Orff - Carmina Burana: Battle, Allen, Lopardo, Ozawa, Berlin / Beethoven - Symphony No. 9: Schwanewilms, Groves, Dever, Hawlata, Ozawa, Saito Kinen Orchestra

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: A superb DVD issue from Phillips, with top soloists and orchestras. The coupling of Orff and Beethoven works well as both are large-scale choral works.

Rating:
Summary: Kathleen Battle does it again!
Review: Excellent music performed by a stellar group of singers. My personal favorite is Orff's "Carmina Burana". The soloists were quite impressive. Kathleen Battle's "Dulcissimi" brings me to tears. I'd give this DVD five stars just to hear that small part. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Don't miss getting this one!
Review: Getting both Carmina Burana and Beethoven's Choral Symphony on one DVD is already a bargain, but wait until you see and hear the performances. They are amazing! Seiji Osawa is a treat to watch. He is such an expressive conductor. The excellent choir in Carmina Burana sings from memory and their voices blend beautifully, even their expressions show that they are having fun singing it. The soloists are great and they also sing with much feeling. I could hardly believe that there was another large piece on the same DVD and I must say it is an exciting 9th! Again Seiji Osawa chooses great tempi and I loved this very different work as much as the first. It was very interesting to hear such different orchestras and choirs, which don't normally come here, and to enjoy their music. The sound is really very good as are the images if played on a decent player. I recommend this DVD very highly.

Rating:
Summary: high expectations
Review: I purchased those 2 performances on laserdiscs 15 years ago and enjoyed the concerts despite the flat sound and average video quality .Unfortunately,the video quality and sound are just as bad on DVD!! (despite DTS remaster).I expected so much more from Philips.I wish there was a newer version of the Carmina Burana on DVD;it is such a masterpiece and it deserves the very best audio/video recording quality.