UNSEALED

Music Composed by Richard Wagner
Adapted and Supervised by Erich Wolfgang Korngold

Williams Dieterle’s 1955 film biography was the last film to be scored by the great Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Though retired from film scoring since 1947, Dieterle coaxed the master composer into returning in order to adapt and supervise all of the film’s music. Korngold would be free to choose repertoire, artists, orchestra, chorus and the recording venue, and Korngold’s wishes in musical/dramatic matters were to be adhered to without any interference. So while the music is by Wagner, this is Korngold’s baby, through and through. And what a baby it is! Magic Fire is a thrilling tribute from one legendary composer to another. The soundtrack also exhibits Korngold’s utter mastery at the piano.

The film starred Alan Badel as Wagner, Carlos Thompson as Franz Liszt and also featured both Yvonne De Carlo and Peter Cushing. Even Korngold himself appeared, playing conductor Hans Richter.

The CD features the original extensive liner notes by George Korngold.

TRACK LISTING:
01. Main Title (Die Walküre, Act 3) (1:48)
02. The Meadow (1:17) (Rienzi, Rienzi’s Prayer and Overture)
03. Ocean Voyage and Paris (:55) (Der Fliegende Holländer, Overture and Daland’s Aria, Act 2)
04. Visit To Meyerbeer (:59) (Les Huguenotes, Page Boy’s Aria, Act 2)
05. Wagner Plays For Meyerbeer (1:36) (Der Fliegende Holländer, Overture) Erich Wolfgang Korngold, piano
06. Der Fliegende Holländer, Performance (3:36) (Opening, Ghost Chorus and Finale) Otto Edelman, bass-baritone / Leonie Rysanek, soprano
07. Revolution and Tale Of The Holy Grail (5:19) (Lohengrin, Prelude and Entr’Acte, Act 3) Hans Hopf, tenor
08. The Salon (1:38) (Die Walküre: Winterstürme, Act 1) Leonie Rysanek, soprano
09. Wagner Plays Tristan Und Isolde (3:17) (Prelude, Act 3) Erich Wolfgang Korngold, piano
10. Love Scene (2:37) (Dreams from the Wesendonk Lieder)
11. Tannhäuser, Paris Performance (3:19) (Overture and Venusberg Ballet, Act 1)
12. Tannhäuser (Continued) (1:31) (Sängerkrieg, Act 2) Otto Edelman, bass-baritone / Hans Hopf, tenor
13. Zürich (Tristan Und Isolde, Prelude to Act 2) (:41)
14. The Bedroom / The Messenger (1:27) (Tristan Und Isolde, Act 2 and Act 3)
15. Farewell (2:47) (Tristan Und Isolde, Act 2) Erich Wolfgang Korngold, piano
16. Arrival In Nürnberg (Die Meistersinger, Act 3) (:54)
17. Neuschwanstein (Die Meistersinger, Act 3) (1:30)
18. Wagner Plays Themes (Die Meistersinger), Vocal Rehearsal (1:45) (Preislied, Act 3) Erich Wolfgang Korngold, piano Otto Edelman, bass-baritone / Hans Hopf, tenor
19. Die Meistersinger, Performance (2:32) (Overture and Act 3)
20. The Warning (:52) (Der Ring Des Nibelungen, Curse, Fate and Death Motives)
21. Triebchen (Siegfried, Act 3 and Siegfried Idyll) (1:45)
22. Liszt And Cosima: Wagner Weds (1:22) (Die Walküre, Wotan’s Farewell, Act 3 and Lohengrin, Wedding March, Act 3)
23. Bayreuth (:32) (Die Götterdämmerung, Walhall Motive and Siegfried’s Rhinejourney)
24. Der Ring Des Nibelungen, Performance-Montage (5:06) Das Rheingold, Nibelheim, Scene 3, Spear Motive, Scene 4 — Otto Edelman, bass-baritone / The Rhinemaidens, Scene 4 / Die Wälkure, Ride Of The Valkyries, Act 3 — Leonie Rysanek, soprano / Siegfried, End Of Act 1 — Hans Hopf, tenor / Siegfried, Entr’Acte, Act 3 / Die Götterdämmerung, End of Act 3 — Leonie Rysanek, soprano
25. Venice, Wagner Plays Themes From Parsifal (2:41) (Parsifal Chimes, Bell Theme, Temptation Theme and Flower Maidens, End Of Act 3) Erich Wolfgang Korngold, piano
26. Wagner’s Death — Finale (1:07) (Parsifal, End Of Act 3)