By popular request, these songs and pieces from the 5 volume English edition (by Margaret Murray) of Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman’s ‘Schulwerk’ are now available in CD format. Singers and speakers are from a variety of English, Welsh and German schools with professional musicians playing
instruments. The Schulwerk idea is one that transplants well, founded as it is on the basic elements of language, music and dance, with which children are encouraged to play and improvise imaginatively, so that, through the use of simple forms, they will be able to make their own music. The material is not restricted to Britain, but also includes songs from Canada and the United States. The instrumental ensemble is directed by Carl Orff and Hermann Regner. All possible instrumental resources suited to this elemental style of music making have been used. The barred percussion instruments that carry Orff’s name such as glockenspiels, xylophones and metallophones, are used, as well as simple, small percussion instruments and the larger ones found in the conventional orchestra. The older forms of wind instruments are favoured, such as recorders, sorduns and crumhorns. Brass instruments such as trumpets and trombones, are also used. The guitar, cello and double bass have an important role, and, where available, the older forms of string instruments, such as the viol or viola da gamba, blend well into the ensemble.