Chapter 1
The wacky world of a theatrical mashup
Chapter 2
Secret societies and coded symbols
Chapter 3
The extreme physics of the music
Chapter 4
A global legacy on stage and screen
YOUR GOAL
Master of Cracking the codes of Mozart's magic flute
Ch 3 · The extreme physics of the music
schopenhauer Physics of the Magic Flute
Vibrating fast, vibrating fast! Fourteen hundred times a second!
schopenhauer Mozart used a keyboard glockenspiel to simulate magic bells on stage.
schopenhauer Colorful illustrations contrast the high soprano notes with the deep bass
schopenhauer Josepha Hofer dramatically acts out the Queen of the Night's famous operatic rage.
BETA
schopenhauer Decode the musical clues to discover the magical story of Mozart's famous opera.
Fun Fact
High-speed vocal cords: During the Queen of the Night's highest notes, a singer's vocal cords vibrate over 1,000 times per second to produce the sound.
Glossary
flute (noun)
A woodwind instrument consisting of a tube with holes stopped by fingers or keys. In the 1791 opera, playing this instrument produces pure tones that soothe the listener's nervous system.
A woodwind instrument consisting of a tube with holes stopped by fingers or keys. In the 1791 opera, playing this instrument produces pure tones that soothe the listener's nervous system.
Quiz
What deep low note must the singer performing Sarastro reach in his sacred aria?
Quiz
What vocal range is required to sing the deep, low role of the high priest Sarastro?
Quiz
How many times per second do a soprano's vocal cords vibrate to hit the Queen of the Night's highest note?
Quiz
Which exceptionally high note must the soprano hit during the Queen of the Night's famous aria?
Quiz
Which of these musical styles describes the rapid, detached notes in the Queen of the Night's aria?
Quiz
What is the popular name of the Queen of the Night's incredibly difficult second-act aria?
Quiz
What rare instrument did Mozart use in the orchestra to represent Papageno's magic bells?