Customer Reviews

Mozart: Die Zauberflöte

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This digital DG recording of Mozart's comic masterpiece is truly an excellent recording, but one that has been sadly overlooked by many people who love to listen to recordings of the opera. The strong cast shows singers like Jose van Dam (as a dark and firm Sarastro) and Edith Mathis (as a sweet-toned Pamina) on top form and in their element when they sing their roles. Francisco Araiza makes as lyrical a Tamino as Gottfried Hornik a light, if somewhat staid Papageno, and Karin Ott's Queen of the Night could do with just a little bit more power and weight. This recording shows that Karajan can be restrained when he chooses to, and it is definitely true here, since Karajan does not conduct this score with as teutonic a feel as he does with Beethoven and Wagner. Although the documentation and libretto are both top-notch, I feel that now with today's CD technology, the whole recording (including the dialogue) can fit onto a 2-CD set without trouble. DG should have reissued this recording in its twofer series, instead of the Fricsay version. This makes this set seem expensive, but this can be forgiven because it was released in the infancy of audio CD technology, when CDs could not take up as much music as today. Perhaps this can be corrected, but this will not stop people from really enjoying an overlooked Zauberflote, which shows Karajan's affinity with the music (this is his second recording.)

Somehow, this record entered the oblivion. It was the first digital recording ever released by DG and maybe the engineers were still learning the new technology. The recording suffers from low dynamic balance, but this have a good side effect of enhancing the subtleties of the pianissimos. The secret is not to listen to this recording loud. So why my 5 starts? Two words: Edith Mathis. Her legato on Pamina's second act aria deserves 5, 6, 7, 8, infinite starts. As for everybody else, it is a great cast. I own this CD for several years and it still amazes me.

There isn't really any reason to purchase this set unless you are a particular fan of one of the performers. There isn't a single performance that isn't bettered elsewhere, including the conducting - though Karajan isn't as wayward here as he could be. All in all, an average recording, certainly not woth the asking price. But I can't agree with the other reviewer about the Fricsay set; sure, it's old, but every role is done better than it's counterpart here - and the conducting is superior to Karajan's in every way. If you can live with the older mono sound, the Fricsay would be a much better buy.

I won't comment on the artistry, and will let others do that. I'll comment on the sound quality only.

I just resurrected my turntable, and this is about the third opera I've listened to on it since doing so. So, yes, I have the LP version which, consistent with the description here, says on the back that it's recorded in digital, making my discs, I suppose DDA or DAA. Anyway, in comparison to the other LP operas I've listened to since the resurrection, this one has a much better sound stage, and more full spectrum sound. Nevertheless, as I've been alternating parts of it with my Telarc CD set with Jerry Hadley (a local boy from here in Central Illinois and one of my favorite tenors before his untimely death), the DG LP set doesn't hold a candle to the Telarc CD set in terms of sound quality. The latter has much more full spectrum sound and a better sound stage.

I like going back through my old LPs but to me the sound quality is really disappointing and reminds me of the old Caruso recordings as portrayed in movies and on TV. I'm left to wonder how I ever listened to that stuff, but in those days that's all there was.

Since it was recorded digitally (and maybe even if it weren't), I suppose the DDD-CD recording of this would be better than my LP, but I'm not sure it's worth $50. It must be a fairly early DDD, which makes me a little leery about the sound quality even so.

I was looking this edition for many years in mexico and now i have it. thanks