Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921)

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2023

Themes Of Youth

20231211

Donald Macleod explores Englebert Humperdinck's early years, including his meeting with Richard Wagner.

In today's programme, Donald Macleod shows us how music was a part of Humperdinck's life from early on; his mother took him to concerts in Bonn and he heard his first opera in Cologne when he was fourteen - Undine by Lortzing, about a fairy-tale water sprite. By the time Humperdinck was ready to begin at the Cologne Conservatoire, Ferdinand Hiller recognised Humperdinck's talent and took him into his own composition classes, waiving the tuition fees. He did well, and soon Humperdinck competed for and won the Frankfurt Mozart Prize, and later the Mendelssohn scholarship which gave him the opportunity to study in Italy. In Naples, Humperdinck was able to meet his musical idol, Richard Wagner.

Evening Prayer (Hansel and Gretel)

Renée Fleming, soprano

Susan Graham, mezzo-soprano

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Andreas Delfs, conductor

Weihnachten

Diana Damrau, soprano

NDR Radio Philharmonie

Richard Whilds, conductor

Piano Quintet in G (Allegro moderato)

Andreas Kirpal, piano

Diogenes Quartet

Hansel and Gretel (Overture)

London Symphony Orchestra

André Previn, conductor

Die Wallfahrt nach Kevlaar (excerpt)

Andrea Chudak, soprano

Malmö Opera Chorus

Malmö Opera Orchestra

Dario Salvi, conductor

Notturno in G, for violin and string quartet

Lydia Dubrovskaya, violin

Junge Lieder

Donald Macleod uncovers the magical childhood of German composer Englebert Humperdinck.

Donald Macleod explores Englebert Humperdinck's early years, including the German composer's meeting with Richard Wagner.

2023

Composing Hansel And Gretel

20231212

Donald Macleod sees Humperdinck collaborate with Wagner and develop as a composer for the stage.

Today, Donald explores the composer's early career. Humperdinck found himself a member of Wagner's inner circle, working closely with this musical giant on the premiere of Parsifal. Humperdinck even composed a few bars of music which was inserted into the opera to cover the movement of scenery. This early training into the world of music for the stage must have had a significant impact upon Humperdinck, who went on to have a highly successful career himself in this arena. In the late 1880s, Humperdinck composed some songs, setting texts by his sister based on the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. He was encouraged by his family to develop this music into a Singspiel but, as he worked on it, Humperdinck realised that it was strong enough to stand operatic treatment. Soon after, his most famous work for the stage was born.

Die Lerche

String Quartet in C minor

Diogenes Quartet

Wagner arr. Humperdinck

Parsifal (Herzeleide)

Ana-Marija Markovina, piano

Cord Garben, piano

Hansel and Gretel (excerpt)

Jennifer Larmore (Hansel), mezzo-soprano

Ruth Ziesak (Gretel), soprano

Hildegard Behrens (Gertrud), soprano

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

Donald Runnicles, conductor

Nachtstück in A flat

Elisabeth Plank, harp

Bernd Weikl (Peter), baritone

Christkindleins Wiegenlied

Donald Macleod follows Humperdinck as he starts work on what will become his major hit.

2023

An Operatic Triumph

20231213

Donald Macleod delves into a period when Humperdinck became an international celebrity because of his fairy-tale opera.

Humperdinck was convinced that his Hansel and Gretel would be a failure. He was aware of how popular Mascagni's dramatic opera, Cavalleria rusticana, had become and was convinced that his fairy tale was not what the public wanted. The composer Richard Strauss conducted the premiere in Weimar, and thought Hansel and Gretel was a masterwork. The audience reaction was tepid, but when it produced in Munich, not long afterwards, Humperdinck was given five curtain calls. Within just one year, nearly seventy stages in Germany put on Hansel and Gretel, and a touring company was formed which played the work to a further 72 smaller towns. Richard Wagner's widow, Cosima Wagner, was enchanted by the opera and wanted to direct a further production. Humperdinck was now seen as a legitimate heir of his hero, Wagner.

An das Christkind

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone

Jörg Demus, piano

Frühlingssehnsucht

Octopus Chamber Choir

Bart van Reyn, director

Altdeutsches Liebeslied

Wiegenlied

Hansel and Gretel (excerpt)

Jennifer Larmore (Hansel), mezzo-soprano

Ruth Ziesak (Gretal), soprano

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

Donald Runnicles, conductor

Piano Quintet in G (Adagio)

Andreas Kirpal, piano

Diogenes Quartet

Rosemary Joshua (Sandman), soprano

Das Licht der Welt

Christiane Karg, soprano

Gerold Huber, piano

Humperdinck waits to see how Hansel and Gretel will be received. With Donald Macleod.

2023

Failure And Success

20231214

Donald Macleod delves into a period when Humperdinck argued with his sister Adelheid over Hansel and Gretel.

With Hansel and Gretel such a huge success, Humperdinck was soon able to buy a villa overlooking the river Rhine. Yet, he struggled to write another work with the same enormous popular appeal as his first opera. He channelled all his efforts in Königskinder, which was originally to feature spoken song, or speech-song. It received mixed reviews and was not the success Humperdinck had hoped for. This was at a time when Humperdinck had argued with his sister Adelheid. Adelheid had provided the libretto for Hansel and Gretel and felt that the proportion of the royalties she received were not enough. Soon though, Humperdinck found himself, with his family, heading to Berlin where he had been appointed Professor of Composition at the Academy of Arts. He now, occasionally, received the odd imperial commission too.

Erinnerung

Liebesorakel

Königskinder (excerpt)

Ofelia Sala (The Goose Girl), soprano

Nora Gubisch (The Witch), mezzo-soprano

Jonas Kaufmann (The King's Son), tenor

Detlef Roth (The Fiddler), baritone

Opéra Orchestra National de Montpellier

Armin Jordan, conductor

Moorish Rhapsody (Elegy at Sunset)

Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra

Martin Fischer-Dieskau, conductor

Hansel and Gretel (excerpt)

Ruth Ziesak (Gretal), soprano

Christine Schäfer (The Dew Fairy), soprano

Jennifer Larmore (Hansel), mezzo-soprano

Hanna Schwarz (The Witch), mezzo-soprano

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

Donald Runnicles, conductor

Die Heirat wider Willen (excerpt)

Malmö Opera Orchestra

Dario Salvi, conductor

Donald Macleod explores Humperdinck's creative output after Hansel and Gretel.

2023

05 LAST

The Miracle In London

20231215

Donald Macleod follows Humperdinck through his final years including a trip to London for The Miracle.

Humperdinck's final years were marked by a number of periods of illness, including a stroke which left him paralysed down one side of his body. There were great successes too, including a visit to London for the premiere of his stage work Das Wunder, or The Miracle, where Humperdinck received 19 curtain calls. His opera Königskinder had now been premiered and, although critical reception had been mixed, German theatres mounted a total of 171 performances in a single season. Humperdinck died in 1921, five years after losing his wife, Hedwig, and following a series of further strokes. He died an international celebrity and at his graveside one of his students sang the Fiddler's Song from his opera Königskinder.

Winterlied

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, soprano

Michael Raucheisen, piano

Shakespeare Suite No 1 (Ferdinand und Miranda)

Bamberger Symphonic Orchestra

Karl Anton Rickenbacher, conductor

Die Lerche II

Verratene Liebe

Unter der Linden

Hansel and Gretel (excerpt)

Jennifer Larmore (Hansel), mezzo-soprano

Ruth Ziesak (Gretel), soprano

Hildegard Behrens (Gertrud), soprano

Hanna Schwarz (The Witch), mezzo-soprano

Bernd Weikl (Peter), baritone

Tölzer Knabenchor

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

Donald Runnicles, conductor

Das Wunder (excerpt)

Malmö Opera Orchestra

Dario Salvi, conductor

String Quartet in C (Lebhaft)

Diogenes Quartet

Donald Macleod delves into Humperdinck's final successes.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2023	01	Themes Of Youth	20231211	Donald Macleod explores Englebert Humperdinck's early years, including his meeting with Richard Wagner. In today's programme, Donald Macleod shows us how music was a part of Humperdinck's life from early on; his mother took him to concerts in Bonn and he heard his first opera in Cologne when he was fourteen - Undine by Lortzing, about a fairy-tale water sprite. By the time Humperdinck was ready to begin at the Cologne Conservatoire, Ferdinand Hiller recognised Humperdinck's talent and took him into his own composition classes, waiving the tuition fees. He did well, and soon Humperdinck competed for and won the Frankfurt Mozart Prize, and later the Mendelssohn scholarship which gave him the opportunity to study in Italy. In Naples, Humperdinck was able to meet his musical idol, Richard Wagner. Evening Prayer (Hansel and Gretel) Renée Fleming, soprano Susan Graham, mezzo-soprano Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Andreas Delfs, conductor Weihnachten Diana Damrau, soprano NDR Radio Philharmonie Richard Whilds, conductor Piano Quintet in G (Allegro moderato) Andreas Kirpal, piano Diogenes Quartet Hansel and Gretel (Overture) London Symphony Orchestra André Previn, conductor Die Wallfahrt nach Kevlaar (excerpt) Andrea Chudak, soprano Malmö Opera Chorus Malmö Opera Orchestra Dario Salvi, conductor Notturno in G, for violin and string quartet Lydia Dubrovskaya, violin Junge Lieder Donald Macleod uncovers the magical childhood of German composer Englebert Humperdinck. Donald Macleod explores Englebert Humperdinck's early years, including the German composer's meeting with Richard Wagner.
2023	02	Composing Hansel And Gretel	20231212	Donald Macleod sees Humperdinck collaborate with Wagner and develop as a composer for the stage. Today, Donald explores the composer's early career. Humperdinck found himself a member of Wagner's inner circle, working closely with this musical giant on the premiere of Parsifal. Humperdinck even composed a few bars of music which was inserted into the opera to cover the movement of scenery. This early training into the world of music for the stage must have had a significant impact upon Humperdinck, who went on to have a highly successful career himself in this arena. In the late 1880s, Humperdinck composed some songs, setting texts by his sister based on the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. He was encouraged by his family to develop this music into a Singspiel but, as he worked on it, Humperdinck realised that it was strong enough to stand operatic treatment. Soon after, his most famous work for the stage was born. Die Lerche String Quartet in C minor Diogenes Quartet Wagner arr. Humperdinck Parsifal (Herzeleide) Ana-Marija Markovina, piano Cord Garben, piano Hansel and Gretel (excerpt) Jennifer Larmore (Hansel), mezzo-soprano Ruth Ziesak (Gretel), soprano Hildegard Behrens (Gertrud), soprano Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Donald Runnicles, conductor Nachtstück in A flat Elisabeth Plank, harp Bernd Weikl (Peter), baritone Christkindleins Wiegenlied Donald Macleod follows Humperdinck as he starts work on what will become his major hit.
2023	03	An Operatic Triumph	20231213	Donald Macleod delves into a period when Humperdinck became an international celebrity because of his fairy-tale opera. Humperdinck was convinced that his Hansel and Gretel would be a failure. He was aware of how popular Mascagni's dramatic opera, Cavalleria rusticana, had become and was convinced that his fairy tale was not what the public wanted. The composer Richard Strauss conducted the premiere in Weimar, and thought Hansel and Gretel was a masterwork. The audience reaction was tepid, but when it produced in Munich, not long afterwards, Humperdinck was given five curtain calls. Within just one year, nearly seventy stages in Germany put on Hansel and Gretel, and a touring company was formed which played the work to a further 72 smaller towns. Richard Wagner's widow, Cosima Wagner, was enchanted by the opera and wanted to direct a further production. Humperdinck was now seen as a legitimate heir of his hero, Wagner. An das Christkind Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone Jörg Demus, piano Frühlingssehnsucht Octopus Chamber Choir Bart van Reyn, director Altdeutsches Liebeslied Wiegenlied Hansel and Gretel (excerpt) Jennifer Larmore (Hansel), mezzo-soprano Ruth Ziesak (Gretal), soprano Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Donald Runnicles, conductor Piano Quintet in G (Adagio) Andreas Kirpal, piano Diogenes Quartet Rosemary Joshua (Sandman), soprano Das Licht der Welt Christiane Karg, soprano Gerold Huber, piano Humperdinck waits to see how Hansel and Gretel will be received. With Donald Macleod.
2023	04	Failure And Success	20231214	Donald Macleod delves into a period when Humperdinck argued with his sister Adelheid over Hansel and Gretel. With Hansel and Gretel such a huge success, Humperdinck was soon able to buy a villa overlooking the river Rhine. Yet, he struggled to write another work with the same enormous popular appeal as his first opera. He channelled all his efforts in Königskinder, which was originally to feature spoken song, or speech-song. It received mixed reviews and was not the success Humperdinck had hoped for. This was at a time when Humperdinck had argued with his sister Adelheid. Adelheid had provided the libretto for Hansel and Gretel and felt that the proportion of the royalties she received were not enough. Soon though, Humperdinck found himself, with his family, heading to Berlin where he had been appointed Professor of Composition at the Academy of Arts. He now, occasionally, received the odd imperial commission too. Erinnerung Liebesorakel Königskinder (excerpt) Ofelia Sala (The Goose Girl), soprano Nora Gubisch (The Witch), mezzo-soprano Jonas Kaufmann (The King's Son), tenor Detlef Roth (The Fiddler), baritone Opéra Orchestra National de Montpellier Armin Jordan, conductor Moorish Rhapsody (Elegy at Sunset) Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra Martin Fischer-Dieskau, conductor Hansel and Gretel (excerpt) Ruth Ziesak (Gretal), soprano Christine Schäfer (The Dew Fairy), soprano Jennifer Larmore (Hansel), mezzo-soprano Hanna Schwarz (The Witch), mezzo-soprano Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Donald Runnicles, conductor Die Heirat wider Willen (excerpt) Malmö Opera Orchestra Dario Salvi, conductor Donald Macleod explores Humperdinck's creative output after Hansel and Gretel.
2023	05 LAST	The Miracle In London	20231215	Donald Macleod follows Humperdinck through his final years including a trip to London for The Miracle. Humperdinck's final years were marked by a number of periods of illness, including a stroke which left him paralysed down one side of his body. There were great successes too, including a visit to London for the premiere of his stage work Das Wunder, or The Miracle, where Humperdinck received 19 curtain calls. His opera Königskinder had now been premiered and, although critical reception had been mixed, German theatres mounted a total of 171 performances in a single season. Humperdinck died in 1921, five years after losing his wife, Hedwig, and following a series of further strokes. He died an international celebrity and at his graveside one of his students sang the Fiddler's Song from his opera Königskinder. Winterlied Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, soprano Michael Raucheisen, piano Shakespeare Suite No 1 (Ferdinand und Miranda) Bamberger Symphonic Orchestra Karl Anton Rickenbacher, conductor Die Lerche II Verratene Liebe Unter der Linden Hansel and Gretel (excerpt) Jennifer Larmore (Hansel), mezzo-soprano Ruth Ziesak (Gretel), soprano Hildegard Behrens (Gertrud), soprano Hanna Schwarz (The Witch), mezzo-soprano Bernd Weikl (Peter), baritone Tölzer Knabenchor Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Donald Runnicles, conductor Das Wunder (excerpt) Malmö Opera Orchestra Dario Salvi, conductor String Quartet in C (Lebhaft) Diogenes Quartet Donald Macleod delves into Humperdinck's final successes.