Today, we watched the Ed Wood movie Glen or Glenda?.
I’m speechless. All I can say is that it lives up to its billing as one of the worst movies ever made. I realize director/writer Ed Wood was a transvestite in real life. But if he thought his movie would earn sympathy or empathy for his cause, he was sadly mistaken.
On to today’s music…
Part two of Die Zauberflote, K620, (also known – especially to those who don’t speak German – as The Magic Flute) contains one of my all-time favorite songs from an opera: “Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen,” performed by the incomparable Luciana Serra. I had no idea the human voice could reach such notes.
The rest of the opera is terrific. But I’ve been waiting to hear that song in context for the past six months. It was worth the wait.
Here is what I listened to today, complete with the best guesses of scholars regarding where and when each composition was penned. This information was pieced together from The Compactothèque book + CD, which is an essential purchase if you want the fullest enjoyment from the Philips Complete Mozart Edition. It’s only about $8 and the sampler CD, alone, is remarkably enjoyable. But the booklet is gold, Jerry! Gold! Keep in mind, some of these places and dates are merely guesses. But I find it fascinating to see even guesses for some of these compositions. They help me put Mozart’s life and creative output in perspective.
For example, Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was born on 27 January 1756. With that in mind, take a look at where and when these pieces were composed. I’ll add Mozart’s approximate age in the parenthetical data below each composition:
1. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 1 – “Zum Ziele führt dich diese Bahn” (Peter Schreier)
2. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 1 – “Die Weisheitslehre dieser Knaben”
3. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 1 – “Wo willst du kühner Fremdling hin?”
4. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 1 – “Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton”
5. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 1 – “Schnelle Füße, rascher Mut” (Margaret Price)
6. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 1 – “Es lebe Sarastro! Sarastro lebe!”
7. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 1 – “Herr, ich bin zwar Verbrecherin” (Kurt Moll)
8. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 1 – “Wenn Tugend und Gerechtigkeit” (Rundfunkchor Leipzig)
9. Die Zauberfl̦te, K.620 / Act 2 РMarsch der Priester (Staatskapelle Dresden)
10. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – Dialog “Ihr, eingeweihte Diener” – Der dreimalige Akkord: Dialog “Sarastro dankt euch” (Wolfgang Dehler)
11. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – “O Isis und Osiris” (Kurt Moll)
12. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – Dialog “Papageno! Wo denkst du, daß wir uns befinden?” (Hans Jörn Weber)
13. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – “Bewahret euch vor Weibertücken” – Dialog “He, Lichter her!”
14. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – “Wie? Wie? Wie?” (Peter Schreier)
15. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – Dialog “Heil dir, Jüngling” (Gerhard Paul)
16. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – “Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden” (Robert Tear)
17. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – Dialog “Zurück!” (Regina Jeske)
18. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – “Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen” (Luciana Serra)
19. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – Dialog “Morden soll ich?” (Wolfgang Dehler)
20. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – “In diesen heil’gen Hallen” (Kurt Moll)
21. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – Dialog “Hier seid ihr euch beide allein überlassen” (Hans Jörn Weber)
22. Die Zauberflöte, K.620 / Act 2 – “Seid uns zum zweiten Mal willkommen” (Dresdner Kreuzchor – members)
Vienna, September 29, 1791 (Mozart was 35)
I like this CD on the strength of Track 18 (“Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen”) alone. It’s one of the coolest, most recognizable songs from any opera.
You can call me Amadeus. But don't expect me to answer to that.
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