Hansel and Gretel (Haensel und Gretel): The Gingerbread Waltz (Knusperwalzer) Cover Image

Hansel and Gretel (Haensel und Gretel): The Gingerbread Waltz (Knusperwalzer): Full Orchestra, Conductor Score

$15.00 USD

Hansel and Gretel (Haensel und Gretel): The Gingerbread Waltz (Knusperwalzer): Full Orchestra, Conductor Score

Name: Hansel and Gretel (Haensel und Gretel): The Gingerbread Waltz (Knusperwalzer): Full Orchestra, Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 36-A399801
Price: 15.00 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

By Engelbert Humperdinck, ed./arr. by Hans Steiner

Item: 36-A399801

$15.00

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In 1890, Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) wrote an assortment of songs for a play written by Adelheid Wette, his sister, as a gift to her children. Spurred by his friend Richard Strauss, he took some musical ideas from this collection and created HANSEL AND GRETEL (HÄNSEL UND GRETEL), a full-length opera based on the Grimm brothers' fairy tale. Completed in 1893, it received its first performance on December 23, 1893 at the Hoftheater in Weimar under the direction of Strauss. As a result, popular opinion has enduringly identified it with the Christmas season. The KNUSPERWALZER (GINGERBREAD WALTZ) from Act 3 is here arranged for orchestra by Hans Steiner. Instrumentation: 1+Picc.2.2.2: 4(3rd & 4th opt.).2.(3).0: Timp.Perc(2): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set). Reprint edition.

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Series: Kalmus Orchestra Library

Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.

ISBN10: 8-89-563222-2

ISBN13: 979-8-89-563222-2

UPC: 659859182537

SKU: 36-A399801

Instrumentation: 1+Picc.2.2.2: 4(3rd & 4th opt.).2.(3).0: Timp.Perc(2): Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set)

More about this title

About the Composer: Engelbert Humperdinck

Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) was a German composer who studied under Johannes Brahms and Moritz Hauptmann at the Leipzig Conservatory. Though he composed symphonies, chamber music, and numerous other works throughout his career, his operatic masterpiece Hansel and Gretel secured his place in the standard repertoire and continues to define his legacy in music education and performance.

Humperdinck's genius lay in his ability to blend Wagnerian harmonic sophistication with folk-like melodies and accessible orchestration. Hansel and Gretel, premiered in 1893, achieved immediate international success and remains one of the most frequently performed operas worldwide, particularly during the holiday season. The opera's orchestral numbers, including the Gingerbread Waltz, showcase his gift for writing music that is both musically substantial and dramatically vivid.

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Why we love this

This waltz captures one of opera's most enchanting moments with orchestration that balances delicacy and warmth. The piece works beautifully as a standalone concert selection for orchestras seeking recognizable, audience-pleasing repertoire that doesn't require singers but retains all the theatrical magic of the original.

What to expect

The Gingerbread Waltz is pure theatrical confection: whimsical, warm, and slightly magical. Humperdinck's orchestration shimmers with woodwind color and gentle string support, evoking the storybook world of the opera without a single sung word.

Who it's for

Orchestra conductors programming family concerts, holiday specials, or variety pops programs will find immediate value in this Humperdinck arrangement. The piece appeals to musicians of intermediate-to-advanced ability and audiences of all ages, making it ideal for educational ensembles preparing to expand beyond typical orchestral staples.

How to get the most out of it

Shape the melody with gentle rubato to emphasize the waltz's lilting character without losing rhythmic cohesion in the ensemble.
Balance the woodwind soloists carefully against the string accompaniment; the fairy-tale quality depends on transparency in the upper voices.
Maintain a steady, dance-like pulse even as the orchestration shifts between sections; players should feel the three-beat lilt throughout.

How to use it

Program this as the centerpiece of a holiday or family concert, pairing it with other light orchestral selections for a cohesive evening. It also works effectively as an opener or closer that establishes a cheerful, accessible tone while demonstrating the orchestra's technical refinement.