Sunday Classics: "Good night, thou false world!" -- (final) exit Papageno?

"Good night, thou false world!"

PAPAGENO: Right, then, that's still how it is!
Since there is nothing holding me back,
good night, thou false world!

-- most of our Magic Flute translations by Robert A. Jordan

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (b), Papageno; Berlin Philharmonic, Karl Böhm, cond. DG, recorded June 1964

Or in English: "Fare thee well, thou world of pain!"

[in English] John Brownlee (b), Papageno; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Bruno Walter, cond. Live performance, Dec. 26, 1942

by Ken

We were just looking at Mozart's and Beethoven's exceptional use of minor keys for opening movements of symphonies and concertos, and one point I could have made more explicit is how frequently -- among these admittedly infrequent cases -- the "thematic" material that inspires such a plan is more "motivic" than really melodic -- think of Mozart's D minor Piano Concerto (No. 20) or of Beethoven's Fifth and Ninth Symphonies.

But of course the minor mode doesn't preclude great tunes, and I think that's what planted the thought of this great moment from The Magic Flute in my head. It's the moment when Papageno the lowly bird-catcher is driven by his loneliness to the ultimate despair, and I think the Fischer-Dieskau performance in particular makes it clear that Mozart plays this moment "for real." (Not to worry, we're going to hear the complete scene, er, eventually.)

As I suggested in Friday night's "double preview," "Enter the bird-catcher; exit Sir Colin Davis," we're focusing this week on Papageno, though as we often do, we're going to start with the Overture.


OUR THREE PRINCIPAL PAPAGENOS
AND THEIR DISTINGUISHED CONDUCTORS

Friday night, since we were also previewing future posts devoted to the late Colin Davis, we heard the Overture and Papageno's two treasured songs from Davis's 1984 Philps Magic Flute, and I mentioned that we had already heard the Overture. That happened in a March 2011 post in the "Remembering Margaret Price" series, "In search of Pamina in The Magic Flute," which featured a number of Pamina-centric excerpts focusing on the late Welsh soprano. I observed that Davis's Magic Flute is a pretty good performance but far from a great one. In the two songs, for example, you could hear that Davis didn't want to do them as mere burlesques, but there isn't much sense of what he wants to do them as.

Thanks to historic broadcasts and recordings, we're going to hear snatches of the Papagenos of such distinguished mid-20th-century baritones as Gehard Hüsch, Willi Domgraf-Fassbänder (yes, the father of the eminent mezzo Brigitte Fassbaender, whom we heard as Wolfram in Wagner's Tannhäuser), Karl Schmitt-Walter, and the still vocally vital Alfred Poell. But we're going to focus on three very different eminent baritones of the later 20th century, in important recordings of The Magic Flute made in the five year period 1964-69.

Walter Berry and Hermann Prey both sang Papageno a fair amount; Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau recorded the role twice but never sang it onstage -- he explained once that at his six-foot-plus height he thought he would look ridiculous as the bird-catcher. Prey's hammy play-to-the-crowd style is apparently sharply tempered by his conductor, Georg Solti. It's a curious fact, by the way, that one of Solti's early experiences was assisting Arturo Toscanini with his late-'30s Salzburg productions of The Magic Flute and Verdi's Falstaff; it could be just a coincidence, but he retained a close involvement with and deep feeling for both of these operas throughout his long career.

The folksiness of Berry's Papageno is also held in check by his conductor, Otto Klemperer, at this late stage in his life making only his second opera recording, folowing the Fidelio that he clearly felt had been hijacked by EMI producer Walter Legge. Klemperer famously set the condition that Legge couldn't particpate in the Magic Flute rehearsals, and Legge declared sniffily that under such circumstances he couldn't possibly produce the recording, and whatever reservations one may have about his remaining EMI opera (and non-opera) recordings, they clearly reflect his musical wishes in a way that the Legge-produced recordings don't necessasrily.

Finally, we have the glorious Böhm-DG Magic Flute, one of my favorite recordings, in which just about everything came together splendidly -- not least Fischer-Dieskau's Papageno, surely one of his most treasurable recordings. The voice is in great shape, and the artistic command is rich and deep.


ONE CURIOUS SIDELIGHT REGARDING
FISCHER-DIESKAU'S PAPAGENO WITH BÖHM

In High Fidelity Conrad L. Osborne took notice of the "otherworldly" experience of reviewing it in quick succession with his Gunther in the now-legendary Solti-conducted first-ever studio recording of the culmination of Wagner's Ring cycle, Götterduammerung. Since we can, we're going to listen to a snatch of the latter.

We pick up just after the ecstatic climax of the Brünnhilde-Siegfried Prologue duet, with the whole of "Siegfried's Rhine Journey" (our tracks 1-2), which transitions us musically to the opening of Act I (our track 3), where we meet the rather dim king and queen of the Gibichungs, Gunther and his sister Gutrune, in the company of their chilling half-brother, Hagen. (I'm sorry to say that given Gutrune's tendency not to be terribly chatty, it's awhile before she opens her mouth and in our tiny excerpt we won't be hearing her.)

WAGNER: Götterdämmerung: Prologue: "Siegfried's Rhine Journey"; and opening of Act I

Orchestral Interlude: Siegfried's Rhine Journey

Act I

The hall of the Gibichungs by the Rhine. This is open at the back, and a stretch of shore can be seen leading down to the river. GUNTHER and GUTRUNE are seated on a throne to one side, before which is a table with drinking vessels. HAGEN is sitting on the other side of the table.

GUNTHER: Now hearken, Hagen,
tell me, hero,
is my standing on the Rhine
worthy of the fame of the Gibichungs?
HAGEN: You, the true-born,
I esteem and envy;
she who bore us brothers,
Lady Grimhild' taught me your worth.
GUNTHER: I envy you;
you need not envy me.
As the first-born I inherited,
but wisdom came to you alone;
dissension between half-brothers
was never better overcome.
I speak but in praise of your counsel
when I ask you of my fame.
HAGEN: Then I must chide my counsel,
since your fame is still poor;
for I know of rarer goods
that the Gibichung has not yet won.
GUNTHER: If you keep them secret,
I will chide you too.
HAGEN: In the ripe strength of summer
I see the house of Gibich,
you, Gunther, still unmarried,
you, Gutrun', without a husband.

-- English translation by G. M. Holland

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (b), Gunther; Gottlob Frick (bs), Hagen; Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti, cond. Decca, recorded May-Nov. 1964

GETTING BACK TO THE MAGIC FLUTE, WE HEAR
THE OVERTURE FROM OUR "KEY" RECORDINGS

The leap between Karl Böhm's agreeable earlier Decca Magic Flute and this glorious 1964 one is startling. There are also countless broadcast performances, and we're going to hear a bit of a 1941 one. In the case of Sir Georg Solti, although we'll be hearing a snatch of his fine later Magic Flute, a more streamlined performance with a more homogeneous cast, otherwise we're going to be hearing the really lovely 1969 recording, with its peculiarly assorted cast, in which everyone has genuine credentials for his/her role but they're such a strange mix that you wouldn't necessarily expect to encounter any two of them in the same performance.

MOZART: The Magic Flute, K. 620: Overture

Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti, cond. Decca, recorded 1969

Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, cond. EMI, recorded Mar.-Apr. 1964

Berlin Philharmonic, Karl Böhm, cond. DG, recorded June 1964


LET'S LISTEN AGAIN TO PAPAGENO'S TWO FOLKLIKE
SONGS, AND TO THE DUET WITH PAMINA IN BETWEEN

In ancient Egypt, Tamino, a prince from a distant land, . . .

is thrown together with the humble bird-catcher Papageno on a mission to rescue Pamina, the daughter of the Star-Flaming Queen of the Night, from the clutches of the evil Sarastro.

At curtain rise, Tamino is in flight from a giant serpent. He faints just before the serpent strikes, and at the same moment the Three Ladies of the Queen of the Night appear and smite the serpent. It's at this point that the Papageno wanders in, with a supply of bird to sell to the Three Ladies.

The Magic Flute, K. 620: Act I, Song, Papageno,
"Der Vogelfänger bin ich, ja" ("The bird-catcher, thats me!")

During the introduction PAPAGENO comes down a path, carrying on his back a large bird cage containing various birds. He holds a panpipe in both hands.

PAPAGENO: The bird-catcher, that's me,
always cheerful, hip hooray!
As a bird-catcher I'm known
to young and old throughout the land.
I know how to set about luring
and how to be good at piping.
That's why I can be merry and cheerful,
for all the birds are surely mine.

The bird-catcher, that's me,
always cheerful, hip hooray!
As a bird-catcher I'm known
to young and old throughout the land.
I'd like a net for girls.
I'd catch them by the dozen for myself!
Then I'd lock them up with me,
and all the girls would be mine!

If all the girls were mine,
I'd barter plenty of sugar:
the one I like best,
I'd give her the sugar at once.
And if she kissed me tenderly then,
she would be my wife and I her husband.
She'd fall asleep at my side,
and I'd rock her like a child.

Gerhard Hüsch (b), Papageno; Berlin Philharmonic, Sir Thomas Beecham, cond. EMI, recorded Feb.-Mar. 1938

Hermann Prey (b), Papageno; Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti, cond. Decca, recorded 1969

Walter Berry (bs-b), Papageno; Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, cond. EMI, recorded Mar.-Apr. 1964

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (b), Papageno; Berlin Philharmonic, Karl Böhm, cond. DG, recorded June 1964


Tamino and Papageno arrive in Sarastro's realm . . .

and are startled to find that it's the Temple of Wisdom. Papageno actually finds Pamina, who commiserates with him over his singleness and assures him that he will find a companion.

The Magic Flute, K. 620: Act I, Duet, Pamina-Papageno,
"Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen" ("In men who feel love")

PAMINA: In men who feel love,
a good heart, too, is never lacking.
PAPAGENO: Sharing these sweet urges
is then women's first duty.
PAMINA and PAPAGENO: We want to enjoy love;
it is through love alone that we live.
PAMINA: Love sweetens every sorrow;
every creature pays homage to it.
PAPAGENO: It gives relish to the days of our life,
it acts in the cycle of nature.
PAMINA and PAPAGENO: Its high purpose clearly proclaims:
there is nothing nobler than woman and man.
Man and woman, and woman and man,
reach towards the deity.

Maria Reining (s), Pamina; Alfred Poell (b), Papageno; Vienna Philharmonic, Karl Böhm, cond. Recorded live at the Salzburg Festival, Aug. 2, 1941

Pilar Lorengar (s), Pamina; Hermann Prey (b), Papageno; Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti, cond. Decca, recorded 1969

Gundula Janowitz (s), Pamina; Walter Berry (bs-b), Papageno; Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, cond. EMI, recorded Mar.-Apr. 1964

Evelyn Lear (s), Pamina; Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (b), Papageno; Berlin Philharmonic, Karl Böhm, cond. DG, recorded June 1964


In Act II, Tamino and Pamina begin to undergo . . .

a series of trials to test their worthiness for a higher consciousness. Papageno, never cut out for higher consciousness, stresses that he aspires to no higher goal than a wife to be his life companion.

The Magic Flute, K. 620: Act II, Song, Papageno,
"Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen" ("A girl or a little wife")

PAPAGENO: A girl or a little wife
is what Papageno desires.
Oh, a sweet little dove like that
would be bliss for me!
Then I should eat and drink with relish,
then I could hold my own with princes,
enjoy life in my wisdom,
and be as if in Elysium.

A girl or a little wife
is what Papageno desires.
Oh, a sweet little dove like that
would be bliss for me!
Ah, can't I find one then, amongst all
the lovely girls, who would love me?
Let just one help me out of my misery,
or I shall truly die of grief.

A girl or a little wife
is what Papageno desires.
Oh, a sweet little dove like that
would be bliss for me!
If no one will offer me love,
then the fire must consume me,
but if a woman's lips kiss me,
I shall be well again straightaway!

Gerhard Hüsch (b), Papageno; Berlin Philharmonic, Sir Thomas Beecham, cond. EMI, recorded Nov. 8-15, 1937

Hermann Prey (b), Papageno; Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti, cond. Decca, recorded 1969

Walter Berry (bs-b), Papageno; Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, cond. EMI, recorded Mar.-Apr. 1964

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (b), Papageno; Berlin Philharmonic, Karl Böhm, cond. DG, recorded June 1964


In the course of his wanderings, Papageno . . .

meets a young woman who would be his ideal mate, but is told that he is as yet unworthy of her. With no signs of approaching worthiness, he's finally ready to succumb to despair, intending to use a rope to put himself out of his misery. Which brings us to --

WHICH BRINGS US (FINALLY) TO OUR
GOAL: PAPAGENO'S SUICIDE SCENE

In the first part of the scene . . .

Papageno measures his desperation level and declares himself unwilling to continue this existence. However, he declares, if there is a woman prepared to look kindly upon him, he will spare himself. He gives his unknown rescuer a count of three, which he proceeds to execute with as much drawing out as he can muster. Tradition has allowed Papagenos to really stretch the count out by adding fractions ("two and a half") and units of time ("half past two," "quarter of three," "five minutes to three").

Eventually it's impossible to draw out the three count any longer, and Papageno, reaching bottom, sings the despairing lines we heard at the top of the post.

The Magic Flute, K. 620: Act II, Papageno's Suicide Scene, part 1

A garden. PAPAGENO enters.

PAPAGENO: Papagena! Papagena! Papagena!
Little wife! Little dove! My pretty!
No use! Ah, she is lost!
I was born for misfortune.
I have been chattering, and that was wrong,
and so I am getting my desserts.
Ever since I tasted that wine . . .
since I saw the pretty little woman,
my little heart has been burning,
with twinges here, twinges there.
Papagena, little wife of my heart!
Papagena, dear little dove!
It's no good, it is useless!
I've had enough of my life!
Death puts an end to love,
however much my heart is on fire.
[He takes a rope.]
I will grace that tree there,
tie my neck to it,
because life is not to my liking.
Good night, thou black world!
Because you treat me ill,
sending me no pretty child,
it's all over; I shall die.
Pretty girls, think of me.
If in my misery one of you will
yet take pity on me before I hang,
well and good, this time I'll leave it at that!
Just call yes or no!
No one hears me; everything is quiet!
So is it your will?
Papageno up there smartly!
Ende your life's course!
Now I'll still wait, let's say
until once counts one, two, three
[Pipes.] One.
[Pipes slower.] Two.
[Pipes still slower.] Three.
Right, then, that's still how it is!
Since there is nothing holding me back,
good night, thou false world!
[He goes to hang himself.]

Karl Schmitt-Walter (b), Papageno; Stuttgart Radio Orchestra, Joseph Keilberth, cond. Broadcast performance, December 1937

Thomas Allen (b), Papageno; Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras, cond. Telarc, recorded July 13-22, 1991


In the next part of the scene . . .

At the last moment, the Three Boys who have served as Tamino's and Papageno's guides on their journey stay his hand, and remind him about the magic bells with which he was equipped by the Three Ladies of the Queen. He chides himself for forgetting about the bells.

We're going to backtrack to Papageno's "one-two-three" countdown. (Note that in the Toscanini-Salzburg performance, that is presumably the young Georg Solti -- who conducts our later performance -- playing the glockenspiel.)

The Magic Flute, K. 620: Act II, Papageno's Suicide Scene, part 2

[Pipes.] One.
[Pipes slower.] Two.
[Pipes still slower.] Three.
Right, then, that's still how it is!
Since there is nothing holding me back,
good night, thou false world!
[He goes to hang himself.]
THE THREE BOYS [descending from above]:
Stop, Papageno, and be smart!
One lives only once; let this one be enough for you!
PAPAGENO: It's easy for you to talk; it's easy to jest.
Yet if your hearts burned like mine,
you too would go after girls.
THE THREE BOYS: Then play your little bells;
this will bring your little wife to you.
PAPAGENO: I'm a fool to have forgotten those pieces of magic.
[Takes out his glockenspiel.]
Ring, chimes, ring!
I must see my darling girl!
[The Three Boys fetch PAPAGENA.]
Tinkle, little bells, tinkle!
Bring my little wife here!
THE THREE BOYS [as they fly up]:
Now, Papageno, look around you.

Willi-Domgraf-Fassbänder (b), Papageno; Regensburg Cathedral Choirboys, Three Boys; Vienna Philharmonic, Arturo Toscanini, cond. Recorded live at the Salzburg Festival, July 30, 1937

Michael Kraus (b), Papageno; Michael Rausch, Markus Leitner, and Wolfgang Schmidt (trebles), Three Boys; Vienna Philharmonic, Sir Georg Solti, cond. Decca, recorded May and Dec. 1990


In the final part of the scene . . .

The bells, working their magic, restore Papagena to Papageno.

The Magic Flute, K. 620: Act II, Papageno and Papagena are united

We're going to dispense with line-by-line translation here, as the happy couple register their astonishment and delight at being finally reunited and look ahead to their future happiness and to the eventual coming of "a little Papageno" and "a little Papagena" and another and another . . . .

Erich Kunz (b), Papageno; Emmy Loose (s), Papagena; Vienna Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, cond. EMI, recorded November 1950

Christian Boesch (b), Papageno; Elizabeth Kales (s), Papagena; Vienna Philharmonic, James Levine, cond. RCA-BMG, recorded Sept. 1-4, 1980

THE COMPLETE "SUICIDE" SCENE

I thought we would add to our "key" recordings the English-language broadcast performance from which we heard a snatch at the top of this post -- with the crucial stipulation that our Papageno, John Brownless, is emphatically not one of my favorite singers. (Hey, I could have made you listen to him a decade later, which would be even less fun.)

The Magic Flute, K. 620: Act II, Papageno's Suicide Scene, "Papagena! Papagena! Papagena!"

[in English] John Brownlee (b), Papageno; Marita Farell (s), Helen Olheim (ms), and Mona Paulee (ms), Three Boys; Lillian Raymondi (s), Papagena; Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Bruno Walter, cond. Live performance, Dec. 26, 1942

Hermann Prey (b), Papageno; members of the Vienna Choirboys, Three Boys; Renate Holm (s), Papagena; Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti, cond. Decca, recorded 1969

Walter Berry (bs-b), Papageno; Agnes Giebel (s), Anna Reynolds (ms), and Josephine Veasey (ms), Three Boys; Ruth-Margret Pütz (s), Papagena; Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, cond. EMI, recorded Mar.-Apr. 1964

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (b), Papageno; Rosl Schwaiger (s), Antonia Fahberg (ms), and Raili Kostia (ms), Three Boys; Lisa Otto (s), Papagena; Berlin Philharmonic, Karl Böhm, cond. DG, recorded June 1964

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