New-York tribune., 1909-07-18
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"a marvellous piece OF music Is consorted with
this oracular utterance. The words are set TO an
old German church melody-"Ach Gott voul Him
n1d sIeh darein"-around which the orchestral IN
strurasnts weave a contrapuntal web OF wondrous
beauty) At the gates Panina Joins her lover and
accompanies him his Journey. which Is happily
achieved with the help OF the nute- Meanvhile
Papageno is pardoned his loquaclty. but told tina.
he shall never feel the Joy OF the elect He thinks
he can make shift with pretty wife instead The
old woman OF the trial-chamber appears and dis
closes herself the charming, youthful Papasena-
but only for instant He calls after her in vain
and is about hang himself when the genil remind
him Of his magic bells He rings and sings; his
feathered mate comes to him Monostatos aids
the Queen Of Night and her companions in an as
seult upon the sanctuary; but storm confounds
them. and 6arastTo blesses tho union OF Tamino
and Pamina- amidst Joyful hymnins by the elect
An extraordinary hodgepodge truly. yet taken all
in all. effective stage piece Goethe was so i'm
pressed with the ingenuity shown by sehikaneder
in treating the device that he seriously
contemplated writing a second part the music Of
which was TO be composed by Wranitzky vno set
Gieseke's Cperatic version OF "Oberon.' German
critics and managers have depIored absurdIties
and contradictions. but have found no way to
obviate them which said TO be generally
acceptable. The buffooneries cannot be separated
from the submities without disrupting the plece,
can its doggsrel be turned into dignIhed verse
II were best. fancy. tat managers should treat
the oper. and audiences receive Il a sort OF
Christmas pantorlime which Mozart has glorihed
by his music The tendency OF German critics has
been TO view IL with too much seriousness II 10
difficult TO avoid this while Is under the magic
spell OF It's music but the only way TO become
reconciled TO II reflection is take u as tho
story OF its creation shows that its creators in
tended IL TO be taken namely. piece designed
TO suit the tastes OF the uncultvated and careless
massesS This will explain the singular sacrifice OF
principle which Mozart made In permitting q
n-ourtebank like schikaneder to pass Judgment on
duet should be composed nve times before
he would accept IT. and 10 suggest melodies
for some OF the numbers. Jahn would have us be-
lIeve that Mozart concerned at the failure
of the first act to win applause the first per-
fcrmance that he came behind the scenes pale an
de ath to receive comfort and encouragement from
Schikaneder: I prefer to believe another story
which Is to the effect that Mozart almost died with
auEhing WHEN he found that the public went into
ecstasies his opera. Certain Il Is that his
pleasure in IL divided Schiksneder had told
him that he might occasionally the taste OF
connosseurs. and he did finding profound salts
faction In the music written for Sarastro and the
priests. and doubtless also in thu nne ensembles;
but the enthusiasm inspired by what ne knew 10
be concessions TO tho vulgar only excited hs hIIar
ity. The beautiful IN the Is amply explained
by Mozarts genius and his marvellous command
the technique OF composition. The dignity Of ths
simple idea Of celebration Of the mysteries Of isis
would have been enough without the composers
reverence for Freemasonry and Its principles, 10
inspire him for q great achievement when IL
cDne to providing setting for the scenes IN which
the priests figure The rest OF the music ne seems
to have written with little regard eonersney or
unity OF character. His sistar-in-lav bad voice