A&M Carmina Burana Press Release.
Nothing about Ray Manzarek's career has been ordinary. Keyboardist with The Doors, record producer (notably the rock band X), solo artist: in these and other pursuits, Manzarek has studiously avoided any hint of compromise or predictability. It's only appropriate, then, that his first album for A&M Records is another extraordinary effort: a contemporary interpretation of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. Carmina Burana, written in 1935 and first performed in 1937, is a vocal and instrumental cantata based on a series of medieval poems (most likely dating from the 13th Century) written in Latin by a group of renegade monks. Manzarek was aided by the noted composer Philip Glass (who co-produced the album) and some of Glass' closest musical associates. Manzarek chose to perform the work in an instrumental setting that would have been impossible in Orffs time: instead of working with an orchestra, he arranged the music for an electric jazz-rock band, including members of a group called the Fents and Manzarek himself on keyboards. The details of Manzarek's career have been well documented by now. In 1966, after graduating from UCLA, he and classmate Jim Morrison decided to form a rock 'n' roll band. That band, The Doors, went on to become America's premier rock band, record eight platinum albums' (and three platinum singles') worth of material before Morrison's death in 1971. Manzarek and fellow remaining members went on to make two more Doors albums before disbanding for good in 1973. Manzarek then made two solo albums, The Golden Scarab and The Whole Thing Started with Rock 'n' Roll, Now It's Out Of Control. In 1976 he put together Nite City, his first working band since The Doors; they recorded two albums, only one of which was released in the United States. The late 70's was a period of intense activity for Manzarek. He participated in the completion of An American Prayer, an album of Jim Morrison's poetry and the Doors' music. He was asked to write some of the music for Francis Coppola's "Apocalypse Now," a task that Ray's schedule ultimately did not permit him to fulfill, (eventually Doors' music would be used for the soundtrack). He witnessed a remarkable Doors renaissance, as renewed interest in the group resulted in the reappearance of several of their albums on the charts, heavy airplay, various TV and film documentaries and a best-selling Morrison biography (co-written by Ray's personal manager/publicist, Danny Sugerman). Manzarek himself was at the center of the new music scene that sprang up in Southern California. He produced X's Los Angeles, an album that brought both group and producer considerable acclaim; he has also produced the three subsequent X albums. All in all, Ray Manzarek has not been lacking things to do. Carmina Burana, Ray says, "is a piece I've always loved. Four or five years ago, I went out and bought the piano and vocal score. I wanted to find out exactly what Carl Orff was up to in one particular section, as far as the rhythmic structure. The section was called 'The Dance'; I tried to keep my foot tapping along with it, but the rhythm kept turning around, and I wondered what he was doing . . . it was brilliant. So I got the music, and once I'd checked it out I was hooked. "The aspect of Gregorian chants with strong rhythm - which is essentially what Carmina Burana consists of - is something you don't normally hear," Manzarek adds. "I think that's what intrigued me about it in the first place . . . the power and passion . . . But, I heard it with even more emphasis on the rhythmic foundation, and that's what I set out to do with it." Manzarek, with production assistance from A&M's David Anderle, made demos of four Carmina Burana sections. Those tapes found their way to Philip Glass, a composer whose many works have included the opera Einstein on the Beach (1976), the musical theater piece The Photographer (1982) and soundtrack music for such films as "Koyaanisqatsi'' (1982). Glass expressed an interest in Manzarek's project; he and Kurt Munkacsi, who has co-produced all of Glass' recordings (and who has also produced the Waitresses and engineered for John Lennon, Brian Eno, Ornette Coleman and others), agreed to produce Carmina Burana. Michael Riesman, another frequent Glass collaborator, played synthesizer and conducted the 10-member vocal ensemble used on Manzarek's album. "Once the Carmina Burana team was assembled, Manzarek discovered an almost inexplicable affinity among the project's various components. The whole minor overtone in Gregorian chants is, in essence, Doors music," he explains. "And that plugs into the modal idea of late '50's jazz - like Miles Davis' Kind of Blue one of my favorite records. That's the way I like to play. And working with Philip Glass was perfect. He plays like I do; I play like he does. We have a very similar harmonic, rhythmic and melodic approach, based on working off of chord structures. We're coming from the same place, only he comes from the classical end and I come from the rock end. "Philip Glass, Carl Orff, Ray Manzarek: We're all revolving around the same central point of rhythm and harmony. It's a marriage made somewhere . . . I don't even control it." Other than reducing Orff's 25 parts to 16, Manzarek and company stuck to the original score. But the instrumentation differed considerably: where Orff used strings and orchestral percussion instruments, Manzarek used synthesizers and a standard trap drum kit. "It is totally contemporary," he says. "Even though the piece is nearly 50 years old, it doesn't sound dated; it really could have been written today. I think it's timeless. "The fact that the Iyrics are in Latin might be difficult for some people," Ray continues. "But the voices are simply another rhythm instrument, and they should be regarded that way. In essence, this is an instrumental album; there are human voices, but they're chanting across the top of this rhythmic foundation we've established for them." A one-hour "video opera" based on Manzarek's Carmina Burana is currently in progress. Produced in cooperation with Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum, it will include a complete script written by Louis Valdez (' Zoot Suit"). Manzarek calls it a "psychic journey through life, death, and rebirth, sort of a modern Tibetan book of the dead."
Single released in support of the album.
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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Dec 25, 2004 10:16:33 GMT
Anyone who is old enough to remember the 'Old Spice' adverts will remember this.....had it since its vinyl release and love it to bits.... Ray and Phil Glass do a masterful job of interpreting Orff's work and it stands up so well with any mainstream classical rendering . Ray shows just how incredible a keyboard player he really is and its just a shame that he produced so little between 1973 and 2002. The man oozes class on this record and its an essential album for Doors fans.
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Post by nick on Jul 18, 2005 1:16:00 GMT
I listened to a couple tracks today- one I downloaded and one that was sent to me thru yahoo messenger- superb stuff…. Definitely dig the original better, but it’s very interesting to hear… look forward to hearing the rest….
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Post by jimbo on Jul 18, 2005 1:34:54 GMT
I'm pretty sure this is available on CD right? If so I'll order it
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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Jul 18, 2005 9:05:24 GMT
I saw a CD copy in HMV last summer so it is still around on CD but it's not easy to find.
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Post by jimbo on Jul 18, 2005 15:51:38 GMT
I think I saw it being sold on Froogle
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Post by ensenada on Jul 18, 2005 15:53:08 GMT
I still need to get this and it started with rock and roll...
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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Jul 21, 2005 21:59:57 GMT
I still need to get this and it started with rock and roll... I am sure I sent you a disc with both of them on?
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Post by jimbo on Jul 22, 2005 0:20:32 GMT
Its better to own the real thing though
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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Jul 22, 2005 9:54:57 GMT
true but as Ray does not release his albums the only alternative is to get hold of a burned copy. Yes we now have TGS and TWTSWR&R out now on disc but still no Nite City albums and Carmina Burana is almost impossible to find on CD. Its out of print but the odd copy turns up now and then. I have my vinyl copy but have never seen it in a record store round here on CD. Only in London. Cherry Red might release further Manzarek albums so email them and tell them about Nite City....
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Post by jimbo on Jul 22, 2005 11:21:08 GMT
I'd buy Nite City, pretty good music right there. Glad I can toss my CD-R copy of TWTSWRR because the whole 40 minute album is all one track and you can imagine the difficulty I have fast fowarding to a song while trying to drive
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Post by weiland on Jul 23, 2005 6:55:03 GMT
Carmina Burana = Songs from Bavaria ! does not sound that mystical now does it
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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Jul 23, 2005 12:06:54 GMT
Carmina Burana = Songs from Bavaria ! does not sound that mystical now does it The original album sleeve notes mention this in a roundabout manner but never actually say that the title means this. Like you say its not so hot when it translates into English.... Been listening to this since the 60s and have always loved the whole thing. The Old Spice advert sorta put it into the psyche of the UK. Ray and Phil did this with a great deal of respect for the original and it would be a shame if the album finds its way to obscurity because no one can make a buck putting it out. For me Ray's finest moment and I love EVERY album he has put out.
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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Dec 28, 2010 11:42:59 GMT
Carmina Burana Lyric sheet.
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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Mar 10, 2011 9:43:08 GMT
Just to show it's not ALL doom and gloom on here I thought I would bump up my favourite albums from the boys just to show we also give praise here when it deserves it.
This album appeared in 1983 and was a completely new direction for ole Ray and one sadly that he never explored much after.
here is a bit more information on the album and if anyone has heard it and wants to pipe up with an opinion feel free to do so.
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. A four-page pink booklet with Latin and English translations comes with the vinyl LP, and it's all wrapped up in an old-world-meets-new-world setting, including illustration by Hieronymus Bosch, his work previously showing up in rock & roll on Deep Purple's self-titled Tetragrammaton release, itself a pretty heady production. Ray Manzarek's Carmina Burana went out of print after its 1983 vinyl release on A&M, and the artist expressed hope in a January 2002 interview that the music would be re-released on CD. It's too good to remain in the shadows as a cult item, traded on E-Bay or fetching high prices at record shows.
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. As an educational tool, it is exquisite; as a listening experience, it is a tremendous addition to the Doors' library. Manzarek's own father liked it, which pleased the artist very much. Joe Viglione for CD Universe
1983 solo album from The Doors keyboardist. Produced by Philip Glass and Kurt Munkacsi. Deleted in the US.
Personnel: Ray Manzarek (vocals, piano, organ, keyboards); Ma Prem Alimo, Mary Ann Hart, Michael Hume, Catherine Aks, Bruce Fifer, Dora Ohrenstein (vocals); Ted Hall (guitar); Jack Kripl (flute, saxophone); Adam Holzman, Michael Riesman (synthesizer); Larry Anderson (drums); Jade Kripl (wind).
Audio Mixer: Joe Chiccarelli.
Recording information: A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Cherokee REcording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Greene St. Recording Studios, New York, NY.
Photographer: Larry E. Williams.
Arranger: Ray Manzarek.
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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on May 6, 2011 12:09:34 GMT
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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Nov 7, 2023 16:33:18 GMT
1983 Carmina Burana Marketing Press Kit
There are many successful precedents for contemporary versions of great classics, Switched-on Bach, Hooked On Classics and A Fifth of Beethoven are standout examples, and for recording artists like Patrick Gleason and Tomita, modern interpretations have become the basis of careers.
There is clearly public interest waiting to be tapped, and Ray Manzarek’s choice of Carmina Burana could spark that interest. Combining beautiful melodies with powerful rhythms, it is a piece that is already in the public mind, since excerpts from it were used in the hit films, The Omen and Excalibur. But 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.
As a result, the potential audience for this album exists in many areas of musical taste, including those who’ve followed the careers of Manzarek and Glass, and those who’ve followed the intriguing history of the piece itself. As various articles in the press have indicated, controversy has surrounded this music since its creation in 1935; the lively debate over its interpretations continues with this version, one of the boldest attempted yet.
As with any piece which changes the way we’re used to hearing music, the Carmina Burana of Ray Manzarek and Phillip Glass is bound to send sparks flying. This is to be welcomed.
As the New York Times noted, the sensual theme and pounding rhythms of Carmina Burana anticipated rock n’ roll, while the back-to-basics approach of its composer serves as a precedent of the modern classical minimalism of Phillip Glass. From opposite ends of the musical spectrum, Manzarek and Glass have met to create visceral, gut music, a record that Cashbox described as “new age classical music.”
RADIO
Innovative hybrids, of course, face more that the usual hurdles to public awareness. Because a potentially multi-format album like Carmina Burana defies easy categories, alternative promotion strategies are essential.
A three-tiered approach will be launched at forward-thinking radio stations nationwide. For album-radio programmers a special sampler has been compiled, to be shipped in January featuring the tracks: “The Dance”, “The Wounds of Fate” and “Boiling Rage”. Special emphasis will be placed upon”The Dance” since it’s the LP’s most powerful, propulsive rock instrumental. Not surprisingly, it was this particular music from Carmina Burana that first attracted Manzarek to the piece itself.
Shipping also at the beginning of January will be audiophile pressings of the LP to fine arts, jazz and national public radio stations. To target and track theses stations, the list from Windham Hill will be utilized.
Early in ’84, Compact Disc versions of Carmina Burana will be sent to the album-oriented stations nationwide which possess the technology to play CDs. A corresponding mailing to fine arts CD stations will also be made, underscoring the point that this album is a state-of-the-art project, both technically as well as creatively.
VIDEO
For a work as ambitious as Carmina Burana, Manzarek knew that a striking visual representation would be an important component in the presentation of the piece. For the video to accompany Carmina Burana, he is collaborating with one of the most inventive directors to emerge in the new wave of music filmmakers, Kit Fitzgerald.
Known for the striking imagery in videos like King Crimson’s “Big Electric Cat”, Fitzgerald is becoming known as a director to watch, and music TV programmers are doing just that. Her reputation adds yet another dimension to the Carmina Burana project; another example of the first-rate talent which Ray has assembled.
In this video clip, a “cinematic miniature” photographed as Southern California’s classic missions, Manzarek plays a renegade monk. It’s a transformation that’s of interest not only to his rock fans; it’s also attracted the attention of L.A’s classical music establishment, where interest has been expressed in presenting it at The Mark Taper Forum. Fine arts TV channels are of course primed as well. Look for the video in early ’84.
THE PRESS
Ray Manzarek continues to be one of popular music’s most enduring figures, more visible than ever as a result of the resurgence of The Doors. Through a great deal of recent exposure on TV and radio specials, Ray has continued to draw attention to the rock n’ roll energy that’s in Carmina Burana.
But the rock n’ roll side is just one aspect to be developed. The role of producer Phillip Glass in this controversial interpretation could also be explored in more traditional music publications. There may be great potential exposure in the ongoing debate over “unorthodox” versions of beloved pieces like Carmina Burana.
Additionally, it will be appropriate to solicit music trade coverage of the audiophile and CD promotions. An unusual angle exists in that the A&M will be servicing audiophile LPs not only to radio, but also to retail outlets to encourage in-store play.
THE CONSUMER
As with any multi-format record, in-store play is critical in overcoming the classical music inhibitions of many rock consumers. The audiophile pressings being made available for this purpose make the statement to retailers that A&M is committed to giving Carmina Burana the patient support it deserves. It is an album with a potentially long life, and this message should be made clear.
It will be essential to the success of Carmina Burana that it be available in multiple bin locations, cross filed under The Doors and Ray Manzarek as well as in the classical section.
The arresting cover graphics by noted California artist Lou Beach also bear witness to the imaginative quality of this project, and full color posters are available. Beach’s witty and colorful collage captures the contemporary attitude of Manzarek’s approach, and can be utilized to attract consumer attention. And all inventory will bear stickers highlighting the unique nature of the Glass-Manzarek collaboration.
Advertising in direct mail publications for classical music buyers will also provide a means of reaching Carmina Burana’s audience specifically. The goal of this campaign will be to make consumers aware of Phillip Glass’ participation, a significant selling point as his credibility continues to grow.
We need to target the people who think they know what Carmina Burana is all about, and intrigue them with the possibility that they just might hear something new under the sun.
Whatever the area of strategy, the rationale behind the campaign for Carmina Burana is that the music business is big enough, diverse enough to possess an audience for something unique. We’ve seen Linda Ronstadt team with Nelson Riddle, and Willie Nelson pair with Carlos Santana. The time is ripe for imaginative combinations, particularly those which offer what Manzarek has called “four on the floor rock n’ roll.” Getting that across might not be easy, but it’s worth it.
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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Nov 7, 2023 16:41:46 GMT
Various singles in support of the LPMusician magazine 1983
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Post by TheWallsScreamedPoetry on Nov 7, 2023 17:08:01 GMT
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