Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Die Zauberflöte

THE 270th ANNIVERSARY OF W. A. MOZART’S BIRTH

★★★★★

   Mozart's operatic works as a collection occupy a privileged place in the history of the genre. The composer's genius was fully reflected here, just as in his symphonies, concertos, chamber works, and religious music. Over the course of his creative life, the composer changed his attitude to existing operatic forms, combining various tendencies and opposing solutions to achieve the classical form of opera as a synthesis of the genre in his latest operas. Composed in 1787, Don Giovanni, with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte is one of Mozart's most recognized achievements. In this dramma giocoso one can notice the unique results of combining opera buffa and opera seria. His last operas are opera seria La clemenza di Tito composed in 1791 to a libretto by Pietro Metastasio and Caterino Mazzolà and the Singspiel Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), composed the same year to a libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. Collaboration with outstanding librettists allowed him to establish formal assumptions that remained fresh for many decades, becoming the foundation of formal solutions used by Romantic composers.

   Mozart's operas have another feature that should not escape the attention of a sensitive listener. The means by which Mozart enhances the dramatic expression and illustrates the attitudes and aspirations of the characters constitute a constantly expanding catalog of the devices of classical music. This became an important element of semantics after the abandonment of the Baroque system of musical rhetoric. And although subsequent composers chose the means of expression more or less individually, Mozart's works are so clear that they can be a great way to penetrate the world of musical meanings. While instrumental music remains an abstraction up to a certain point, the semantic framework of every opera is the libretto. The Enlightenment ideas present in the dramatic work of librettists determine the situation where in Mozart's operas we receive a fundamental set of musical semantic means. The 22 operas composed by Mozart, ranging from simple Singspiels to complex operas, are a mirror reflecting both the era of Viennese classicism and the extraordinary path of innovation of the brilliant composer. The eight operas that Mozart composed in the last decade of his life have permanently entered the repertoire of world opera houses.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Die Zauberflöte (1986)

   The position of The Magic Flute, Mozart's last opera, is a phenomenon that can only be understood as the result of the creator's brilliant intuition. From the point of view of form, it is a Singspiel. On the symbolic level, it is a lecture on the Masonic vision of the world, the system of values, ​​and the role played in it by aware and properly prepared individuals. Behind the simple, uncomplicated form of the Singspiel, behind the fairy-tale story of love that overcomes adversity, there is an interesting explanation of Masonic ritual and symbolism. To save Pamina, Prince Tamino undergoes tests of silence, fire, and water, and finally is initiated into the Temple of Wisdom. This opera can be perceived at the same time as a children's fairy tale and as a philosophical parable. All this makes it one of the most popular works in the history of the genre, both in stage productions and on phonographic releases.
   The series of major recordings of The Magic Flute begins with the Berliner Philharmoniker recording of 1937, conducted by Beecham. Later came post-war recordings: a live recording from Salzburg conducted by Furtwängler in 1949, and a Viennese recording by Karajan published the following year. It's also worth mentioning the very interesting Rome recording from 1953 conducted by Karajan and sung in Italian. In 1954, Fricsay recorded The Magic Flute for Deutsche Grammophon. Ten years later, in 1964, two great performances were issued almost simultaneously: Klemperer’s rendition for EMI, and Böhm’s for Deutsche Grammophon. The following decade brought recordings conducted by Suitner (ETERNA 1970), Sawallisch (EMI 1973), and Karajan (DG 1980). It would be difficult to single out the best performance—each is unique in its own way. Any work of genius can be interpreted in many ways. At the center of this balance between classical approaches and more contemporary visions of Mozart's music is The Magic Flute, recorded in 1984 as a co-production between the German label Eterna and the Dutch company Phonogram International B.V. The recordings were made at the Lucaskirche in Dresden with German musicians. That same year, the three-disc album was released under the Philips label in the Netherlands. In 1986, Eterna released a Direct Metal Mastering version of the album for the East German market.
   The artistic value and the quality of the pressing make this edition highly sought after, even despite the passage of 40 years. This is because the recording conducted by Colin Davis can be considered exemplary in many respects, achieving a balance between dramatic elements and classical form. Two words come to mind when describing the fundamental characteristics of this recording: elegance and simplicity. Davis conducts the Staatskapelle Dresden in a manner far from routine, yet resists natural emotion, resulting in a greater subtlety of sound and a richness of orchestral color. Against the backdrop of a vivid, balanced orchestra, the solo parts of the characters, sung and spoken, build a familiar fairy-tale narrative, revealing additional meanings and significance. Among the stars of this recording are Kurt Moll (Sarastro), Luciana Serra (Queen of the Night), Margaret Price (Pamina), Peter Schreier (Tamino), Mikael Melbye (Papageno), and Maria Venuti (Papagena), as well as Theo Adam and Armin Ude (priests) and many more. Ultimately, this recording is a compelling story about character development and the maturation of values. Highly recommended with the highest possible rating – a full complement of stars.

Ralph Vaughan Williams — Riders to the Sea, Magnificat

★★★★

   Modern era in musical theatre is probably the best time for traditional opera. For about a century historic works are preferred by audience and by artists. Directors of opera and choreographers are searching for forgotten works while forgetting contemporary masterpieces. This phenomenon has been intensified with the decades. Composers found some solutions like festivals and commissioning system giving them chance to hear and see their works, but such successes as those of romantic composers could not happen anymore. And yet, despite such experience, despite problems with production and money, 20th century musical stage occurred to give opulence of great works. One of composers active in opera genre was Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958). His six operas were not successful at once but were important at least as a part of author’s stylistic development. It is significant, the most successful opera by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Riders to the Sea duration is 35 minutes only.
   The synopsis of Riders to the Sea is as simple as short. Based on play by John Millington Synge is the story of passing by, mourn and vanishing. Maurya, Irish mother who lost four sons, father and husband in the sea, during the show is losing her last two sons. This story shows some tendency in works of Vaughan Williams who was interested in creating music full of dramatic tension. Written in 1927 opera was revised in 1932 and premiered in 1937. Years between the wars were fruitful in Vaughan Williams’ creative life. In 1932, the year he closed working on Riders to the Sea he composed also Magnificat. He was sixty years old and his personal composing style was in best shape.

Vaughan Williams — Riders to the Sea, Magnificat (1972)

   In sixties and seventies music of Ralph Vaughan Williams was well presented in United Kingdom and USA. Many EMI recordings were published by Angel label for US market. The same happened with Riders to the Sea release by EMI in 1971 and by Angel in 1972 with painting Queen Maeve walked upon this strand by Jack Butler Yeats as cover art. Both compositions presented on EMI 1971 album Riders to the Sea and Magnificat for contralto, woman’s choir and orchestra are works of middle period in Vaughan Williams creative life. This was time of balanced use of most innovative techniques for strong emotional content. Both compositions are musical pictures of mother’s pain and have similar dramatic sense. Elegant distance and clear sincere expression show noble and honest nature of Vaughan Williams’ music.
   Album was recorded in 1971 with Ambrosian Singers and Orchestra Nova of London. Featured contralto Helen Watts recorded both works. In Magnificat she performed solo, in opera she sung role of Maurya. Other parts in Riders to the Sea were sung by Margaret Price (Cathleen), Norma Burrowes (Nora), Benjamin Luxon (Bartley) and others. Both works are presenting perfect, performed with lots of space and culture of sound, these recordings are basic for Vaughan Williams discography. This is substantially the merit of conductor of these recordings Meredith Davies (1922-2005) who was known for his devotion to English modern music, he was renowned especially for his performances of works by Benjamin Britten, Frederic Delius and Ralph Vaughan Williams. He conducted also premiere recording of earlier Vaughan Williams stage works – Sir John in Love, a four-act opera based on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor. Four stars.