"Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) was a student at the Conservatory in Cologne from the spring of 1872; it was at this time that he got to know the Siegburg district judge and arbitrator Johannes Degen, an excel lent singer and violinist, who gave regular chamber concerts in Siegburg at which he played in his own string quartet. Humperdi nck, whose talent he had astute I y spotted, was the pianist and composer he had been looking for. For his part, the young music student saw his admission to Degen's chamber-music circle as an opportunity for regular performance; in return, he wrote whatever Degen requested. Humperdi nck's tally of 13 chamber compositions represents a rel a ti vel y small part of his oeuvre. His fl nished pieces include two major works, an early piano quintet ( 1875) and a late string quartet ( 1920). Humperdinck, who always saw himself as a composer of vocal and stage music, wrote songs at an early age that already displayed his remarkable talent for attractive melodies. One of Humperdinck's most popular songs during his lifetime is his Wiegenlied (1900), a ""lullaby"" that found the universal acceptance of a folk-song. The round of chamber music, songs for piano and Lieder in chamber settings comes ful I circle in Die wunderschone Zei t."