William Melton Knihy

The biography delves into the life and works of Engelbert Humperdinck, the composer best known for his opera Hänsel und Gretel, yet largely overlooked in English literature. It explores his extensive output, including five operas and various stage works, while providing a detailed look at his influential friendships with notable figures like Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler. The book also captures the vibrant musical culture of Wilhelmine Germany through Humperdinck's letters and diary entries, offering a rich historical context to his artistry.

[English language edition] The Wagner tuba has accumulated a thick crust of fable in the little over a century and a quarter since its invention. This book revisits original sources to bring the facts of the instrument’s development to light: the scope of Wagner’s vision, the myriad helpers who gave the vision practical form, the musicians who pioneered the playing technique, and the new generations of composers who adopted the curious little tubas. Though the scholarship is painstaking, all of these elements are woven into an approachable narrative that ranges widely across the European musical legacy.