Carmina Burana

Premiered in 1937. Orff set twenty-four secular poems from a thirteenth-century Benedictine manuscript — on fate, spring, the tavern and desire — to primitivist rhythmic power for huge orchestra and chorus. The opening 'O Fortuna' may be the most-quoted two minutes of classical music in film. After the premiere Orff told his publisher to pulp everything he had written before: 'my collected works begin with Carmina Burana.'

• Jochum / Deutsche Oper Berlin

  Reference

  Deutsche Grammophon · 1967

  Supervised by Orff himself and generally treated as the composer-sanctioned reading. More restrained rhythmically than most of what followed.

• Previn / London Symphony Orchestra

  Modern

  EMI / Warner · 1974

  Enormous dynamic range and clearly placed percussion. A good first pass before returning to Jochum.