Great Recordings Of The Century - Mozart: Die Zauberflote / Karajan, Dermota, Seefried, Lipp, et al [Original recording remastered]

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer, Conductor), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra, Performer), Anton Dermota (Performer), Eleonore Dorpinghans (Performer), Sena Jurinac (Performer), Peter Klein (Performer), Erich Kunz (Performer), Wilma Lipp (Performer), George London (Performer), Emmy Loose (Performer), Erich Majkut (Performer), Ljubomir Pantscheff (Performer), Harald Proglhoff (Performer), Friedl Riegler (Performer), Irmgard Seefried (Performer), Hermine Steinmassl (Performer), Annelies Stuckl (Performer), Ludwig Weber (Performer), Else Schurhoff (Performer, Orchestra), Herbert von Karajan (Artist), Irmgard Seefried (Artist), Anton Dermota (Artist), Erich Kunz (Artist), Emmy Loose (Artist), Ludwig Weber (Artist), Wilma Lipp (Artist), George London (Artist), Peter Klein (Artist), Sena Jurinac (Artist), Friedl Riegler (Artist), Else Schurhoff (Artist), Hermine Steinmassl (Artist), Eleonore Dorpinghans (Artist), Annelies Stuckl (Artist), Erich Majkut (Artist), Harald Proglhof (Artist), Vienna Philharmonic (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Anton Dermota, Eleonore Dorpinghans, Sena Jurinac, Peter Klein, et al.
• Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Else Schurhoff
• Conductor: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Audio CD (September 21, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B00000K4GC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,384 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Flute, October 1, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Great Recordings Of The Century - Mozart: Die Zauberflote / Karajan, Dermota, Seefried, Lipp, et al (Audio CD)

Fabulous early von Karajan. It seems as if the singers have taken first prize on this recording; not that the orchestra isn't good, but I think that if you love singers and singing you should really have this one in your collection. NOTE: there is no spoken dialogue here. (Good!) (Well, that's just how I feel.) The recording itself is darn good considering its age. It doesn't really take away from the listening pleasure. I have several Magic Flutes, and I return to this one often. And yes, Der Holle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen is sung superbly. So if you want "an old one" and also "a new one," this should be the old one. Great!

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Gold!, April 28, 2003

By 

Haas "haasenpfeffer" (Brooklyn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Recordings Of The Century - Mozart: Die Zauberflote / Karajan, Dermota, Seefried, Lipp, et al (Audio CD)

There's nothing quite like the conducting of the young Herbert von Karajan. Listening to his early '50s Mozart recordings is like tasting fine vintage wine. Under Legge, he directed a handful of exceptional recordings (FLUTE, FIGARO, COSI, all four Horn Concertos with Dennis Brain, etc.). It is a pity that this sense of joy and spontaneity, preserved here, eluded him later on in his career. Admittedly, I didn't care for this set at first; now I couldn't live without it. I believe any serious collector should own this beautiful, idiomatic, endlessly insightful version.

If classic singing is involved -- especially Mozart singing -- I could usually care less about sound. Unfortunately, the mono transfer greatly hinders this 1950 recording. Sound-wise, it's no competition for, say, Bohm's later recording on DG, but Karajan's theatrical vibrance shines through: he brings out the warmth, charm and nobility of this great opera like none other, and the singing is miraculous.

Anton Dermota is an inspired Tamino, my personal favorite on disc. Overall he's probably second to Wunderlich (for Bohm), who is the best sung Tamino anywhere. It's all a matter of taste, but I think Dermota really understands this young, sometimes reluctant character, and the acting is quite effective; his ear for German is much better than his Italian (e.g. Don Ottavio), and since Tamino is an outsider in this tale, I quite enjoy his "foreign"-sounding Eastern European dialect.

Several Paminas may surpass Irmgard Seefried vocally (e.g. Gundula Janowitz for Klemperer), but none give such a tender reading of the text. Her brief "Die Wahrheit!" in Act One is deeply personal, adding so much dimension to Pamina in only a few bars of music. Seefried is never emotionally uninvolved, and makes this recording something extra special. Wilma Lipp, however, delivers a mostly "concert" version of the Queen's arias, and I really don't care. There is a frightful misconception that the Queen of the Night is the most important character in the opera anyway. Still, one of two fine performances should be supplemented: Rita Streich (for Fricsay) or the beguiling Lucia Popp (for Klemperer).

As Papageno, Erich Kunz gives a benchmark performance. He brings a clear sense of point-of-view and dramatic event, as well as brilliantly understated comic timing. His near suicide attempt (with the entry of the three boys) is unspeakably good on this recording -- far and away the best recorded version until Solti's (with REAL boys), and still the most insightful anywhere.

Ludwig Weber's "In diesen heil'gen Hallen" is the highlight of this entire Karajan recording. Luscious. His "Isis und Osiris" is sliiightly less involved, but still marvelous. I tend to enjoy a faster tempo (e.g. Bohm's) regardless.

The ensemble work here is the best of any recorded version. The quintets, "Hm, Hm, Hm" and "Wie? Wie? Wie?", may be in fact the best ensemble singing I have ever heard. As mentioned before, The Three Boys were truly unrivaled until Solti and Ostman (many, many years later), and still possess a dreamy, other-world quality that is most satisfying. Truly magnificent.

Unfortunately there's no spoken dialogue. A pity, especially for Kunz fans. Still. Who listens to these operas for the dialogue? Okay: MORE THAN ONCE? WHO CARES? Though flawed by puny mono sound and lack of spoken dialogue (if that matters), this is a LUMINOUS performance featuring virtuosic Mozartian singing and inspired conducting. A personal favorite.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magical performance, even without dialogue and stereo, August 21, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (Cambridge, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Recordings Of The Century - Mozart: Die Zauberflote / Karajan, Dermota, Seefried, Lipp, et al (Audio CD)

This recording of Mozart's masterpiece was made in 1950 in mono sound. It also follows the common practice at that time of recording the music only, omitting the dramatically essential dialogue. This cripples the recordings following this practice (which include Beecham, this Karajan and the mid 60's Klemperer). This recording, however, puts all other Magic Flutes in the shade. It must be heard.

The young Karajan was a superb Mozartian. On this recording, he is totally unmannered and chooses excellent tempi. The Vienna Philhamonic is a wonderful orchestra, though not quite as good as Karajan's late 50's-late 80's Berlin Philharmonic, and the Staatskapelle Dresden is right up there as well. The Viennese are inspired here, however, and play gorgeously. The cast, which could be found at the Vienna State Opera on a night from this time period, includes the finest Tamino and Pamina on any recording: Anton Dermota and Irmgard Seefried, surpassing even Wunderlich (for Böhm) and Janowitz (for Klemperer). Listen to the trial scene and you'll see what I mean. Erich Kunz is an endearing Papageno, though not quite in the Fischer-Dieskau league; Wilma Lipp tosses off blazing coloratura, though she sounds as though she is singing a concert instead of characterizing an evil goddess. The vocal honors on this set, however, must go to Ludwig Weber as Sarastro. He sings with firm, dark tone, seamless legato, a deep understanding of the text, and a special resonance that not many basses have. Sena Jurinac is luxuriously cast as the First Lady (far better than the awful Schwarzkopf on the vastly overrated Klemperer set). The remaining, supporting characters are excellently sung.

Even without dialogue, this recording creates a magical, mystical atmosphere which is not found on any other recording except Böhm's, which has inferior singers. If you must have dialogue and stereo, go for Böhm (on Deutsche Grammophon Originals 449 749-2). If you can tolerate 3 star sound (out of five), you can't go wrong with this miraculous set.