Carmina Burana is the first part of a trilogy called 'Trionfi', the other works are 'Catulli Carmina' (on poems by Catullus) and the 'Triumph of Aphrodite' (based on verses by Catullus, Sappho and Euripides). I would caution people to listen to these works carefully before buying to avoid disappointment. They are interesting works but don't have the raw appeal of Carmina Burana, however they are a worthy addition to your CD library.
Carmina Burana (1936), Catulli Carmina (1943) and Trionfo di Afrodite (1953) form the parts of a triptych, meant to be performed as "total stage works" where movement, dance, singing, music, speaking and other stage crafts were all combined to produce an overwhelming or thought provoking effect. Lyric latin poems of the middle ages and poems from Roman and Grecian antiquity, mixed with pieces in the vernacular (middle-high German, ancient Provencal and Italian) form the basis of these three works, rich in their diversity, under the title Trionfi since they were first performed in their entirety in Milano's La Scala. Originally Orff never conceived the works as an integral cycle.
The Trionfi is about love in different places, times and circumstances. If you can understand Latin and are easily offended, then care should be taken listening to Catulli Carmina as the lyrics are quite explicit. Most record liner notes just summarise the first section with "The girls and boys get more and more excited...".
Orff also wrote operas, including Der Kluge and Der Mond.
STAGE: Trionfi-Trittico Teatrale (Triumphs-theatrical triptych): I. *Carmina Burana (Songs of Beuren), cantiones profanae (1935-6), 2. *Catulli Carmina (Songs of Catullus), ludi scaenici (1943), 3. *Trionfo di Afrodite (Triumph of Aphrodite). concerto scenico (1950-1). Der *Mond (The Moon), ein kleines Welttheater (1937-8, rev. 1945); Antigonae 0940-9); Die *Kluge (The Clever Girl) (19412); Die *Bernauerin (1944-5); Astutuli (1945-6); Comoedia de Christi Resurrectione, an Easter play (1955); Oedipus der Tyrann (1957-8); Ludus de Nato Infante Mir*us, a Christmas play (ig6o); Ein Sommernachtstraum (A *Midsummer Night's Dream), incidental mus. for Shakespeare (1939, rev. 1944, 1952, 1964); Prometheus (1963-7); De temporumfine comoedia (1969-71).
CHORUS & ORCH.: Die Sdnger der Vorwelt (The Singer of Former Times) (1955); Ndnie und Dithyrambe (1956); Rota 0972).
EDUCATIONAL: Das Schulwerk, Musik fiir Kinder, 5 vols. 0930-5, rev. 1950-4).
ARRANGEMENTS: Monteverdi: L'Incoronazione di Poppea (192s,
rev. 1940); Lamenti (triple bill, prod. Schwetzingen 1958, of Lamento d'Arianna,
1925, rev. 1940, La Favola d'Orfeo, 1925, rev. 1931, 1940, Il Ballo delle Ingrate,
1925, rev. 1940).
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