24 ([return])
[ Goethe made the following announcement on the subject to Wranitzky (January 24, 1796): "The favour with which the 'Zauberflöte' has been received, and the difficulty of writing a piece which could compete with it, have suggested to me the idea of finding in itself the subject of a new work, so as to meet the preference of the public half way, as it were, and to simplify the performance of a new and complicated piece both to the actors and the theatrical management. I believe I shall best attain this object by writing a second part to the 'Zauberflöte' the characters are all familiar, both to the public and to the actors, and it will be possible, having the earlier piece before one, to heighten the climax of the situations and events without exaggerating them, and to give life and interest to the whole piece." He writes to Wranitzky, further, that it will please him to be associated with so talented a man, and that he has endeavoured to "open a wide field to the composer, and to touch upon every department of poetry, from the most elevated emotions to the lightest pleasantry" (Orpheus, 1841, p. 252. Cf. Briefw. zw. Schiller u. Goethe, 468. Briefw. m. Zelter, I., p. 16; II., pp. 93, 166).]
25 ([return])
[ Herder lays stress on the predominating idea of the struggle between light and darkness as a main reason for the great success of the "Zauberflöte" (Adrastea, II., p. 284).]
26 ([return])
[ Reichardt writes to Tieck (March 17, 1812): "Thus numberless mongrel and prodigious creations have taken form, round which music has been developed and almost perfected. Mozart's highest performances owe their existence to Schikaneder and Co. Without the 'Zauberflöte' and 'Don Juan,' one side of Mozart's genius would have remained unknown to us" (Briefe an L. Tieck, III., p. no).]
27 ([return])
[ An interpretation from the Masonic point of view is given by L. v. Batzko (Journ. d. Lux. u. d. Mod., 1794, p. 364). A ludicrous allusion to the Revolution was imputed to the "Zauberflöte" by a pamphlet, Geheime Gesch. d. Verschworungssy stems d. Jacobiner in d. österr. Staaten, 1795.]
28 ([return])
[ André has published the score of the overture, so that the alterations and additions can be recognised as such. The autograph of the opera is complete (N. Ztschr. fur Mus., XLV., p. 41).]