Release Date: 31 October 2004
Label: Naxos - Historical / Naxos Historical
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 2
Barcode: 636943189726
Genres: Classical
Composer/Series: HUMPERDINCK
Description
Engelbert HUMPERDINCK (1854-1921)Hansel und GretelEver since its premi?â?¿re on 23rd December 1893 inWeimar, when it was conducted by Richard Strauss,Engelbert Humperdinck's three-act opera Hansel undGretel has become firmly established, proving to be themost significant stage work in the German operatictradition between Wagner's Parsifal and Strauss'sSalome in international repertory.Originally composed for a children's Christmascelebration for use by his own fireside, the libretto ofthe opera was written by the composer's sister AdelheidWette after a tale in the publication Kinder- undHausmarchen of 1812-14 by the brothers Grimm. Thestory, set in the Harz Mountains near the IlsensteinPeak, was modified and adapted by Wette with thecharacters of the two parents changed from a selfishstepmother and weak but loving father who abandon thechildren in the forest to ease their own deprivations, to agood-natured man who enjoys his tipple rather toomuch and a pessimistic woman who, in today's world,would be called a depressive. What the composermanages to great effect is in keeping his music basicallysimple. For example, the magical and life-enhancingOverture (really a potpourri of themes but superblyconstructed), the fresh and playful Dance Duet in thefirst act, the enchanting Evening Prayer and ensuingDream Pantomime in the second, the brief Prelude tothe third, the joy after the two children have pushed theWitch into her own oven, and the fourth scene, when allthe gingerbread children become human again,concluding with the happy reunion of children andparents.Born in Siegburg in 1854, Humperdinck studiedfirst in Cologne with the pianist, conductor andcomposer Ferdinand Hiller (1811-1885) and later inMunich. He met Wagner in Italy in 1879 and assisted inthe preparation of Parsifal at Bayreuth in 1880-81, evencomposing several bars for the opera which were laterdiscarded. Later he was to compose a bridge sequenceto join the Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan undIsolde for use in the concert hall. He taught musicaltheory at the Conservatory in Barcelona in 1885-86before being appointed Professor of Harmony at theHochschule in Frankfurt-am-Main between 1890 and1896. He also served concurrently as music critic for theFrankfurter Zeitung. This was followed by anappointment in 1900 as Director of the BerlinAkademie.As a composer Humperdinck wrote a further sixoperas which, with the exception of Die Konigskinder,first given at the Metropolitan Opera House in NewYork in 1910, have now become totally forgotten. Healso wrote incidental music for a number of Germanproductions of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice(1905), A Winter's Tale and The Tempest (both 1906)and As You Like It (1907) and also contributed a set ofKinderlieder.Humperdinck's musical language is firmly weddedto the style of Wagner, although in no way does heattempt to expand and develop the older composer'sassociation with characters and musical motifs. What hedoes achieve in a more obvious ma
Tracklisting
William Primrose
William Primrose
Vinay:Nbc So&Chorus:Toscanini
Vienna Po:Knappertsbusch
Vienna Po:Furtwangler
Vienna&Berlin Po:Furtwangler
Various Composer
Various (1923-1955)
