There are a number
of CD sets of this popular opera, the
earliest being this 1978 Solti mid-price
re-release. Then we have Pritchard with
Von Stade and Te Kanawa (also 1978),
Runnicles with Larmore, Behrens and
Ziesak (1994), and Mackerras with Larmore,
Evans, Plowright, Hayward (2007). Solti
conducts a later performance with a
similar cast including Prey, in 1981:
on Deutsche Grammophon DVD. Perhaps
an analysis of a few shortcomings of
this set brought about the decision
to make an improved later recording
with Solti. The Prelude is after all
rather lethargic and exposes some insecurities
in the playing. It would have benefited
from a faster pace. In the gathering
momentum of the opening, the horns are
not always together and this is noticeable
again later in Act I. Despite good strings
and gripping crescendos there is a lost
opportunity to make the most of Humperdinck’s
lovely score in this Vorspiel. Again,
the Pantomime finale of Act I starts
well, but inappropriately slows to a
lifeless and pedantic tempo with a lack
of emotional ebb and flow in the swirling
‘hymn-like’ theme.
Much better is the
warmth and vitality conveyed in Act
I’s atmospheric opening to the Alpine
scene with its haunting, echoed dialogue
between horn and woodwind. Strong energy
and drive distinguishes the duet
of Hänsel and Gretel,
‘Suse, liebe Suse, was raschelt im Stroh?.
In places, Solti hides unintended legato
and accentuates choppy rhythms likely
to appeal to the young ears for whom
the music was presumably intended by
the composer. The ‘Cuckoo’ number, ‘Ein
Männlein steht im Walde’, with
its multiplex of echoes by different
orchestral sections is very effectively
handled. Having detected a peppering
of Wagnerian style phrases and orchestration,
particularly in the cello accompaniment
to ‘Mir ist so
wohl, ich weiß nicht wie!’,
I notice that Humperdinck helped Wagner
mount Parsifal’s Bayreuth opening
in 1881. So perhaps a similarity is
to be expected in the rich scoring of
Act II. I expected more colour from
the score when the ‘Hokus Pokus’ spell
is cast on the children. The 20 minute
Act II and the bulk of the 40 minute
Act III written in Adelheid Wette’s
libretto provides continual interaction
between two, then three soprano voices:
Hänsel, Gretel and the Witch. This
clearly limits the composer in writing
a rich score of vocal colour for most
of these Acts. The Gingerbread children
fleetingly appear in Act III and give
a much needed lift to the finale.
This set has a strong
cast of principals who need no introduction.
The director and producer have a dilemma
as to whether the singing of the young
innocents, Hänsel and Gretel, should
be carried out by experienced professionals
or fresh, less mature voices. Despite
the enormity of these roles, trebles
would have been more appropriate for
characters barely in their teens: it
would not have been too difficult to
find competent songsters to fill the
roles, especially when the Vienna Boys’
Choir sing in this recording. Brigitte
Fassbaender’s Hänsel and Lucia
Popp’s Gretel are sung with passion
and they delight with their breezy uplifting
legato; yet a mature vibrato hides their
intended juvenility. I find Edita Gruberova’s
Dew Fairy rather brittle at her register’s
top notes, yet her control of diminuendos
is excellent. Anny Schlemm’s Witch is
effectively twisted and cackly though
she seems occasionally and presumably
unintentionally to drop at the end of
notes. Walter Berry provides a rich
and resonant bass while Norma Burrows
lulla-balletic Sandman sings magnificently
in this minor part.
The recording is excellently
balanced yet there is a treble drop
on the gingerbread children’s chorus
giving them a mellow tone that masks
their youthful harmonics.
The generous 98 page
booklet is disappointing. Although it
gives a good synopsis and full libretto
in German, French and English, it omits
important and interesting facts: not
even Humperdinck’s christian name or
dates are mentioned anywhere: neither
are we told where the production first
originated or when. The pages of Adelheid
Wette’s libretto might have been better
filled by use of larger type or freeing
space for background notes on the composer
or our distinguished cast. That said
one notices that this is a mid-price
set and at least all the essentials
are present.
Raymond J Walker
Wiener Philharmoniker/Georg Solti 
