Henze's Benz

[snyprrr]

Now that you mention it they do look like they are attending Luchino Visconti's funeral. Hard to tell if Maratona di danza would have been appropriate to the occasion.. 

I can't think of anything appropriate to say.


I did more studying (ok, I got to listen to about 10mins. of Symphony 4,... and scroll Amazon),... what about the Decca cd with Violin Cto. No.2? What about the cello concerto Ode to the Westwind?

Also, Wergo has quite a few new cds, two of which, at least, looked to be devoted to smaller orchestral pieces,... is he like a Prokofiev in this respect?

And these later Symphonies have some competing versions now. Does anyone have the skinny? There are really not many Amazon reviews.

Oh, I did also listen to Abbado's symphonic excepts from  Blvd. and Bassiards. I like the urbane, post-war modernity,... kind of reminded me of BA Zimmermann of the Canti de Speranza era: malignant post-war symphonic jazz/modern,... some Ravel in the lushness? Anyhow, I'm beginning to become interested in the years 1945-1951/2/3, such as Honegger's beloved Symphony No.5,... those works that depict the world at that time. I think Henze does that, ... from his perspective anyhow.

Henze's interesting to look into. The discography seems all over the place, with a heavy emphasis on the guitar pieces (they are standards, everybody plays them), and even the Sacher piece for cello, which I then realized I have in the Demenga set. As a Composer, if you can write one of these pieces that suddenly becomes an 'instant classic', I don't know, maybe I'm doting, but in the topsy turvy world of lasting fame, I'd certainly one 'instant classic' to a live of TOTAL obscurity. No?

[Dundonnell]

I have just read of the death of Hans Werner Henze at the age of 86.

There can be no doubt that Henze was one of the most important and significant composers of the second half of the 20th century. I have always been a bit ambivalent about his music. I respect and admire the fact that he turned his back on his native country for many years. This was partly of course because of his perception of homophobia within Germany but also because-unlike so many of his contemporaries-he was not prepared to join the wholesale rejection of the traditions of German music and the grotesque condemnation of that tradition by the Boulez school of avant-gardists. (Boulez himself has, of course, at least as a conductor, now embraced that past ).

I have little taste for Henze's own mid-period Marxist-inspired music but the neo-classical early music and the later music which-at times-can almost seem neo-romantic is impressive. Any composer who, like Henze, continues to produce symphonies gets some respect from me  I will listen again to the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth symphonies-each of which is a formidable symphonic creation, not "easy" but certainly the product of a genuinely fine composer. I am not qualified to speak of Henze as an operatic composer but again this side of his work was of huge importance.

There are very few giants left in contemporary music....and Henze certainly qualified as such

[snyprrr]

I have just read of the death of Hans Werner Henze at the age of 86.

There can be no doubt that Henze was one of the most important and significant composers of the second half of the 20th century. I have always been a bit ambivalent about his music. I respect and admire the fact that he turned his back on his native country for many years. This was partly of course because of his perception of homophobia within Germany but also because-unlike so many of his contemporaries-he was not prepared to join the wholesale rejection of the traditions of German music and the grotesque condemnation of that tradition by the Boulez school of avant-gardists. (Boulez himself has, of course, at least as a conductor, now embraced that past ).

I have little taste for Henze's own mid-period Marxist-inspired music but the neo-classical early music and the later music which-at times-can almost seem neo-romantic is impressive. Any composer who, like Henze, continues to produce symphonies gets some respect from me  I will listen again to the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth symphonies-each of which is a formidable symphonic creation, not "easy" but certainly the product of a genuinely fine composer. I am not qualified to speak of Henze as an operatic composer but again this side of his work was of huge importance.

There are very few giants left in contemporary music....and Henze certainly qualified as such

Hmm,... a quiet Saturday afternoon passing by...

[mjwal]

I have just read of the death of Hans Werner Henze at the age of 86.

That was a shock - there was nothing in the papers today. I immediately checked on Wikipedia and that has been very promptly updated; died in Dresden today. The end of an era in German culture - though Rihm in a way has continued that musicus doctus tradition; interesting that the last two operas produced by them - Henze's Phaedra and Rihm's Dionysos - were both based on Greek themes, and that the latter of course is thematically linked to Henze's Bassarids (I have that very good Koch recording by Albrecht). I have seen all three in the opera house and count them among my most exciting experiences in the music theatre. Other exciting Henze moments in the theatre have been have been Boulevard Solitude, a real humdinger, and Das verratene Meer, which impressed me a lot and I want to get that Orfeo recording of the  revised version in Japanese. Die englische Katze rather underwhelmed me, perhaps because of the production.
I love his Shelley-based cello concerto; the 2nd piano concerto and Tristan (conveniently packaged together in that DG Henze edition); the Sacher-led DG music for strings, harp and oboe with the Holligers; the original complete Voices recording (now on Explore, I have the Decca LPs). Undine is rather decadently scrumptious, some of the rest of my Henze collection (away in foreign parts) has slipped my memory and Das Floss der Medusa has hitherto failed to grab my attention. I must confess to having somehow missed hearing any of his first 6 symphonies and will now repair that deficit and catch up on those following No.7 (which I am in 2 minds about, perhaps the EMI Rattle sound which I dislike). I have only heard the 9th in concert, where it was very powerful (but a movement from the available recording failed to impress - a work to be heard live, perhaps).

[Dundonnell]

In Memoriam:

HANS WERNER HENZE: A CATALOGUE OF THE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC

1946:   Chamber Concerto for Piano, Flute and Strings: 12 minutes  +  (Wergo cd)
              Violin Concerto No.1: 27 minutes   + (Naxos and MDG cds)
1947/63/
   91/2005:Symphony No.1 (now renamed "Chamber Concerto 05"): 17 minutes     + (DGG cd)   
1947:   Concertino for Piano, wind orchestra and percussion: 12 minutes      +  (Wergo cd)
             Five Madrigals for small chorus and eleven instruments: 17 minutes
1948/64:"Chorus of the Captured Trojans" for chorus and orchestra: 15 minutes
1948:   Concert Aria "The Reproach" for baritone, trumpet, trombone and string orchestra
1949:   Ballet "Jack Pudding"  (withdrawn)
             Symphony No.2: 21 minutes       +  (DGG cd)
1949/92/98:Ballet-Variations: 16 minutes    + (Wergo cd)
1949-50:Symphony No.3: 24 minutes       +  (DGG and Wergo cds)
1950:   Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra  (withdrawn)
             Piano Concerto No.1: 20 minutes    +  (Wergo cd)
             Ballet "Le Tombeau d'Orphee"  (withdrawn)
1950/90:Ballet "Rose Silber": 18 minutes    + (Wergo cd)
1951:   Ballet "The Sleeping Princess"
             "Sinfonische Zwischenspiele" for orchestra: 15 minutes
1952:   Ballet Suite "Tancredi" for orchestra: 17 minutes
1952/90:Ballet "The Idiot": 40 minutes
1952/89:"Tanz und Salonmusik" for orchestra (from the Ballet "The Idiot"): 18 minutes
1952:   Ballet Pas d'action"   (withdrawn)
1953:   "Ode to the Westwind" for Cello and Orchestra: 25 minutes   +  (Arte Nova cd)
1954:   Finale: Vivace assai for orchestra: 2 minutes
1955:   Symphony No.4: 28 minutes        +  (DGG and Wergo cds)
             "Quattro Poemi" for orchestra: 10 minutes     + (Accord and Wergo cds)
1956/64:Three Symphonic Studies for orchestra: 8 minutes   +  (Wergo cd)
1956:   Ballet "Maratona": 50 minutes (and Ballet Suite for two jazz bands and orchestra: 30 minutes)
             Five Neapolitan Songs for baritone and chamber orchestra: 15 minutes     + (DGG, Gala and Arte Nova cds)
             Scenes and Arias(from the Opera "Kong Hirsch") for soprano, tenor, chorus and orchestra: 14 minutes
             "Concerto per il Marigny" for Piano and Orchestra   +  (Accord cd)
1956-57:Ballet "Undine" (and 1958 two Ballet Suites: 26 and 21 minutes): 110 minutes    +  (Decca cds)
1956/57/67:Divertimento "Jeux des Tritons" for Piano and Orchestra: 15 minutes
1957:   "Nocturnes and Arias" for soprano and orchestra: 22 minutes      +  (Capriccio and Wergo cds)
             "Hochzeitsmusik" for wind orchestra: 10 minutes
1957-58:"Sonata per archi": 15 minutes   + (DGG cd)
1958:   Three Dithyrambs for chamber orchestra: 20 minutes   +  (Arte Nova cd)
1959:   Ballet "The Emperor's Nightingale": 17 minutes
1960:   "Antifone" for chamber orchestra: 17 minutes   + (Wergo cd)
1962:   Symphony No.5: 20 minutes     +  (DGG and Wergo cds)
             Cantata "Novae de infinito laudes" for soprano, contralto, tenor, bass, chorus and small orchestra: 50 minutes   +  (Orfeo cd)
1963:   Fantasia "Los Caprichos" for orchestra: 23 minutes
             "Ariosi" for soprano, violin and orchestra: 27 minutes   +  (Hannsler cd)
             "Cantata della fiaba estrema" for soprano, chorus and thirteen instruments: 20 minutes    + (Orfeo and DGG cds)
1964:   Ballet "Tancredi": 50 minutes
             "Zwischenspiele" (from the Opera "Der junge Lord") for orchestra:15 minutes
             "Ein Landartz" for baritone and small orchestra: 25 minutes  + (Wergo cd)
1965:   "In Memoriam: The White Rose" for chamber orchestra: 9 minutes
1966:   Double Bass Concerto: 20 minutes
               Double Concerto for Oboe, Harp and strings: 30 minutes   + (DGG cd)
               Fantasia for Strings: 15 minutes    +  (DGG and Orfeo cds)
1966/2005:"Adagio Fugue and Dance of the Maenads"(Suite from the Opera "The Bassarids"): 25 minutes       +  (Capriccio cd)
1967:    Piano Concerto No.2: 45 minutes      +  (Brilliant Classics cd)
             "Telemanniana" for orchestra: 12 minutes
             "Moralities"-three scenic cantatas for soloists, speaker, chorus and small orchestra: 25 minutes    + (DGG cd)
1968:   "Essay on Pigs" for baritone and orchestra: 20 minutes   +  (DGG cd)
              Oratorio "The Raft of the Medusa" for soprano, baritone, speaker, chorus and orchestra: 70 minutes    +  (RCA cd)
1969/94:Symphony No.6 for two chamber orchestras: 37 minutes    +  (DGG cd)
1969-70:"Compases para preguntas ensimismadas" " for Viola and twenty-two players: 26 minutes
1971/91:Violin Concerto No.2 for violin, bass-baritone and thirty-three instruments: 29 minutes    +  (MDG cd)
             "Der langwierige Weg in die Wohnung" for orchestra
1971-72/86:"Heliogabalus imperator" for orchestra: 28 minutes
1972-73:"Tristan"-Preludes for Piano and Orchestra: 43 minutes
1973:   "Voices-Stimmen" for mezzo-soprano, tenor and chamber orchestra: 90 minutes
1974-76:"We Come to a River" for chorus and orchestra
1975:   Ragtimes and Habanera for brass band: 14 minutes   + (Teldec, Albany and RCO Live cds)
             Concert Suite "Katharina Blum" for small orchestra: 20 minutes
1976:   Oratorio "Jephte" for five sopranos, contralto, tenor, two basses, chorus and orchestra: 30 minutes
1977:   "Aria de la Folia Espanola" for chamber orchestra: 22 minutes
             Chaconne "Il Vitalino Raddoppiato" for Violin and Chamber Orchestra:35 minutes
1978/86:Ballet "Orpheus" or for speaker and orchestra: 110 minutes
1979:   "Barcarola" for orchestra: 21 minutes       +  (EMI cd)
             "Apollo trionfante" for chamber orchestra: 15 minutes
             "Spielmusiken" for orchestra: 9 minutes
             "Arien des Orpheus" for guitar, harp, harpsichord and strings: 18 minutes
             "El Rey de Harlem" for mezzo-soprano and small orchestra: 30 minutes
1980/2003: "Triple Concerto Barocco" for chamber orchestra: 10 minutes
1981:   "Le Miracle de la Rose" for Clarinet and seventeen instruments:40 minutes
1983-84:Symphony No.7: 38 minutes   +  (EMI and Wergo cds)
1984-85:"Deutschlandsberger Mohrentanz Nos.1 and 2 for orchestra: 10 minutes
1984-85:"Englische Liebeslieder" for Cello and Orchestra: 25 minutes
1985/92:"Fandango" for orchestra: 12 minutes
1985-86:"Ode an eine Aolsharfe" for Guitar and fifteen instruments:20 minutes     + (Naxos cd)
1987:   "Cinque piccolo concerti e ritornelli" for orchestra: 20 minutes
1990-93:"Requiem: 9 geistliche Konzerte" for piano and trumpet and chamber orchestra: 69 minutes    + (Sony and Cybele cds)
1991:   Aria and Rondo "La Selva incantata"for orchestra: 11 minutes      +  (Accord and Wergo cds)
             Two Concert Arias for tenor and small orchestra: 12 minutes
1992:   Introduction, Theme and Variations for Cello, Harp and Srings: 10 minutes
1992-93:Symphony No.8: 25 minutes     +  (Capriccio and Wergo cds)
1992-95:Ballet "Le disperazioni del Signor Pulcinella" (revised version of 1949"Jack Pudding"): 50 minutes
1993-94:Fantasia "Appassionatamente" for orchestra: 12 minutes 
1994/2003:"Appasssionatamente plus" for orchestra: 16 minutes   + (Cybele cd)
1995:   Notturno for wind instruments, double bass and piano: 8 minutes
             "Sonata per archi No.2": 9 minutes
             "Vokalsinfonie" (from the Opera "Konig Hirsch") for chorus and orchestra: 20 minutes
1995-96:Ballet "Le fils de l'air": 35 minutes
1995-97:Symphony No.9 for chorus and orchestra: 55 minutes     + (EMI and Wergo cds)
1996:   Fantasia "Erlkonig" for orchestra: 6 minutes  + (Tudor cd)
             "Pulcinellas Erzahlungen" for chamber orchestra: 15 minutes
             "Sieben Boleros" for orchestra: 22 minutes
             Ballet "Tanzstunden": 110 minutes
            "Zigeunerweisen und Sarabanden" for orchestra: 15 minutes
            "Voie lactee o soeur lumineuse" for nineteen instruments: 8 minutes
1996-97:Violin Concerto No.3 "Doktor Faustus": 33 minutes   + (Naxos and MDG cds)
1997/2003:"Aristaeus" for reciter and orchestra: 48 minutes   + (Wergo cd)
1997-2000:Symphony No.10: 38 minutes     + (Accord cd)
1999:   Air "Fraternite" for orchestra: 10 minutes
2000-01:"Scorribanda Sinfonica" for orchestra: 15 minutes   + (Wergo cd)
2001:   "L'heure bleau" for chamber orchestra: 10 minutes
2004:    "Sebastian im Traum" for orchestra: 15 minutes    +  (RCO Live cd)
             "Funf Botschaften fur die Koningin von Saba" for orchestra: 17 minutes
2008:   "Eulogium Musicum" for chorus and small orchestra: 20 minutes
2009:   "Opfergang(Immolazione)" for tenor, baritone, men's voices and orchestra: 45 minutes
2011:   "An den Wind" for chorus and small orchestra: 20 minutes
2012:   Theatre Overture: 7 minutes

[snyprrr]

Ode to the Westwind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfwXatOmvVQ&playnext=1&list=PLB2BCCF8D0492D295&feature=results_main

[mjwal]

By the way, Henze may be the most important modern "serious" composer to have written film music since ? (Shostakovich?): To find his film music for Resnais - Muriel and L'amour a mort and for Schlöndorff's Swann in love, you only have to go to the Henze project on archive.org and the blog Paroles gelées. I have seen these films and must say that while the music is indeed an essential part of the films, it is very striking and compelling listened to alone: the latter is an orchestral suite (which appears only in fragmentary fashion in the film, if my memory serves me well) that is an extraordinarily affecting evocation of the Proustian world without being in any sense a pastiche, while the more fragmentary pieces for the Resnais films are quite unsettling: try the beginning of L'amour for  creepy psycho-gothic!
The archive.org project offers some other wonderful downloads of otherwise unavailable recordings, like Philip Langridge in the Kammermusik 1958.

[kaergaard]

Henze's 'Requiem', proper time to listen to it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=-Gf7EzrWHGg

[Daverz]

It might be a cultural thing, I have mortally offended god knows how many Americans by using that word.

Perhaps a justified response to the supercilious.

[snyprrr]

I was checking the Amazon out, and, Henze's got a pretty even representation. The new Wergo series has some very interesting non-Symphonies discs with all kinds of various things on them.

[not edward]

Courtesy of Norman Lebrecht, Henze was buried yesterday near his home in the town of Marino.

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2012/11/hans-werner-henze-is-laid-to-rest-near-home.html

Yesterday was also an official day of mourning in the town. I guess they liked him.

[Mirror Image]

Henze now buried and now Elliott Carter announced dead, Modern music is certainly taking a beating right now.

[madaboutmahler]

Listened to some extracts from his music today and must say that I really enjoyed what I heard (excerpts from some of the symphony, Requiem, piano concerti). Certainly a composer I would want to explore more.

This is certainly incredibly beautiful too:
http://www.youtube.com/v/VnetKieHAiU
RIP

[Mirror Image]

Definitely getting more into Henze now. Really looking forward to exploring this composer's music. Anyone have any recommendations? I've already heard Symphony No. 8, which was awesome! I have a recording of this symphony on the way (Stenz) and I also bought the 2-CD EMI set with Symphonies 7 & 9 and some other works. I'm really looking forward to the DG set due out in the US next week.

[kyjo]

Definitely getting more into Henze now. Really looking forward to exploring this composer's music. Anyone have any recommendations? I've already heard Symphony No. 8, which was awesome! I have a recording of this symphony on the way (Stenz) and I also bought the 2-CD EMI set with Symphonies 7 & 9 and some other works. I'm really looking forward to the DG set due out in the US next week.

Have you heard his magnificent ballet Undine? It's one of Henze's most colorful and approachable works and definitely my favorite piece I've heard from him yet:



I'm still having trouble warming to most of Henze's other music, but if you like his Symphonies 7-9, I can confidently recommend this set to you:

[Mirror Image]

Have you heard his magnificent ballet Undine? It's one of Henze's most colorful and approachable works and definitely my favorite piece I've heard from him yet:



I'm still having trouble warming to most of Henze's other music, but if you like his Symphonies 7-9, I can confidently recommend this set to you:

Yes, I heard, and own, Undine. A magnificent work for sure. Henze's Symphony No. 8 is simply outstanding and I don't really understand how anyone who isn't well-versed in 20th Century music couldn't enjoy it to be honest. I'm really looking forward to exploring those Symphonies 1-6, but those will have to wait until that DG box set is released here in the US.

[kyjo]

Yes, I heard, and own, Undine. A magnificent work for sure. Henze's Symphony No. 8 is simply outstanding and I don't really understand how anyone who isn't well-versed in 20th Century music couldn't enjoy it to be honest. I'm really looking forward to exploring those Symphonies 1-6, but those will have to wait until that DG box set is released here in the US.

It's not that I don't enjoy Henze's music; it's just that I haven't quite gotten my head around it yet. I'll revisit some of his music, in particular Symphony no. 8, due to your enthusiasm.

[Mirror Image]

It's not that I don't enjoy Henze's music; it's just that I haven't quite gotten my head around it yet. I'll revisit some of his music, in particular Symphony no. 8, due to your enthusiasm.

As with a lot of mid-20th Century Modernists, it does take time to fully appreciate a work as many of these composers' music doesn't lay everything out for the listener.

[snyprrr]

Definitely getting more into Henze now. Really looking forward to exploring this composer's music. Anyone have any recommendations? I've already heard Symphony No. 8, which was awesome! I have a recording of this symphony on the way (Stenz) and I also bought the 2-CD EMI set with Symphonies 7 & 9 and some other works. I'm really looking forward to the DG set due out in the US next week.

Is the 7th still as dreary as I recall?

I like the DG set very very much, and Henze's 5th, I think (or 4th), is one of my most played Symphonies... yes!, that IS something, haha!

Why not just get the DG Box? I've wanted to hear ALL the Concertos... I think I like early-'60s Henze the best.

I think you're going to get hooked on Henze and spend all your money, haha!! I think 'labyrinthine' describes Henze's output.

If I were to get some Henze, I guess it would either be the EMI, or the DG with some of the Concertos... maybe the Naxos disc of Violin Concertos? DG Concertos... but too expensive.

[Mirror Image]

Is the 7th still as dreary as I recall?

I like the DG set very very much, and Henze's 5th, I think (or 4th), is one of my most played Symphonies... yes!, that IS something, haha!

Why not just get the DG Box? I've wanted to hear ALL the Concertos... I think I like early-'60s Henze the best.

I think you're going to get hooked on Henze and spend all your money, haha!! I think 'labyrinthine' describes Henze's output.

If I were to get some Henze, I guess it would either be the EMI, or the DG with some of the Concertos... maybe the Naxos disc of Violin Concertos? DG Concertos... but too expensive.

I am definitely going to get to the DG set, snyprrr, but it has yet to be released here in the US, plus I'm waiting to see how much cheaper I can get (probably $20 off is the maximum amount). I would love to have all of those Wergo recordings, but they're very expensive. What I've heard so far of Henze's music I enjoy very much (Symphony No. 8, Undine). Can't wait to hear more!

That's good to hear about his early symphonies. I've been wanting to buy that Brilliant Classics cheap issue for a long time, but I'm glad I didn't as these performances will be in the DG set. I guess there is a plus side to being patient after all.