Liebe fuellen," which has
done good service for the church, and will be recognized in the
English hymn version, "Serene I laid me down." It leads up to the
finale, beginning, "Zum Ziehle fuehrt dich diese Bahn," and containing
a graceful melody for Tamino ("O dass ich doch im Stande waere"), and
another of the Viennese tunes, "Koennte jeder brave Mann,"--a duet for
Papageno and Pamina, with chorus.

The second act opens with a stately march and chorus by the priests,
leading up to Sarastro's first great aria ("O Isis und Osiris"), a
superb invocation in broad, flowing harmony, and the scene closes with
a strong duet by two priests ("Bewahret euch vor Weibertuecken.") The
third scene is a quintet for Papageno, Tamino, and the Queen's three
attendants ("Wie ihr an diesem Shreckensort?"), and is followed by a
sentimental aria by Monostatos ("Alles fuehlt der Liebe Freuden"). In
the next scene occurs the second and greatest aria of the Queen of
Night ("Der Hoelle Rache kocht"), which was specially written to show
off the bravura ability of the creator of the part, and has been the
despair of nearly all sopranos since her time. In striking contrast
with it comes the majestic aria for Sarastro in the next scene ("In
diesen heil'gen Hallen"), familiarly known on the concert-stage by its
English title, "In these sacred Halls," the successful performance of
which may well be the height of any basso's ambition. In the twelfth
scene there is a terzetto by the three boys ("Seid uns zum
zweitenmal"), and in the next scene a long and florid aria for Pamina
("Ach! ich fuehl's es ist verschwunden"), full of plaintive chords and
very sombre in color. The sixteenth scene contains another stately
chorus of priests ("O Isis und Osiris"), based upon a broad and
massive harmony, which is followed by a terzetto between Sarastro,
Pamina, and Tamino ("Soll ich dich, Theurer nicht mehr sehen?"). Once
more a concession to the buffoon occurs in a melody "Ein Maedchen oder
Weibchen," which would be commonplace but for Mozart's treatment of
the simple air. The finale begins with another terzetto for the three
boys ("Bald prangt, den Morgen zu verkuenden"). It may be termed a
finale of surprises, as it contains two numbers which are as far apart
in character as the poles,--the first, an old choral melody ("Der,
welcher wandelt diese Strasse"), the original being, "Christ, our
Lord, to Jordan came," set to an accompaniment, strengthened by the
tromb