- Eckelmeyer, Judith A. “Structure as a Hermeneutic Guide to The Magic
Flute.” MQ72-1 (Spring 1986): 51–73.
Considers key progession in the overture as an intrinsic part of the opera. Tries
to align events to illustrate dialectic form; e.g., act 2 contains a clear synthesis
of thesis and antithesis sections. This idea is pressed into sonata-allegro form,
and a schematic table is worked out. Eckelmeyer gives some interesting binary
relations of plot, similar to those of Levarie in Figaro(#1322). - Batley, E. M. A Preface to “The Magic Flute.”London: Dennis Dobson, 1969.
175p. SBN 234-77205-0 [sic: an early form of ISBN]. ML410 .M95 B33.
Good background chapters on Viennese popular theater and the growth of
German Singspiel,with attention to Schikaneder’s role. Then a chapter on the
disputes over authorship of the libretto and a chapter on its unifying features.
Schikaneder’s shifting fortunes as a manager of the Freihaustheater (1789–
1801) and the Theater an der Wien (1801–1804; he was later assistant there
until 1806) are recounted. The authorship question turns on the claim of
Brigid Brophy (#1279) that the libretto was a collaboration with Karl Ludwig
Giesecke—Brophy following Otto Jahn and Edward Dent in this matter. Bat-
ley disputes the claim, bringing forth the two Schikaneder biographers, both
asserting sole authorship for him, and also on the grounds of Giesecke’s lack of
requisite talent—his art being one of plagiarism only. Getting into the plot,
Batley deals exhaustively with the problematic characters of the Queen of the
Night and Sarastro, who appear to undergo transformations. He says the
queen is “dual, but not contradictory”: she is a widow and mother “on the
human plane” but also self-centered and neglectful of maternal duties. Her
good qualities are steadily diminished until her only function is to symbolize
darkness and evil. Sarastro’s bad side is exhibited early on (he is a kidnapper,
after all), but he comes to symbolize honor and truth.- Freyhan, Michael. “Toward the Original Text of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte.”
JAMS39 (1986): 355–380.
In 1814 publisher Simrock “rejected the autograph version in common use in
favor of another text. That manuscript source came from Konstanze, who had
it available only 23 days before her husband’s death.” Quality is arguably
superior to that of the autograph, and Simrock used it until 1862. Contempo-
rary sources are carefully examined from this perspective. - Chailley, Jacques. “La flute enchantée”: Opéra maçonnique.Paris: Robert
Laffort, 1968. 342p. Reprint, Paris: Éditions d’Aujourd’hui, 1975. ML410
.M8 C43.
An English translation, “The Magic Flute”: Masonic Opera, was made by
Herbert Weinstock (New York: Knopf, 1971). A long account of the libretto,
bringing out every possible Masonic symbol. Index of names, titles, and topics. - Bauman, Thomas. “At the North Gate: Instrumental Music in Die Zauber-
flöte.” InMozart’s Operas (#1276), 277–297.
256 Opera