MOZART: THE MAGIC FLUTE & THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO - AMADEUS ENSEMBLE, JULIUS RUDEL

MAGIC FLUTE liner notes

This recording features Harmonie arrangements of two Mozart operas that, although written nearly a decade apart, were similar in many ways. The most obvious similarity is that both librettos were written in German, the language of the “people,” whereas Mozart’s other major operas are in Italian, the language of the Court. In addition, both operas blend the comic element of characters such as Papageno and Osmin with the cerebral profundity of characters Such as Sarastro and Pasha Selin. In this recording conductor Julius Rudel hae edited the 19th-century arrangements and on occasion added notes, contained in Mozart’s original operas which had been inexplicably left out. Thus, Die Zauberflöte is a cornbination of Mozart, Rudel, and the original arranger, Joseph Heidenreich, about whom very little is known other than that he lived from 1753 to 1821. From what can be reconstructed, Heidenreich wasted no time in taking advantage of Die Zauberflöte’s popularity; within four months of the opera’s premiere he was advertising the availability of the Harmonie arrangement of Mozart’s last opera. The arrangement of Die Entführung aus dem Serail is somewhat of a mystery. Even though Johann Nepomuk Wendt (who also arranged Le Nozze di Fígaro) is given credit for the Harmonie arrangement of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, there is reason to believe that the arrangement is actually by Mozart himself. On July 20, 1782, Mozart wrote to his father: “l am up to my eyes in work for I have to arrange my opera (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) for wind instruments.” Not unaware of the potential of such a work, Mozart went on to write: “If I don’t, someone else will anticipate me and gain the profits.” In any event, the resulting Harmonie arrangerment is most certainly among the finest of any opera arrangements, and it makes a delightfully entertaining eight-movement suite, a lovely arrangement of Mozart’s Turkish delight.