Engelbert Humperdinck: „Hänsel und Gretel“ – Akt I, Beginn zur zweiten Szene - Deutsche Oper Berlin
Dr Takt is our man behind the score. He is very familiar with the work and reveals to us its special moments. This time:
Engelbert Humperdinck: “Hansel and Gretel” – Act I, start of Scene
This is the third episode in our series of videos with Dr Takt
Engelbert Humperdinck, a passionate Wagner aficionado, adopted his idol’s complex, harmonious musical language. At the same time, however, he freed himself from the overbearing “maestro” by working simple folksong tunes into his work – as is the case with HANSEL AND GRETEL. The two worlds collide in Act 1 of the opera with a dramaturgical caesura: Hansel and Gretel start off distracting themselves from their childhood poverty by singing “Little brother, dance with me” in a peppy F major. Then their mother returns home. In a mere ten beats Humperdinck switches the mood, introducing a jagged orchestral movement in direct contrast to the cheerful song and moving swiftly from F major to C sharp minor, altering the length of individual notes by a semi-tone and using chords as transitions from one key to another. Markedly different tonal ranges are covered in a matter of seconds and we are treated to the unbridled rage of a mother who has just noticed that her children have been playing instead of doing their chores.
