After receiving piano lessons, Humperdinck produced his first composition at the age of seven. His first attempts at works for the stage were two Singspiele written when he was 13. His parents disapproved of his plans for a career in music and encouraged him to study architecture. Nevertheless, he began taking music classes under Ferdinand Hiller at the Cologne Conservatory in 1872. In 1876 he won a scholarship that enabled him to go to Munich, where he studied with Franz Lachner and later with Josef Rheinberger. In 1879 he won the first Mendelssohn Award given by the Mendelssohn Stiftung (foundation) in Berlin. He went to Italy and became acquainted with Richard Wagner in Naples. Wagner invited him to join him in Bayreuth and during 1880 and 1881 Humperdinck assisted in the production of Parsifal. He also served as music tutor to the composer's son, Siegfried.
After winning another prize, he traveled through Italy, France, and Spain and spent two years teaching at the Gran Teatre del Liceu Conservatory in Barcelona. In 1887 he returned to Cologne. He was appointed professor at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt am Main in 1890 and also teacher of harmony at Julius Stockhausen's Vocal School. By this time he had composed several works for chorus and a Humoreske for orchestra, which enjoyed a vogue in Germany.
His reputation rests chiefly on his opera Hänsel und Gretel, which he began work on in Frankfurt in 1890.[1] He first composed four songs to accompany a puppet show his nieces were giving at home. Then, using a libretto by his sister Adelheid Wette rather loosely based on the version of the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, he composed a Singspiel of 16 songs with piano accompaniment and connecting dialogue. By January 1891 he had begun working on a complete orchestration.
The opera premiered in Weimar on December 23, 1893, under the baton of Richard Strauss, who called it "a masterpiece of the highest quality... all of it original, new, and so authentically German." With its highly original synthesis of Wagnerian techniques and traditional German folk songs, Hänsel und Gretel was an instant and overwhelming success.
Hänsel und Gretel has always been Humperdinck's most popular work. In 1923 the Royal Opera House (London) chose it for their first complete radio opera broadcast. Eight years later it was the first opera transmitted live from the Metropolitan Opera (New York). It remains a worldwide favorite.
The Last Waltz
Humperdinck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The band had only one more song to play.
And then I saw you out the corner of my eye,
A little girl, alone and so shy.
I had the last waltz with you,
Two lonely people together.
I fell in love with you,
But the love we had was going strong,
Through the good and bad we get along.
And then the flame of love died in your eye,
My heart was broke in two when you said goodbye.
I had the last waltz with you,
Two lonely people together.
I fell in love with you,
The last waltz should last forever.
It's all over now, nothing left to say,
Just my tears and the orchestra playing.
La la la la la la la la la,
La la la la la la la la la.
I had the last waltz with you,
Two lonely people together.
I fell in love with you,
The last waltz should last forever.
La la la la la la la la la.
The Last Waltz, composed by Barry Mason and Les Reed, and performed by Engelbert Humperdinck in 1967, tells a story of a man reminiscing about a moment when he fell in love on the dance floor during the last waltz. The song paints the picture of a crowded dance hall, with the band playing its final tunes, and the man feeling unsure about whether to leave or stay. As he's about to leave, he notices a shy and lonely girl, and they take to the floor for one last dance. He realizes that he has fallen in love with her during that waltz, believing that their connection will last forever. Yet, sometimes things don't go as planned, and the love fades away while the orchestra plays on.
The song captures the essence of fleeting moments that can have everlasting effects on our lives. Memories of a single waltz that lingers in one's heart forever can bring about feelings of nostalgia and longing. The lyrics of the song focus on the idea that true love is all about timing and that giving in to love can change one's life forever, whether or not it lasts. This song shows that, while love can be beautiful and fulfilling, it can also be short-lived, and this sentiment is what adds to the song's poignancy and charm.
Line by Line Meaning
I wondered should I go or should I stay
I was unsure whether to leave or remain
The band had only one more song to play
The musical group was about to finish their performance
And then I saw you out the corner of my eye
I noticed you from my peripheral vision
A little girl, alone and so shy
You were a young lady by yourself and timid
I had the last waltz with you
I danced the final waltz with you
Two lonely people together
Both of us were isolated and alone, but we were together at the moment
I fell in love with you
I developed romantic feelings for you
The last waltz should last forever
The concluding performance should last eternally
But the love we had was going strong
Our love was enduring
Through the good and bad we get along
We were able to cope with difficulties and maintain our relationship
And then the flame of love died in your eye
The passion in your eyes vanished
My heart was broke in two when you said goodbye
It was heart-wrenching when you left me
It's all over now, nothing left to say
It's finished, and there's no more to add
Just my tears and the orchestra playing
All that's left is my weeping and the music from the group
La la la la la la la la la
Vocalizations indicating a melody without words
I had the last waltz with you
I danced the final waltz with you
Two lonely people together
Both of us were isolated and alone, but we were together at the moment
I fell in love with you
I developed romantic feelings for you
The last waltz should last forever
The concluding performance should last eternally
La la la la la la la la la
Vocalizations indicating a melody without words
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Barry Mason, Leslie David Reed
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Katie Hull
This was my Grannie and Grandads wedding song ❤ now, the quote "the last waltz will last forever" is engraved on the joint headstone they share where they lay peacefully x
Carl DOnnelly
Katie Hully very lovely hope your okay x
Whatwillbe M
Katie Hull awe...♥️♥️
Rippi Zarsoff
Katie Hull.....That is awesome...keep listening to music...it can soothe our souls when we need soothing xxx
Rishi Maraj
May their blessed souls have liberation with God. 🙏🏻💔
IT stuff
Very beautiful story, thank you for sharing.
Pretty Good
One of Engelbert's best songs. I never get tired of listening to it.
Dee Kaye
Why would anyone give a thumbs down to this wonderful music?
Even if you're not a fan of Engelbert's, surely you could appreciate his music!
Steve
Those are just thumbs up from Australians.
Kotscho MS
Best comment of the Word so far