Humperdinck's 'Dornröschen'

[Pengelli]

I'm not sure if there are many Humperdinck enthusiasts here, (NO,not the singer!),but I have now received the new cpo release of Humperdinck's 1902 opera 'Dornroschen' after succumbing to the Presto offer,although I have been thinking of buying it for a while. Another catalyst was the not to enthusiastic review by 'The Guardian' critic,Andrew Clements. After reading that I thought,'Right! Who cares what he says,I'll make my mind up myself. Also, he's one of those newspaper critics who always seem to follow the herd. In other words,you know he's going to love the new Lachenmann.
  As to 'Dornroschen'. I have had the old emi-electrola recording of 'Konigskinder' for years,and my favourite 'Hansel & Gretel' has always been the one I heard first,the one with Anna Moffo as a worryingly sexy sounding Hansel,and an,in my opinion,equally wonderful cast, (RCA/Eichorn). Apart from a vintage recording of 'Die Heirat Wider Willen' from 1949,in suprisingly good sound,I have often wondered what his other opera's are like.
  Now at last,thanks to the wonderful cpo,I have a chance,and very pleased I am with it too! In fact,after a couple of spins I am becoming quite addicted to it & I honestly think that it is,in many ways, every bit as enjoyable,if not more so,than the other two more well known opera's. For one thing,it's full of one wonderful tune after another,and the icing on a truly delicious cake,Humperdinck was a superb orchestrator,and his use of the orchestra is always transparent,never thick or pompous sounding, indeed quite the opposite of what you might expect from a 'Wagner disciple'. Maybe he should have had a crack at operetta! Indeed,after 'Hansel & Gretel' & 'Konigskinder','Dornroschen is a curiously frothy confection. The fact that it is a strange hybrid,with dialogue really doesn't detract from the pleasure I have had listening to this wonderful set. If critics could just sit back & enjoy something instead of nit picking,I think it could have been quite popular. It also proves that Humperdinck wasn't such a 'stick in the mud' as some would make out. In fact,I think, like Jaromir Weinberger,he was largely,a victim of unfair comparisons & that big bore fashion.

Verdict : A Winner all round.

[albion]

Thanks for this, Pengelli. I have very fond memories of travelling down to London to see Konigskinder at ENO in 1992!

I've put him on my list (and there'll none of them be missed ...) 

P.S. Just ordered the Atterberg. 

[Pengelli]

One word of warning. While there is an english translation of the libretto,for some strange reason,there is no translation of the spoken dialogue. Also,the fact that the 'Opera' included dialogue between virtually every 'number',nearly put me off buying it. In the event,the dialogue is well performed & didn't detract from my enjoyment at all. In fact the music is so enjoyable you don't need to worry about following the libretto. This is the sort of release that makes me want to shout 'CPO' from the rooftops! Although I won't because I don't like heights.
  As to 'Konigskinder'. I hope the geese behaved themselves! I understand that opera legend Geraldine Farrar trained them herself,for the opera's premiere in 1910. What a job! And did she clean up the mess herself?
I will,very reluctantly, resist the Atterberg for a few more months.

[Pengelli]

I'm afraid I can't resist making a few more brief observations about 'Dornroschen'.
This is a much lighter style of opera than 'Hansel & Gretel' or 'Konigskinder',without the portentous
Wagnerian overtones of those opera's. In fact at times,it almost sounds like an extremely good operetta,but with a bit more depth to it,than that genre. In that way it is,in many ways, quite different to the two more well known opera's. It appears that Humperdinck was obviously trying very hard to get out from Wagner's shadow & judging by this effort he was quite successful,unless,like A.C, you want something epoch making,of course!
In fact,even though I like Humperdinck's opera's & believe 'Konigskinder' is an underated opera,that deserves allot better than it gets from the critics,I am,nevertheless, very suprised at just how good 'Dornroschen' is & I think it is now,very possibly, my favourite Humperdinck opera! It also makes me want to hear some of his other opera's even more. I just wonder how long I will have to wait?

PS: More Humperdinck please! (Not the singer!!!)

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Greetings to you, Pengelli - and many thanks for your postings (accompanied by the characteristic wit) about Dornroschen. I shall hold you responsible for collapsing into a state of penury - I've been hovering on the brink of ordering the opera, but taking your counsel, the matter is now decided! H und G and Konigskinder are the most wonderful operas (I seem addicted to buying just about every recording of them!), but I hesitated over Dornroschen on account of the 'dialogue'. (How strange it is that CPO give us an English translation of the libretto - apart from the dialogue - what sort of crazy decision is that?) But I'm reassured by your enthusiastic comments, and the order is now irreversible. Many thanks.

Re Atterberg - come on, out with the debit card, for you know you want it!

[Pengelli]

Um,a word of caution. When I said it's possibly my favourite Humperdinck opera,I'd like to stress that  I didn't mean better! In fact,I think I'd be a bit daft to suggest that. I'm just suprised how good 'Donroschen' is & how different,considering it's so neglected. Although,having listened to the 1949 recording of 'Die Heirat wider Willen',I'm not completely suprised,as that opera also has a lighter flavour. Maybe cpo or someone could have a crack at that next?

If you don't like it,it'll be my fault,(gulp!).

NB: I WILL resist the Atterberg! (for now,hopefully....)

[BerlinExpat]

A postscript to Humperdinck's Dornröschen
Yesterday I attended the première of Humperdinck's Dornröschen in Halberstadt near the Harz Mountains. Having given the concert performance in Leipzig the red card I was over the moon to have the opportunity of seeing this wonderful opera on the stage.
Humperdinck's innovative use of melodrama and dialogue actually works and I didn't find it intrusive nor did it detract from my enjoyment of the opera. In fact, I felt those scenes couldn't have been done any other way. Particularly with regard to Demonia's incantation during the Vorspiel, I thought that perhaps Humperdinck sought to avoid possible comparison with the witch in H&G.
Although the melodrama became vogue for a short while around 1900, it seems, apart from Fibich's Hippodamia, Humperdinck was the first to use the technique in opera. Lehár followed in 1905 with a short melodrama near the end of The Merry Widow and Richard Strauss later in Die Frau ohne Schatten. At the moment others elude me.
Until now I have been chary of buying the CPO recording because of being short-changed on music. But now I'm convinced and, like Pengelli, I feel there ought to be a Humperdinck renaissance with his other stage works. A start has been made with Königskinder being produced in several theatres in the last ten years or so.
The CPO recording of Dornröschen is now available in Germany at half price, i.e. €14.99!

[adriano]

In my absolutely personal opinion, Schirmer makes of this work quite a boring experience. Metzmacher would have done a better, and surely more sensuous approach - as he did in his recording of "Königskinder".