E.W.Korngold Web site

Please let me know how and where I can fine Korngold's film MAGIC FIRE (Frauen um Richard Wagner) either in DVD or in Soundtrack(CD).


thank you
Petros Kalfas

The only soundtrack of this movie I am aware of is an out-of-print LP. It is very rare and usually highly sought after (e-bay has listed it a couple times and copies have fetched almost US$150 or US$200!)

To my knowledge the film has never been released on video (either tape or DVD).

Pity to hear about this... Can you verify perhaps wether the female roles of all wagner arias of this Soundtrack are sung by Leonie Rysanek. Thank you in advance

There are two soprano soloists on the album: Leonie Rysanek and Annelies Kupper. Hope that helps.

I have just become a member of the forum. I have the Magic Fire LP in my small collection of Korngolds works, I think it's had only one playing in its 20 year life and sat on a shelf ever since while I ruefully fritted my music attention on CD's. If there is any information anyone would like to know about it let me know, but in brief it was published in 1983 by Varese Sarabande. There are no inner notes although there is a long spiel on the back by George Korngold where he describes the making of the record along with a couple of photographs which seem to be connected with the production of Magic Fire. I may even burn a CD from it one day hopefully before my turntable expires.

Greetings!

The "Magic Fire" LP has been listed on eBay. Here is the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/MAGIC-FIRE-SOUND-TR ... dZViewItem

The auction ends Oct. 2, 2006.

Best regards,
Dennis

I'll be interested to see how much the Magic Fire LP sells for. My own copy is now back in the rack and I have been wearing out the CD in the car after I converted it from the LP about 3 weeks ago. Since it must be about 20 years since I last heard it I am quite suprised just how good it is although I am far from an expert on Wagner (or Korngold for that matter......)
It seems clear that certain pieces on the LP were curtailed quite drastically as a couple of the tracks fade quite abruptly (just as they were getting going too !) and that tends to spoil the piece for me.
The other thing that suprised me was the length of the recording, with side 1 running to over 28 minutes and side 2 just under 25 minutes.