Hans Werner Henze
Hans Werner Henze (born
July 1 1926 in
Gütersloh, Westphalia,
Germany) is a
composer well known for his left-wing political beliefs. He left Germany for
Italy in
1953 because of intolerance towards his politics and
homosexuality. He continues to live in the village of
Marino in the
Lazio region of Italy.
An avowed
Marxist and member of the Italian
Communist Party, Henze has produced compositions honoring
Ho Chi Minh and
Che Guevara. The librettist of his
requiem for Che Guevara, titled
Das Floss der Medusa (The Raft of Medusa), was among several people arrested at the 1968 Hamburg premiere for placing a red flag on the stage. Henze spent a year teaching in
Cuba, though he later became disillusioned with
Castro. His music is extremely varied in style, having been influenced at various times by
atonality, Italian music and
jazz.
Early years
Henze was the oldest of six children of a
teacher, and showed early interest in art and music. This, along with his political standpoint, led to conflict with his conservative father. He began studies at the state music school of
Braunschweig in
1942, but had to break off studies after being
called up to the army in
1944, in the latter stages of the
Second World War. He was soon captured and was held in a
prisoner of war camp for the remainder of the war. In
1945 he became an accompanist in the Bielefeld City Theatre, and was able to continue his studies under
Wolfgang Fortner in
Heidelberg in
1946.
In his early years he worked with
twelve-tone technique, for example in his First Symphony and
Violin Concerto of
1947. In 1948 he became musical assistant at the Deutscher Theater in
Konstanz, where his first opera
Das Wundertheater (after
Cervantes) was created.
In
1950 he became
ballet conductor at the Hessian State Theatre in
Wiesbaden, where he composed two operas for radio, his First
Piano Concerto as well as his first stage work of real note, the jazz-influenced opera
Boulevard Solitude, a modern recasting of the traditional
Manon Lescaut story. He also took part in the famous
Darmstadt New Music Summer School, a key vehicle for the propagation of
avant-garde techniques.
Move to Italy
In
1953 he left Germany in disappointment, reacting against
homophobia and the country's general political climate, and moved to Italy, where he has remained for most of the rest of his life. Initially he suffered further disappointment, with disputed premieres of the opera
König Hirsch, based on a text by
Carlo Gozzi, and the ballet
Maratona, with a
libretto by
Luchino Visconti. However, he then began long-lasting and fruitful co-operation with the poet
Ingeborg Bachmann. Working with her as librettist, her composed the operas
Der Prinz von Homburg (
1958) based on a text by
Heinrich von Kleist and
Der junge Lord (
1964) after
Wilhelm Hauff as well as
Serenades and Arias (
1957) und his
Choral Fantasy (1964).
From
1962 until
1967, Henze taught masterclasses in
composition at the
Mozarteum in
Salzburg, and in 1967 became a visiting Professor at
Dartmouth College in
New Hampshire. One of his greatest successes was the premiere of the opera
Die Bassariden at the Salzburg Festival.
In the following period, he greatly strengthened his political involvement which also influenced his musical work. For example, the premiere of his
oratorio Das Floss der Medusa in
Hamburg failed when his
West Berlin collaborators refused to perform under a portrait of
Che Guevara and a revolutionary flag which his librettist had placed upon the stage. His politics also greatly influenced his Sixth Symphony (
1969), Second Violin Concerto (
1971) and his piece for spoken word and chamber orchestra,
El Cimarron, based on a book by
Cuban author
Miguel Barnet about escaped black
slaves during Cuba's colonial period.
An established composer
His political critique reached its high point in
1976 with the premiere of his opera
We Come to the River.
In 1976, Henze founded the
Cantiere Internazionale d´Arte in
Montepulciano for the promotion of new music, where his children's opera
Pollicino premiered in
1980. From 1980 until
1991 he led a class in composition in the
Cologne Music School. In 1981 he founded the
Mürztal Workshops in the
Austrian region of
Styria, the same region where he set up the
Deutschlandsberg Youth Music Festival in
1984. Finally, in
1988, he founded the
Munich Biennale, an "international festival for new music theatre", of which he was the artistic director.
His own operas became more conventional once more, for example the
1983 The English Cat and
Das verratene Meer (
1990) based on the novel
Gogo no Eiko by
Japanese author
Yukio Mishima.
His later works, while arguably less controversial, continued his political and social engagement. His
Requiem (1990) comprised nine
spiritual concertos for piano, trumpet and chamber orchestra, and was written in memory of the musician
Michael Vyner who died young. The Ninth Symphony for mixed
choir and orchestra (
1997), including verses from the novel
The Seventh Cross by
Anna Seghers is a coming to terms with the darkest parts of Germany's past, with which Henze himself lived as a child and teenager. His most recent success was the
2003 premiere of the opera
L'Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe at the Salzburg Festival, based on a
Syrian fairy tale.
In
1995 Henze received the Westphalian Music Prize, which has carried his name since
2001.On
7 November 2004 Henze received an honorary doctorate for 'musical science' from the Munich Conservatory and Theater School.
Henze's music has incorporated
neo-classicism,
jazz, the
twelve tone technique,
serialism, and some
rock or
popular music. He was taught by the German composer
Wolfgang Fortner, and his
1947 Violin Concerto shows that he could write excellently in the 12-tone style. Later however, he reacted against atonalism and his opera
Bouvelard Solitude includes elements of jazz and Parisian popular music. After his move to Italy in 1953, his music became considerably more Neapolitan in style, with lush, rich textures in the opera
König Hirsch, and even more so in the opulent
ballet music that he wrote for English choreographer
Frederick Ashton's
Ondine, completed in 1957. Henze received much of the impetus for his ballet music from his earlier job as ballet adviser at the
Wiesbaden State Theatre. Ondine is classical in appearance, but contains some jazz and, although
Mendelssohn and
Weber were important influences for this composition, plenty of it is redolent of
Stravinsky, not only Stravinsky as a neo-classical composer, but also as the composer of
The Rite of Spring. The textures for the cantata
Kammermusik are far harsher, however, and later Henze returned to atonalism in
Antifone, and later again other styles mentioned above became important in his music. Political considerations have often played a part in shaping Henze's style at different times in his career.
Operas, music-theatre and other dramatic works
*
Das Wundertheater (1948, premiere 1949)
*
Die Gefangenen. (1950)
*
Boulevard Solitude (1951, premiere 1952)
*
Ein Landarzt. radio opera (1951; stage version 1964, premiere 1965; revised 1994)
*
Der tolle Tag. (1951; withdrawn)
*
Sodom und Gomorrha. (1952)
*
Das Ende einer Welt. radio opera (1953; stage version 1964, premiere 1965; revised 1993)
*
König Hirsch (1952-55, premiere 1956; revised 1962 as
Il re cervo oder Die Irrfahrten der Wahrheit, premiere 1963)
*
Der sechste Gesang. (1955)
*
Die Zikaden (1955; withdrawn)
*
Der Prinz von Homburg (1958, premiere 1960; new orchestration 1991)
*
Elegy for Young Lovers (Elegie für junge Liebende) (1959-61, premiere 1961; revised 1987)
*
Les caprices de Marianne. (1962; withdrawn)
*
Muriel. (1963; a film score)
*
Der Frieden. (1964)
*
The Bassarids (Die Bassariden) (1964-65, premiere 1966)
*
Der junge Lord (1964, premiere 1965)
*
Der junge Törless. (1966; a film score)
*
Moralities (1967, premiere 1968; revised 1970)
*
Der langwierige Weg in die Wohnung der Natascha Ungeheuer (1971)
*
La Cubana, oder Ein Leben für die Kunst (1973, premiere 1974; chamber version
La piccola Cubana 1990-91)
*
We Come to the River (1974-76, premiere 1976)
*
Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum. (1975; a film score)
*
Der Taugenichts. (1977)
*
The Woman. (1978; withdrawn)
*
Pollicino (1979-80, premiere 1980)
*
Montezuma (1980; a film score)
*
The English Cat (1980-83, premiere 1983; revised 1990)
*
Nach Lissabon. (1982)
*
Un amour de Swann. (1983; a film score)
*
L'amour à mort. (1984)
*
Das verratene Meer (1986-89, premiere 1990)
*
Venus und Adonis (1993-95, premiere 1997)
*
L'Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe (2000-03, premiere 2003)
Symphonies
*
Symphony no. 1. (1947; revised 1963 and 1991)
*
Symphony no. 2. (1949)
*
Symphony no. 3. (1949-50)
*
Symphony no. 4. (1955)
*
Vokalsinfonie. (1955; this is taken from König Hirsch)
*
Symphony no. 5. (1962)
*
Symphony no. 6. (1969; revised 1994)
*
Symphony no. 7. (1983-4)
*
Symphony no. 8. (1992-3)
*
Symphony no. 9. (1995-7)
*
Symphony no. 10. (1997-2000)
Other works for large forces
*
Kammerkonzert. (1946)
*
Concertino. (1947)
*
Violin Concerto no.1. (1947)
*
Suite. (1949)
*
Piano Concerto no.1. (1950)
*
Sinfonische Variationen. (1950; withdrawn)
*
Sinfonische Zwischenspiele. (1951)
*
Tancredi. (1952)
*
Tanz und Salonmusik. (1952; revised 1989)
*
Ode an den Westwind. (1953)
*
Quattro poemi. (1955)
*
Sinfonische Etüden. (1956; revised as
Drei sinfonische Etüden in 1964)
*
Maratona. (1956)
*
Jeux des Tritons. (1956-7; revised 1967)
*
Hochzeitsmusik. (1957)
*
Sonata per archi. (1957-8)
*
Drei Dithyramben. (1958)
*
Trois pas des Triton. (1958)
*
Undine, suite no.1. (1958)
*
Undine, suite no.2. (1958)
*
Antifone. (1960)
*
Los caprichos. (1963)
*
Zwischenspiele. (1964)
*
Mänadentanz. (1965)
*
In memoriam: die weisse Rose. (1965)
*
Double Bass Concerto. (1966)
*
Double Concerto. (1966)
*
Fantasia for strings. (1966)
*
Piano Concerto no.2. (1967)
*
Telemanniana. (1967)
*
Compases para preguntas ensimismadas. (1969â€"70)
*
Violin Concerto no.2. (1971; revised 1991)
*
Heliogabalus imperator, allegoria per musica. (1971â€"2; revised 1986)
*
Tristan. (1972â€"3)
*
Katharina Blum. (1975; a film score)
*
Ragtimes and Habaneras. (1975)
*
Aria de la folÃa española. (1977)
*
Il Vitalino raddoppiato. (1977)
*
Apollo trionfante. (1979)
*
Arien des Orpheus. (1979)
*
Barcarola (1979)
*
Dramatische Szenen aus ‘Orpheus' I. (1979)
*
Spielmusiken. (1979â€"80)
*
Deutschlandsberger Mohrentanz no.1 (1984)
*
Kleine Elegien. (1984â€"5)
*
Liebeslieder. (1984â€"5)
*
Deutschlandsberger Mohrentanz no.2(1985)
*
Fandango. (1985; revised 1992)
*
Cinque piccoli concerti e ritornelli. (1987)
*
Requiem: 9 geistliche Konzerte (1990â€"92)
*
La selva incantata, aria and rondo (1991)
*
Introduktion, Thema und Variationen (1992)
*
Appassionatamente, fantasia (1993â€"4)
*
Erlkönig, fantasia (1996)
*
Pulcinellas Erzählungen. (1996)
*
Sieben Boleros. (1996)
*
Violin Concerto no.3, Three portraits from T. Mann's Doktor Faustus. (1996)
*
Zigeunerweisen und Sarabanden. (1996)
*
Fraternité, air. (1999)
*
A Tempest, rounds. (2000)
*
Scorribanda Sinfonica. (2000â€"01)
*
L'heure bleue. (2001)
Ballets
*
Ballet-Variationen (1949, first staged 1958; revised 1992)
*
Jack Pudding (1949, premiere 1950; withdrawn)
*
Das Vokaltuch der Kammersängerin Rosa Silber (1950, first staged 1958; revised 1990)
*
Le Tombeau d'Orphée (1950, withdrawn)
*
Labyrinth (1951, premiere 1952; revised 1996)
*
Der Idiot (1952, premiere 1952; revised 1990)
*
Pas d'action (1952; withdrawn)
*
Maratona (1956, premiere 1957)
*
Undine (1956-7, premiere 1958)
*
L'usignolo dell'imperatore (1959, premiere 1959)
*
Tancredi (1964, premiere 1966)
*
Orpheus (1978, premiere 1979)
*
Le disperazioni del Signor Pulcinella (1992-5, premiere 1997; this ballet is an extended and revised version of
Jack Pudding)
*
Le fils de l'air (1995-6, premiere 1997)
Choral
*
Fünf Madrigäle. (1947)
*
Chor gefangener Trojer. (1948; revised 1964)
*
Wiegenlied der Mutter Gottes. (1948)
*
Jüdische Chronik. (1960)
*
Novae de infinito laudes. (1962)
*
Cantata della fiaba estrema. (1963)
*
Lieder von einer Insel. (1964)
*
Muzen Siziliens. (1966)
*
Das Floss der ‘Medusa'. (1968; revised 1990)
*
Mad People's Madrigal. (1974â€"6)
*
Orpheus Behind the Wire. (1981â€"3)
*
Hirtenlieder. (1993â€"5)
Vocal solo
*
Sechs Lieder. (1945; withdrawn)
*
Whispers from Heavenly Death. (1948; revised 1999)
*
Der Vorwurf. (1948; withdrawn)
*
Apollo et Hyazinthus. (1948â€"9)
*
Chanson Pflastersteine. (1950; withdrawn)
*
Fünf neapolitanische Lieder. (1956)
*
Nachtstücke und Arien. (1957)
*
Kammermusik 1958. (1958; revised 1963)
*
Drei Fragmente nach Hölderlin. (1958)
*
Three Arias. (1960; revised 1993)
*
Ariosi. (1963)
*
Being Beauteous. (1963)
*
Ein Landarzt. (1964)
*
Versuch über Schweine. (1968)
*
El Cimarrón. (1969â€"70)
*
Voices. (1973)
*
Heb doch die Stimme an. (1975)
*
Kindermund. (1975)
*
El rey de Harlem. (1979)
*
Three Auden Songs. (1983)
*
Drei Lieder über den Schnee. (1989)
*
An Sascha. (1991)
*
Zwei Konzertarien (1991)
*
Lieder und Tänze. (1992â€"3)
*
Heilige Nacht. (1993)
*
Heimlich zur Nacht. (1994)
*
Nocturnal Serenade. (1996)
*
Sechs Gesänge aus dem Arabischen. (1997â€"8)
Chamber
*
Kleines Quartett. (1945; withdrawn)
*
Sonata. (1946)
*
Sonatina. (1947)
*
String Quartet no.1. (1947)
*
Kammersonate. (1948; revised 1963)
*
String Quartet no.2. (1952)
*
Wind Quintet. (1952)
*
Concerto per il Marigny. (1956; withdrawn)
*
Quattro fantasie. (1963)
*
Divertimenti. (1964)
*
Der junge Törless. (1966)
*
L'usignolo dell'imperatore. (1970)
*
Fragmente aus einer Show. (1971)
*
Prison Song. (1971)
*
Carillon, Récitatif, Masque. (1974)
*
String Quartet no.3. (1975â€"6)
*
Amicizia!. (1976)
*
String Quartet no.4. (1976)
*
String Quartet no.5. (1976)
*
Konzertstück. (1977â€"85)
*
L'autunno. (1977)
*
Trauer-Ode für Margaret Geddes. (1977)
*
Sonata. (1978â€"9)
*
Sonatina. (1979)
*
Le miracle de la rose (Imaginäres Theater II). (1981)
*
Variation. (1981)
*
Von Krebs zu Krebs. (1981)
*
Canzona. (1982)
*
Sonata. (1983)
*
Sonata. (1984)
*
Selbst- und Zwiegespräche. (1984â€"5)
*
Ode an eine Äolsharfe. (1985â€"6)
*
Eine kleine Hausmusik. (1986)
*
Allegra e Boris. (1987)
*
Fünf Nachtstücke. (1990)
*
Paraphrasen über Dostojewsky. (1990)
*
Piano Quintet. (1990â€"91)
*
Adagio. (1992)
*
Adagio, Serenade. (1993)
*
Drei geistliche Konzerte. (1994â€"6)
*
Notturno. (1995)
*
Leçons de danse. (1996)
*
Minotauros Blues. (1996)
*
Neue Volkslieder und Hirtengesänge. (1996)
*
Voie lactée ô soeur lumineuse. (1996)
*
Drei Märchenbilder. (1997)
*
Ein kleines Potpourri. (2000)
Instrumental
*
Sonatina. (1947; withdrawn)
*
Serenade. (1949)
*
Variationen. (1949)
*
Drei Tentos. (1958)
*
Piano Sonata. (1959)
*
Six Absences. (1961)
*
Lucy Escott Variations. (1963)
*
Memorias de ‘El Cimarrón'. (1970)
*
Sonatina. (1974)
*
Royal Winter Music, sonata no.1. (1975â€"6)
*
Capriccio. (1976; revised 1981)
*
Sonata. (1976â€"7; revised 1992)
*
Ländler. (1977; withdrawn)
*
S. Biagio 9 agosto ore 12.07. (1977)
*
Five Scenes from the Snow Country. (1978)
*
Margareten-Walzer. (1978)
*
Epitaph. (1979)
*
Etude philarmonique. (1979)
*
Royal Winter Music, sonata no.2. (1979)
*
Toccata senza fuga. (1979)
*
Drei Märchenbilder. (1980)
*
Sechs Stücke für junge Pianisten. (1980)
*
Cherubino. (1980â€"81)
*
Euridice. (1981; revised 1992)
*
Une petite phrase. (1984)
*
Serenade. (1986)
*
La mano sinistra. (1988)
*
Piece for Peter. (1988)
*
Clavierstück. (1989)
*
Für Manfred (1989)
*
Das Haus Ibach. (1991)
*
Pulcinella disperato, fantasia. (1991â€"2)
*
Minette. (1992)
*
An Brenton. (1993)
*
Für Reinhold. (1994)
*
Toccata mistica. (1994)
*
Serenata notturna. (1996)
*
Olly on the Shore. (2001)
Arrangements
*
Die schlafende Prinzessin. (1951; withdrawn)
*
Don Chisciotte. (1976)
*
Jephte (orat, orch of Carissimi). (1976)
*
Wesendonck-Lieder (1976)
*
Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria. (1981)
*
I sentimenti di Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. (1982)
*
Der Mann, der vom Tode auferstand. (1988)
*
Fürwahr ...?!. (1988)
*
Drei Mozartsche Orgelsonaten. (1991)
*
Il re Teodoro in Venezia. (1991â€"2)
*
Drei Orchesterstücke. (1995)
*
Richard Wagnersche Klavierlieder. (1998â€"9)
*Hans Werner Henze. (1998).
Bohemian Fifths: An Autobiography. London (Faber & Faber).
*Hans Werner Henze. (1998).
Reiselieder mit böhmischen Quinten: Autobiographische Mitteilungen. 1926-1995. Frankfurt (Fischer).
*
Schott: Hans Werner Henze*
Schirmer: Hans Werner Henze*
Chester-Novello: Hans Werner Henze*
Sequenza21: Hans Werner Henze
