Klemperer: Mozart – Die Zauberflote (2 CD, APE)

Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Orchestra: London Philharmonia Orchestra
Performer: Josephine Veasey, Gerhard Unger, Anna Reynolds, Marga Hoffgen, Ruth-Margaret Putz, Christa Ludwig, Franz Crass, Walter Berry, Nicolai Gedda, Gottlob Frick, Gundula Janowitz, Karl Liebl, Lucia Popp, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Heinrich Schmidt, Agnes Giebel
Conductor: Otto Klemperer
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 2
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: EMI
Size: 600 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

# Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), opera, K. 620

Disc: 1
01. Overture
02. Act 1. No. 1. Introduction. Zu Hilfe! Zu Hilfe!
03. Act 1. No. 2. Aria. Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja
04. Act 1. No. 3. Aria. Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön
05. Act 1. No. 4. Recitative & Aria. O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn!
06. Act 1. No. 5. Quintet. Hm! hm! hm! hm!
07. Act 1. No. 6. Trio. Du feines Täubchen, nur herein
08. Act 1. No. 7. Duet. Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen
09. Act 1. No. 8. Finale. Zum Ziele führt dich diese Bahn
10. Act 1. No. 8. Finale. Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton
11. Act 1. No. 8. Finale. Schnelle Füße, rascher Mut
12. Act 1. No. 8. Finale. Konnte jeder brave Mann
13. Act 1. No. 8. Finale. Es lebe Sarastro!
14. Act 1. No. 8. Finale. Nun, stolzer Jüngling; nur hierher!

Disc: 2
01. Act 2. No. 9. Marsch der Priester
02. Act 2. No. 10. Aria & Chorus. O Isis und Osiris
03. Act 2. No. 11. Duet. Bewahret euch vor Weibertücken
04. Act 2. No. 12. Quintet. Wie? wie? wie?
05. Act 2. No. 13. Aria. Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden
06. Act 2. No. 14. Aria. Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen
07. Act 2. No. 15. Aria. In diesen heil’gen Hallen
08. Act 2. No. 16. Trio. Seid uns zum zweiten mal willkommen
09. Act 2. No. 17. Aria. Ach, ich fühl’s…
10. Act 2. No. 18. Chorus. O Isis und Osiris
11. Act 2. No. 19. Trio Soll ich dich Teurer nicht mehr sehn?
12. Act 2. No. 20. Aria. Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen
13. Act 2. No. 21. Finale. Bald prangt, den Morgen zu verkünden
14. Act 2. No. 21. Finale. Der, welcher wandelt diese Straße voll Beschwerden
15. Act 2. No. 21. Finale. Papagena! Papagena! Papagena!
16. Act 2. No. 21. Finale. Pa-pa-gena!… Pa-pa-geno!
17. Act 2. No. 21. Finale. Nur stille! stille! stille!
18. Act 2. No. 21. Finale. Die Strahlen der Sonne

Klemperer brings light to every dark scene

This is one of my favorite recordings of the Magic Flute. I like the slower tempos that Otto Klemperer employs. It adds grandeur to the music. Walter Berry is a great Papageno and proves his comic character, but tends grumble some of his roles. I wish the three boys were sung by boy trebles though. That would have made the recording more memorable. Gedda is still the Prince Tamino and is as good in this recording as he is on stage with his mellow voice. The duet with Papageno and Papagena would have sounded better at a faster pace. But the orchestration and rest of the cast are magnificent and creates the scenes of the opera very well. It also saves my review from falling one star below. I don’t mind if the spoken dialogue is omitted. If you want want this to be your first Magic Flute, go for it!