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.

Christoph Willibald Gluck – Orfeo ed Euridice

THE 300th ANNIVERSARY OF CHRISTOPH WILLIBALD GLUCK'S BIRTH

   When Christoph Willibald Gluck was born, the 2nd of July in 1714, Europe was still in the state of war, but the clash of arms was heard mainly on peripheries of the continent. It was breakthrough year in Great Nothern War of Russian-Polish-Danish coalition against Swedish domination on Baltic Sea region. After long siege Barcelona was taken and Spanish Succession War was about to end. Republic of Venice isolated in newly established European balance has been attacked by Ottoman Empire in what was later called the Small War. The state of permanent variability was enhanced by rapid changes in science and technologies. Old habits and regimes were in permanent collision with new ideas and the progress in science and humanities. The conflicts in first half of 18th century were principally the echoes of global crisis in 17th century and the best solution was to clear oversized systems of the values and to start entirely new ideological standpoint. This situation has strong influence on creating the classical music, art of classicism, philosophy and science of the Enlightment era.

   In 18th century opera was one of well established musical forms, with more than a century of history. The moment opera started in 1600 marked the beginning of new era, but in fact it was not clearly baroque form. Conceptually opera was build entirely on renaissance idea of synthesis of arts, but in first century of its development new form was under strong effect of baroque culture. Many composers of opera and dramma per musica were making numerous concessions to singers’ vanity and audience’s expectations. This led to dramatic weakness and caricaturally changed proportions of various components of opera. Some baroque composers tried to restore the idea of balanced elements from various fields of art, but the one who made the first real reform of opera was Christoph Willibald Gluck. He subordinated music to drama and restored dominant position of dramatic effect obtained by play, music and every other element. Even overture had its dramatic function. He also reinforced the position of the choir, and reduced difference between arias and recitatives. 

Grace Bumbry, Václav Neumann – Gluck – Orfeo ed Euridice (1966)

   Christoph Willibald Gluck was one of the greatest opera composers ever. Thank to collaboration with librettist Raniero de’Calzabigi he was able to create works showing this form in new light. After about two dozens of traditional operatic works in Italian style, in 1762 he produced first opera of new type Orfeo ed Euridice. After Viennese premiere his reforms were poorly received. Paris was more ready to break with tradition and the work was acclaimed. His next operas Alceste (1767) Paride et Elena (1770), Iphigénie en Aulide (1774), Armide (1777) and Iphigénie en Tauride (1779) became successful realizations of new operatic esthetics. This reform decided opera was able to survive and be well in the era of Enlightenment. Gluck was recognized opera composer but his instrumental music never become popular, although nine symphonies and eight trio sonatas complement the picture of his creative possibilities. He was also composing sacred works even if he did it very rarely. His small portfolio of religious works comprises De profundis clamavi for choir and orchestra and lost Miserere.
   Later works give composer appreciation but 250 years later Orfeo ed Euridice is the most popular opera by Gluck. This work is transitional form between opera in Italian style and new trends. Maybe this is what makes the work so flexible. There are dozens of great performances on vinyl and on digital media. One of old but still very clear is 1966 recording made in Heilandskirche in Leipzig. Published under Eterna label but in cooperation with Electrola, during next years this recording was frequently republished in various countries. Perfectly sung by Grace Bumbry (Orfeo), Anneliese Rothenberger (Euridice) and Ruth-Margaret Pütz (Amore) with Rundfunkchor Leipzig and Gevandhausorchester Leipzig under direction by Václav Neumann, this is great recording. In fact it still sounds fresh, and after almost half of the century this is clear exposure of quality rendition.