Life of Mozart

" KASPAR DER FAGOTTIST. 3O9supper by the magic instruments, and Armidoro possesses himself of thetaUsman which makes the spirits subject to him. Perifirime appears,punishes Bosphoro, and carries the lovers back to her palace.Apart from Kaspar's broad jokes, the opera is not wantingin effective situations, both dramatic and comic, and nowand then the music takes a more ambitious flight. Thus,the opera opens with a grand hunting chorus, and the firstact closes with the sprites tormenting the followers of thePrince, who are in search of him ; the spinning song, theboat scene with the storm, and the sprites playing at ballwith Zumio, all form good musical situations. The composerrises above the level of the librettist. In some ofthe songs and dances he has caught the popular tone verywell, but has failed in the fresh humour which he elsewheredisplays. In spite of all defects, or rather in great measurebecause of them, the opera, the music, and the mise en scenecompletely hit the popular taste, and 125 representationstook place in the course of a very few years. As a consequenceof this success there appeared in 1792 " Pizichi," orthe continuation of " Kaspar der Fagottist," by Perinet andWenzel Müller, which had an equally brilliant reception,and was dedicated by the author *' To the illustrious public,as a token of gratitude." Schikaneder could not hope torival such a success as this with an opera on the samesubject. He resolved therefore to transform the piece asmuch as possible, while utilising what had already beendone on it, and to turn the wicked magician into a noblephilosopher who wins Tamino to be his disciple, guides himto higher wisdom and virtue, and rewards him with the handof Pamina. The idea was capable also of being turned toaccount in the interests of Freemasonry. The change in thepolitical views of the government under Leopold 11/ hadbeen unfavourable to Freemasonry, which began to be regardedwith much distrust as the organ of political andreligious liberalism. A glorification of the order upon thestage, by a performance which would place its symbolical\ceremonies in a favourable light and justify its moral tenjdency,would be sure to be well received as a liberal party'demonstration compromising neither the order as a body nor