Engelbert HUMPERDINCK (1854-1921) Hänsel und Gretel
Fairy Tale in Three Acts [96:22]; Weihnachten (arr Sir Charles Mackerras)
[3:05]; Die Königskinder – Verdorben! Gestorben! [6:53]; Trad arr
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Sandmännchen [2:48]; Albert
LORTZING (1801-1851) Zar und Zimmermann – Sonst spielt ich
mit szepter [3:44]; Der Wildschütz – Wie freundlich strahlt .. Heiterkeit
und Fröhlichkeit [4:44]; Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Die
Tote Stadt – Mein sehnen, mein wähnen [3:50]; Hans PFITZNER (1869-1949)
Das Käthchen von Heilbronn – Overture [13:02]; Richard
WAGNER (1813-1833) Rienzi – Overture [11:19]
Gretel – Rita Streich (soprano); Hänsel – Gisela Litz (mezzo); Gertrud
– Marianne Schech (soprano); Peter – Horst Günter (baritone); Sandman – Elisabeth
Lindermeier (soprano); Dew Fairy – Bruno Brückmann (boy soprano); Witch –
Res Fischer (mezzo)
Bavarian Radio Choir; Munich Philharmonic Orchestra/Fritz Lehmann): [songs]
Elizabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano); Choir and Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir Charles
Mackerras: [arias] Hermann Prey (baritone); Bielfelder Kinderchor;
North German Radio Orchestra/Wilhelm Schüchter; [Pfitzner] Bamberg
Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Lehmann; [Wagner] Bavarian Radio Symphony
Orchestra/Fritz Lehmann
rec. [Hansel] Munich, 2-10 October 1953, [songs] London, 1 June
1957, [arias] Berlin 1954, [Pfitzner] Bamberg, 11 February 1952,
[Wagner] Munich, 5-6 October 1954: no text or translations included
MAGDALEN METCD 8003 [71:38+74:37] 
There is no lack of recordings of Hänsel und Gretel in the catalogue,
most of them more recent than this and most avoiding the excessively close
balance of the voices that we find here. Nonetheless this remains a set well
worth considering for its wonderfully idiomatic and wholly natural and uncomplicated
approach. It is not unsubtle but it avoids any sense of artificiality or point-making,
both of which are wholly foreign to this delightful work. Tempi are
flexible and what we hear of the orchestra, well balanced within itself, is
very characterful. The singers adopt a similar approach, especially Rita Streich,
on top of her form, and Gisela Litz’s very convincingly boyish Hänsel.
The parents are less interesting – boring even at times, but Res Fischer’s
witch is near ideal, never camp or exaggerated. I am not sure about using
a boy soprano as the Dew Fairy but it works well enough. Overall this remains
a fine issue of the work, one which personally I prefer even over the much
praised version under Karajan with Elizabeth Schwarzkopf and Elizabeth Grummer,
beautifully executed as it is. For me it tells the story in such an idiomatic
and engaging way as to be wholly irresistible despite the obvious age of the
recording.
It has been reissued before, most recently by Brilliant, but one of the real
attractions of this issue is the fascinating quantity and quality of extras
for which room has been found. The two Schwarzkopf songs are pleasant and
worth hearing, but the real highlights are the arias sung by Hermann Prey.
These include the lovely closing scene from Humperdinck’s Die Königskinder,
complete with the necessary children’s chorus, and two excellent arias by
Lortzing. The Overtures by Pfitzner and Wagner again show Lehmann at his best,
this time with no forwardly balanced singers to hide his efforts. For anyone
with a taste for nineteenth century German opera this is a set well worth
considering, as much for the extras as for the main work. A pity that there
are no texts or translations, but at least the lengthy notes include a good
synopsis of Hänsel und Gretel and a clear explanation of the context
of the various arias as well as interesting biographies of the singers.
John Sheppard
A set well worth considering, as much for the extras as for the main work.