Die Zauberflöte, KV 620 - Popular Excerpts for Violin and Viola by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart String Duet - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1710902

One notable arrangement of Die Zauberflöte is Franz Ignaz Danzi’s (1763–1826) string quartet of 17 numbers. Inspired by this, we created a new version for violin and viola duet. Though a duet has fewer voices, we believed it could still work. Our idea came from rehearsal experience: while practicing a Mozart quartet, we once played only the inner voices—second violin and viola—and the music was already satisfying. Mozart’s inner lines are so strong that even two parts can form convincing music. Thus, with careful selection, an opera score can be reduced to two instruments.
Other arrangements exist, such as Gerhard Braun’s version for two flutes (Universal Edition, U.E. 15966), which freely adapts Mozart’s melodies. Our principle, however, was “use the original notes as much as possible.” Changes are limited to occasional cuts and chord adjustments. Unlike Danzi’s quartet, which mostly draws on the string parts, our version takes material from strings, winds, solos, and chorus. For instance, the violin may play an oboe line while the viola covers cello and viola; at other times, the violin carries the vocal solo while the viola supports with inner strings.
We arranged the following 15 numbers (act and scene in parentheses):
I-1. Introduktion – Opening 17 measures for orchestra.
I-2. Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja – Papageno appears with his cheerful aria.
I-15. Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton – Tamino plays the magic flute; animals gather.
I-17. Das klinget so herrlich – Papageno’s bells enchant Monostatos’s men; march and chorus follow.
II-1. Marcia der Priester – Entrance of Sarastro and the priests.
II-5. Wie? wie? wie? – Tamino and Papageno endure the trial of silence against the three ladies.
II-7. Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden – Monostatos laments his ugliness.
II-8. Der Hölle Rache – The Queen of the Night gives Pamina a dagger to kill Sarastro.
II-18. Ach, ich fühl’s – Pamina despairs when Tamino will not answer her.
II-23. Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen – Papageno longs for a gentle companion.
II-29. Papagena! Papagena! Weibchen! Täubchen! – He despairs when Papagena is taken away.
II-29. Klinget, Glöckchen, klinget! – Three boys rescue him and restore Papagena.
II-29. Pa-Pa-Pa-Papageno – The joyful duet of Papageno and Papagena.
II-30. Nur stille! stille! – The Queen and Monostatos are defeated by storm.
II-30. Heil sei euch Geweihten – In sunlight, all praise Isis and Osiris as the opera ends.