''Thamos, King of Egypt'' (or ''King Thamos''; in German, ''Thamos, König in Ägypten'') is a
play
Play most commonly refers to:
* Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment
* Play (theatre), a work of drama
Play may refer also to:
Computers and technology
* Google Play, a digital content service
* Play Framework, a Java framework
* P ...
by , for which, between 1773 and 1780,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...
wrote
incidental music
Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, or some other presentation form that is not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as th ...
,
K. 345/336a, of an
opera
Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
tic character.
The autograph manuscript of the work is preserved in the
Berlin State Library
The Berlin State Library (; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany, and a property of the German public cultural organization the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation ().
Founded in ...
.
Early performances
It is not known for certain whether the music that Mozart composed was performed with the play during his lifetime. The play's première took place at the
Kärntnertortheater in
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
, probably on 4 April 1774, by which time two choruses had been written. Performances in
Salzburg
Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...
in 1776 and 1779-80 may have incorporated the orchestral interludes and the three choruses in their final form, respectively. The music was re-used in 1783 in a different play (set in India, not Egypt), ''Lanassa'', by Karl Martin Plümicke.
Roles
The only named role in Mozart's music is
Sethos Sethos is the name used in ancient Greek historiography for several Egyptian pharaohs:
*Seti I (1290–1279 BC), 19th dynasty
*Seti II (1200/1199–1194/1193), 19th dynasty
*Shebitku (714–705 BC), 25th dynasty
It may also refer to either of two t ...
, the high priest (
baritone
A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...
). There are parts for four other soloists (
soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...
,
alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: '' altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In four-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in ch ...
,
tenor
A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...
and
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Wood
* Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...
) and for a chorus of priests and priestesses.
Synopsis
Thamos has succeeded his father, Ramesses, as king of Egypt, but Ramesses had usurped the throne from the rightful king, Menes, who is now disguised as the high priest, Sethos. Thamos loves Sais, a priestess, but she is really Menes' daughter Tharsis, for whom the high priestess Mirza is plotting marriage to Pheron, a treacherous general. When Menes reveals his true identity, Pheron is struck by lightning and Mirza kills herself. Menes cedes his crown to Thamos and Tharsis as all ends happily.
Literary sources
King Thamos is an imaginary character, but it is likely his character was inspired by Thamus, mythical Pharaoh of Upper Egypt mentioned by Socrates in the Platonic dialogue Phaedrus.
Musical numbers
''Act 1''
*Chorus: "Schon weichet dir, Sonne" (Maestoso)
*Interlude (Maestoso-Allegro)
''Act 2''
*Interlude (Andante)
''Act 3''
*Interlude (Allegro)
''Act 4''
*Interlude (Allegro Vivace Assai)
''Act 5''
*Chorus and soloists: "Gottheit, über alle mächtig!" (Allegro Moderato)
*Chorus with solo for Sethos: "Ihr Kinder des Staubes, erzittert"
Recordings
The following list shows the discography of the work either in its entirety, with soloists, choir and orchestra, or shortened/cut versions:
*
Ruthilde Boesch,
Ilse Hollweg, Maria Nussbaumer-Knoflach,
Waldemar Kmentt
Waldemar Kmentt (Vienna, 2 February 1929 Vienna, 21 January 2015) was an Austrian operatic tenor, who was particularly associated with the German repertory, both opera and operetta.
Born in Vienna, Kmentt studied at the Vienna Music Academy, fi ...
,
Walter Berry,
Wiener Kammerchor,
Wiener Symphoniker conducted by
Bernhard Paumgartner
Bernhard Paumgartner (born 14 November 1887 in Vienna; died 27 July 1971 in Salzburg) was an Austrian conductor, composer and musicologist. He is most famous for being Herbert von Karajan's composition teacher at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, wher ...
(mono recording from 1955 for the ''Mozart Anniversary Edition'' on
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label founded by Netherlands, Dutch electronics company Philips and in 1999 was absorbed into Netherlands, Dutch-United States, American music corporation Universal Music Group. It was founded as Philips Phonograph ...
).
*
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
conducted by
Peter Maag
Ernst Peter Johannes Maag (10 May 1919 – 16 April 2001) was a Swiss conductor.
Early life
Peter Maag was born on 10 May 1919 in St. Gallen, Switzerland and died on 16 April 2001 in Verona, Italy.
His father, Otto, was a Lutheran minister, ...
(recording of the orchestral interludes only from 1968 on
Decca Records
Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...
).
* Charlotte Lehmann, Rose Scheible, Oly Pfaff,
Bruce Abel
Bruce Abel (25 July 1936 – 10 March 2021) was an American bass singer.
Biography
Abel studied singing at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City under Hans Heinz, where he excelled in studies of French art songs and German lieder. He wo ...
, Vokalensemble Heilbronn,
Württemberg Chamber Orchestra
Württemberg ( ; ) is a historical German territory roughly corresponding to the cultural and linguistic region of Swabia. The main town of the region is Stuttgart.
Together with Baden and Hohenzollern, two other historical territories, Württ ...
conducted by
Jörg Faerber (originally released on
Turnabout in 1977, then on the parent label
VOX).
* Karin Eickstaedt, Gisela Pohl,
Eberhard Büchner,
Theo Adam
Theo Adam (1 August 1926 – 10 January 2019) was a German operatic bass-baritone and bass singer who had an international career in opera, concert and recital from 1949. He was a member of the Staatsoper Dresden for his entire career, and s ...
,
Hermann Christian Polster
Hermann Christian Polster (born 8 April 1937) is a German opera singer (bass).
Life
Born in Leipzig, the son of the concert singer and singing teacher Fritz Polster, he received his first education from his father. He was a member of the Dresdne ...
, Solistenvereinigung des Berliner Rundfunks,
Staatskapelle Berlin
The Staatskapelle Berlin () is a German orchestra and the resident orchestra of the Berlin State Opera, Unter den Linden. The orchestra is one of the oldest in the world. Until the fall of the German Empire in 1918 the orchestra's name was , i.e ...
conducted by
Bernhard Klee
Bernhard Klee (born 19 April 1936) is a German conductor, originally from Schleiz, in Thuringia. He studied piano with Else Schmitz-Gohr. Trained as a member of the Thomanerchor, he has since conducted many of Europe's most prestigious orchestras ...
(recording of the complete incidental music from 1975 for Philips Records. Reissued in 1991 as part of Volume 25 of ''
The Complete Mozart Edition
''The Complete Mozart Edition '' is a 180-CD collection released in 1990–91 featuring all works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (known at the set's publication) assembled by Philips Classics Records to commemorate the bicentenary of the death of Moz ...
,'' it's regarded as the reference recording).
*
Thomas Thomaschke,
Janet Perry, Anne-Marie Mühle,
Marius van Altena,
Harry van der Kamp
Harry van der Kamp (born 1947 in Kampen) is a Dutch bass singer in opera and concert. Mostly active in Historically informed performance, he founded the Gesualdo Ensemble. He is also an academic voice teacher.
Singing career
Born in Kampen, va ...
,
Netherlands Chamber Choir,
Collegium Vocale (dir.
Philippe Herreweghe
Philippe Maria François Herreweghe, Knight Herreweghe (born 2 May 1947) is a Belgian conductor and choirmaster.
Herreweghe founded La Chapelle Royale and Collegium Vocale Gent and is renowned as a conductor, with a repertoire ranging from ...
),
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (, ) is a Dutch symphony orchestra, established in 1888 at the Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw (concert hall). It is considered one of the world's leading orchestras. It was known as the Concertgebouw Orchestra u ...
conducted by
Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt (6 December 1929 – 5 March 2016) was an Austrian conductor, known for his historically informed performances. He specialized in music of the Baroque period, but later extended his repertoire to include Classical ...
(1981 recording of the complete score on
Teldec
Teldec (Telefunken-Decca Schallplatten GmbH) is a German record label in Hamburg, Germany. Today the label is a property of Warner Music Group.
History
Teldec was a producer of (first) shellac and (later) vinyl records. The Teldec manufacturing ...
).
*
Robert Holl, Salzburger Kammerchor,
Mozarteum-Orchester Salzburg conducted by
Leopold Hager
Leopold Hager (born 6 October 1935, Salzburg) is an Austrian conductor known for his interpretations of works by the Viennese Classics (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert).
Hager studied piano, organ, harpsichord, conducting, and composition a ...
(1982 recording of a cut score on
Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...
).
*
Alastair Miles
Alastair Miles (born 11 July 1961, Harrow, England) is a British operatic and concert bass who has had an international career since the late 1980s.
Biography
Education
Alastair Miles was educated at The John Lyon School, Harrow, and subs ...
,
The Monteverdi Choir,
English Baroque Soloists
The English Baroque Soloists is a chamber orchestra playing on authentic performance, period instruments, formed in 1978 by English Conducting, conductor John Eliot Gardiner, Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Its repertoire comprises music from the early B ...
conducted by
Sir John Eliot Gardiner
Sir John Eliot Gardiner (born 20 April 1943) is an English conductor, particularly known for his performances of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, especially the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage of 2000, performing Bach's church cantatas in liturgica ...
(1993 recording of the complete score, including revised versions of Nos. 1, 6 and 7 from 1779–80, ergo making it the most complete and comprehensive recording of the work in its entirety).
See also
*
List of Mozart's operas
References
*Holden, Amanda (Ed.), ''The New Penguin Opera Guide'', New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001.
*Warrack, John and West, Ewan, ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera'' New York: OUP: 1992
External links
* ''Thamos König in Ägypten'', K. 345 (336a)
*
*
*(Konzertmitschnitt vom 26. Juni 2018, Festival Seine Musicale, Boulogne-Billancourt.)
{{Authority control
German plays
Operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
German-language operas
1779 operas
Incidental music
Operas
Operas set in ancient Egypt