It has never been finished off to rediscover magic Flute . To celebrate their ten years of existence, the four Zaïde reveal in their album Amadeus , a transcription of the unpublished opera by Mozart, composed for string quartet by an anonymous artist. Charlotte Maclet (first violin), Leslie Boulin Raulet (second violin), Juliette Salmona (cello) and Sarah Chenaf (viola), gives the opportunity to listen to the work of enchantment austrian composer, through a partition religiously faithful to the style of mozart.

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Since its first performance in 1791, the opera has undergone several arrangements for string quartet. But rare are those who have ventured in a transcription as close to the original work with the four string instruments. “One day, a friend came to us to submit an original score found by chance in an antique shop. It was an arrangement of The magic Flute Mozart string quartet, tell Sarah Chenaf and Juliette Salmona. It was deciphered and it was realised that it was perfect.”

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The mystery hovering over this transcription is an integer. Written in 1801, ten years after the first performance of the opera in Vienna, the agreement has no copyright, and it is difficult to know whether it has been published in several copies. “There is even little chance that it has already been played by contemporary musicians,” explain Sarah Chenaf and Juliette Salmona. “She had two-three mistakes of edition, a rather rare or even impossible in the scores of the great composers reissued today. Have a copy which reveals some errors, adds authenticity to the work, it’s exciting!”, welcome to the two musicians. Unlike other arrangements made on the basis of his major works, there is nothing to indicate, however, that it is a partition of Mozart.

The four musicians , in addition to their tour, prepare as artistic directors, the Festival international de quatuor à cordes du Luberon. Quatuor Zaïde

The composer, however, had to be a great connoisseur of the German composer. The imitation of his style is impeccable. And with the quartet Zaïde, the instruments sing as well as the soloists of the opera. The cry of distress of Tamino in the opening to the wrath of the Queen of the Night, each character is perfectly characterized by the two violins, the viola and the cello of Zaïde. “This is the beauty of the opera string quartet. With four instruments, we create a sound palette that reproduces the opera almost as it is at the origin,” explains Sarah Chenaf.

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Before the invention of recordings, transcriptions for solo instrument or small ensemble were one of the main vectors of transmission of the works. “The arrangements in the quartet, helped hear the music of the composers popular at home. For us, this work in four of the magic Flute it is like a “opera mobile” or a derivative of the time!” , plays Juliette Salmona.

The choice to link this transcription of The Flute with the quartet, Spring (n°14 in g major, K. 387), dedicated to Haydn, “was a no-brainer”. “On the twenty-three string quartets composed by Mozart, this one is the closest to The magic Flute , she says. It is a true concentrate of opera!”.

Amadeus Quatuor Zaïde Wednesday 10 April at 20h in the Musée Gustave-Moreau , and is on tour until 25 August.