Children's Prayer from "Hansel and Gretel"

Grade 2 - 2:20

Engelbert Humperdink was a composer from the late 1800’s into the early 1900’s.  His most famous work was the opera “Hansel and Gretel,” which he wrote in 1893.  The opera follows the story of the Grimm Brothers fairy tale of the same name.  In the second act, the children are frightened as they try to fall asleep, when Gretel reminds Hansel that they must say their evening prayers.  This Children’s Prayer is what calms them down and allows them to fall asleep.  This melody has become the most famous from this particular opera.

This arrangement stays in a comfortable range for all instruments, but requires musical independence as the parts are constantly weaving in and out of each other with minimal doubling. It also deals with some chromatic movement in all of the parts.