Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, University of York Choir, York Barbican, December 14 (From York Press)

Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, University of York Choir, York Barbican, December 14

1:08pm Friday 9th December 2011 in Music news and reviews

THE University of York Choir is to perform at the York Barbican for the first time since its reopening.

The headline work in Wednesday’s 7.30pm programme will be Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, a setting of 24 songs from a medieval collection dealing with subjects as relevant now as they were then: the fickleness of fortune and wealth, the ephemeral nature of life, the joy of the return of spring, and the pleasures and perils of drinking, gluttony, gambling and lust.

Given the subject matter, Orff’s piece contains some very racy lyrics as well as music familiar from advertisements and film soundtracks.

“We think this will be the first performance of Orff’s classic in York for many years,” says chairman Bruce Gilbert. “We last did it 18 years ago.”

The other main piece will be The Rio Grande, a poem by Sacheverell Sitwell set to music by Constant Lambert, which combines jazz syncopations with a nod to Duke Ellington, ragtime and Brazilian music. This work was written for choir accompanied by piano and percussion and, to give the concert symmetry, Carmina Burana will be performed in a version for the same accompaniment.

The percussion section will have a solo chance to shine in a performance of Aaron Copland’s Fanfare For The Common Man.

Tickets cost £15 to £20 on 01904 322439 or 0844 854 2757 or online at yorkbarbican.co.uk