MOZART: The Magic Flute, Act I no.

4 (Queen of the Night), 5 (Quintet)

Background to opera in the Classical Period

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91)

.
Die Zauberflte (The Magic Flute)

Following the score

The score in the Anthology is a vocal score. It is playable on the piano, with the instruments
indicated on the score. The vocal parts are written out in full. Notice that there are no dynamics in
the vocal parts; this is usual for Mozart and the convention is that the singers take dynamics from
those given for the orchestra.

No. 4 Recitative and Aria: O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn

Plot information and text
This is the first appearance of the Queen of the Night, who appears in a great clap of thunder. She
expresses her grief at the loss of her daughter, Pamina, who has been abducted by the evil
Sarastro. She tells Tamino not to fear her but commands him to rescue her daughter. It is later in
the story that we find that it is the Queen, not Sarastro, who is evil but we can hear some of her
rage and anger in part of the music. Part of Mozarts genius is in the way his music shows the true
character of each person, regardless of the words they are using (almost as a sub-text).
The aria is in the style of late Italian Baroque opera seria, an outdated and frankly obsolete style by 1791. Characters
in Baroque opera were not realthey were stylized and artificial. Whats more, the Queen of the Night is the only
character in The Magic Flute who sings in Baroque-style recitative. Mozart makes clear through his musical setting
that the Queen is not honest and real the way Tamino is. Her story, as she relates it to Tamino, is overly
melodramatic, the emotions are performed instead of being sincere, and one can detect already in the music a
deception, an artifice.

The text is translated on page 474 of the Anthology.

Performing forces and their handling

Structure
The whole piece is an accompanied recitative, followed by an aria in 2 sections.
1-20
Opening section.
1-10

11-20

21-60
60-103

Tonality
Tonality in the Classical period is diatonic, outlined by functional harmony.
1-20

21-61

61-103

Texture

Melody

Harmony

Tempo, Rhythm and Metre

Word Setting

No. 5 Quintet: Hm! Hm! Hm! Hm!

Plot information and text
This follows on after the previous aria, with a little dialogue in between. Prince Tamino meets up
with three ladies, the servants of the Queen of the Night, and the comic character Papageno, the
bird catcher. At the start of the quintet, Papageno has his mouth padlocked, as he has lied about his
part in saving Tamino from a serpent (at the start of the opera). That is why he is humming at the
start of the piece.
The 3 ladies release Papageno from the padlock and give each of the men a gift to help them on
their journey to rescue Pamina; Tamino is given a magic flute, which will change the hearts of all
who hear it and will protect him. Papageno is given a set of bells, a magic glockenspiel, that will
give him protection, despite his protestations that he would really rather not be going at all.
Finally, the ladies give their 3rd gift; the adventurers will be guided by 3 spirits (usually played by 3
boys), who will show them the way.
This is an ensemble piece, a typical example of Mozarts ability to show different emotions and
thought processes during the same music; it is one of the innovations of Classical opera.
This piece reflects the importance of the number 3 in Masonic beliefs (3 sections, 3 gifts, 3 ladies,
3 spirits are mentioned).
The text is translated on page 474-7 of the Anthology.

Performing forces and their handling

Structure
There are 3 main sections, delineated by the change in dramatic situation or subject matter
of the libretto.
1-79

80-213

214-247

Tonality
1-78

80-213

214-247

Texture

Melody

Harmony

Tempo, Rhythm and Metre

Word Setting

Glossary
Allegro moderato
Andante maestoso
Appoggiatura
Aria
Coloratura
Conjunct
Da capo aria

Tempo indication of moderately fast.

Tempo indication of at a majestic walking pace.
Ornament consisting of an added note either 1 step higher (more usual) or
lower than the note which follows it. It is a dissonance which is resolved
when the note moves on to the correct harmony note.
Solo song in an opera or oratorio, accompanied by orchestra.
Elaborate decoration of a (usually vocal) melody, with lots of ornaments
and trills. Coloratura roles are mostly very technically challenging.
Description of music that moves by step.
Aria with an ABA form; the piece is written out with the term da capo at
the end, meaning go back to the beginning and play until the word fine.
The 2 different sections usually have different moods and very contrasting
music. This is most typical of Baroque opera.
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Homorhythm
Larghetto
Libretto
Melisma
Neapolitan 6th
Periodic phrasing
pizzicato
Recitative
Secco recitative
Singspiel
Sotto voce
Sturm und Drang

Syllabic
Tremolo
Triadic
Turn
Vernacular
Virtuoso
Vocal score

A texture where all parts share the same rhythm.

Tempo indication of somewhat slowly (not as slow as largo but slower
than andante.
The lyrics of an opera.
Word setting style with more than 1 note for a given syllable.
Chromatic chord consisting of a 1st inversion chord on the flattened
supertonic (2nd degree) of a scale.
Balanced (Q&A style) phrasing, associated most commonly with the
Classical period.
Technique where orchestral stringed instruments are plucked, rather than
played with a bow.
A rhythmically free vocal style, in which the rhythms of natural speech
are reflected and there is no sense of structure or strong melody.
Recitative accompanied only by continuo. Usually freer and less
expressive than an accompanied recitative.
A form of popular opera that combines arias, ensembles, choruses and
spoken dialogue, written in the vernacular (German). It was a considered
a middle-class, rather than an aristocratic, entertainment.
(Literally under the voice) A direction to sing quietly, in an undertone.
(Literally Storm and stress) A middle Classical period style of
symphonic music in which minor keys, syncopated rhythms and relatively
dissonant harmonies indicate unease or tension. Most typical in the
middle symphonies of Haydn.
Word-setting technique with 1 note per word/syllable.
Rapid repetition of a single note, or a pair of notes, on a stringed
instrument, giving a trembling effect.
Description of a melody that mostly uses the notes of a given triad.
Ornament consisting of 4 notes that are performed around the main note,
starting with the note above, then the main note, the note below and
finally the main note again. Sign is
.
The language of the audience for a musical work (e.g. German, when
composing in Germany, or English, for an English composer).
(Adj: virtuosic) Displaying outstanding technical ability. A virtuosic
passage will be extremely difficult.
A reduced score of an opera, where the vocal parts are shown in full but
the orchestral accompaniment parts are reduced so that they can be
played on the piano. It is the kind of score used in rehearsals and for study
purposes.

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Practice Exam Questions

There are two sections in the written exam for Component 3: Appraising Music. Your set works
will come up in both sections.
Section A set works questions (Q1-3) will require you to analyse selections of the set works in
detail and to know the details of the score and the musical analysis you have done. Practice
questions for this section of the exam will be done in class. They will include aural listening
questions with skeleton scores, short answer responses and multiple choice questions.
Section B questions on set works (Q6) will be worth 30 marks and will be in essay format. Note
the format of each question and the way that every question asks you to refer to other relevant
music in your answer.
Example questions for Section B (Q6):
1. Evaluate Mozarts use of melody, forces and rhythm in Die Zauberflte Act 1, No. 4, Recit
and Aria: O Zittre nich, mein lieber Sohn in relation to other operatic music of the
Classical period. Relate your discussion to other relevant works. These may include set
works, wider listening or other music. (30)
2. Evaluate the use of melody, vocal forces and structure in Die Zauberflte Act 1, No. 5,
Quintet: Hm! Hm! Hm! Hm! showing how these elements create a piece of dramatic
music. Relate your discussion to other relevant works. These may include set works, wider
listening or other music. (30)
3. Evaluate Mozarts use of rhythm, metre and sonority in the Quintet from Die Zauberflte,
in relation to other operatic vocal ensembles. Relate your discussion to other relevant
works. These may include set works, wider listening or other music. (30)
4. Evaluate Mozarts use of texture, melody and rhythm in Die Zauberflte Act 1, No. 5,
Quintet: Hm! Hm! Hm! Hm! in relation to other operatic works of the late Classical
period. Relate your discussion to other relevant works. These may include set works, wider
listening or other music. (30)
5. Evaluate Mozarts use of vocal writing, structure and melody in Die Zauberflte Act 1, No.
4, Recit and Aria: O Zittre nich, mein lieber Sohn in relation to other operatic arias of the
Classical period. Relate your discussion to other relevant works. These may include set
works, wider listening or other music. (30)

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