THE INFLUENCE OF WAGNER
French, German, Italian, Russian, and English composers have for half a century been under the domination of Wagner’s influence. In France and Italy he put a new spirit into opera; but the composers did not attempt to follow him slavishly in both practice and precept. In Germany, on the other hand, many of his disciples made the attempt and failed. Two only have created living works—Engelbert Humperdinck (hoom´-per-dingk) and Richard Strauss. The more interesting phenomenon of the two is presented by Humperdinck, who has not only applied Wagner’s theories to the musical score of his masterpiece, “Hänsel und Gretel” (hen´-zel oont gray´tel), but has extended their application to dramatic material.