"Erinnerung. Homage to Humperdinck" New CD

[brendangcarroll]

Released April 23, this is a very welcome compilation that shines a light on this fine composer most of whose music is overshadowed by one work - his opera Hänsel & Gretel.

https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/homage-to-humperdinck-12247

[Alan Howe]

Why on earth does it only feature excerpts from his two most well-known operas? I thought this sort of butchery was a thing of the past...

[Mark Thomas]

They'll be running out of new recordings, so they've mined their back catalogue - not very intelligently I'm afraid.

[brendangcarroll]

This set is interesting (for me) because it contains the world premiere of the early piano piece Erinneruung, as well as a recording of his arrangement of the Tristan prelude (which I have never heard) and the String Qt in C, plus these very early songs.

I suppose the opera excerpts were included to sell the album.

[Alan Howe]

It's a poorly thought-out selection. Not for me, I'm afraid.

Here's a much better representation of the chamber music:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8005866--humperdinck-string-quartets-piano-quintet

[Mark Thomas]

I suppose the opera excerpts were included to sell the album.

I'm sure that you're right Brendan. It's not that the otherwise-unavailable stuff isn't appealing to Humperdinck completists, of course it will be, but those same people will already have the complete operas, whereas those same rarities will be lost on anyone new to Humperdinck, who'd be better advised to explore his better known works first.