Henze's Benz

Started by snyprrr, December 03, 2011, 02:44:37 PM

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Maestro267

#140
May 30, 2022, 03:06:17 AM
Picked up the first 6 of Henze's symphonies on Brilliant Classics, conducted by the composer. Really enjoying them so far thru the first 3. Hartmannic/Hartmannian if ever I heard it!

relm1

#141
May 30, 2022, 05:26:37 AM
Quote from: Maestro267 on May 30, 2022, 03:06:17 AM
Picked up the first 6 of Henze's symphonies on Brilliant Classics, conducted by the composer. Really enjoying them so far thru the first 3. Hartmannic/Hartmannian if ever I heard it!

Yes, I quite like his symphonies.  Undine is also very good.  I prefer his more opulent and romantic style but also enjoy Die Bassariden and it's associated symphonic suite which falls in to the opulent category.  A fine composer.

Mirror Image

#142
May 30, 2022, 06:34:01 AM
Henze is an excellent composer and I rather enjoy the chameleon-like nature of his style. You never know quite what you're going to get stylistically and it keeps one on their toes.

Mirror Image

#143
May 30, 2022, 06:38:46 AM
Quote from: Maestro267 on May 30, 2022, 03:06:17 AM
Picked up the first 6 of Henze's symphonies on Brilliant Classics, conducted by the composer. Really enjoying them so far thru the first 3. Hartmannic/Hartmannian if ever I heard it!

Yes and no. His style changed quite often, but, overall, I would say the earlier symphonies are closer to Hartmann's style, but he quickly found his own voice or, in his case, voices.

Hartmann and Henze together:

foxandpeng

#144
March 09, 2023, 03:43:23 PM
Quick run through Henze's symphonies seems in order. First six through the DG Henze Collection box set.

I had forgotten how much I like these first couple of symphonies. They have meat on their bones and are a surprisingly easy listen late at night. Nothing like a sense of drama to go with the darker hours...
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

krummholz

#145
March 10, 2023, 08:00:18 AM
I always enjoyed the first four of Henze's symphonies, but less so the 5th. The later ones I've never heard, since I only bought the box set of the first 5 on DG that was released before he had composed the later ones.

Hard to believe he's actually gone now - actually, for over 10 years. :(

foxandpeng

#146
March 10, 2023, 10:14:43 AM
Quote from: krummholz on March 10, 2023, 08:00:18 AMI always enjoyed the first four of Henze's symphonies, but less so the 5th. The later ones I've never heard, since I only bought the box set of the first 5 on DG that was released before he had composed the later ones.

Hard to believe he's actually gone now - actually, for over 10 years. :(

Am just coming to the end of 4 now. I also don't know the later symphonies well- 7 and 8, I like, but this is a good opportunity to revisit, refamiliarise and discover all at once. There is nothing ethereal or ephemeral about these works - weighty, thoughtful compositions, all. Much to chew on. 
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

foxandpeng

#147
March 11, 2023, 05:33:08 AM
Quote from: krummholz on March 10, 2023, 08:00:18 AMI always enjoyed the first four of Henze's symphonies, but less so the 5th. The later ones I've never heard, since I only bought the box set of the first 5 on DG that was released before he had composed the later ones.

Hard to believe he's actually gone now - actually, for over 10 years. :(

I'm surprised you didn't connect with 5. I don't know it well but can see the potential for appreciation. If you'd said that it was 6 that didn't hold your interest, I would get it. That's not fun, that isn't, and I like Peter Maxwell Davies.

Hard work.
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

krummholz

#148
March 11, 2023, 05:59:54 PM
Quote from: foxandpeng on March 11, 2023, 05:33:08 AMI'm surprised you didn't connect with 5. I don't know it well but can see the potential for appreciation. If you'd said that it was 6 that didn't hold your interest, I would get it. That's not fun, that isn't, and I like Peter Maxwell Davies.

Hard work.

Hard to say why - and it was a LONG time ago (decades), so I might find my reaction completely different today. I no longer have the album - got rid of my old LPs when I moved here, as I have nothing to play them on and they were just taking up space.

(I know, that's sacrilege to vinyl devotees... but I had to jettison a LOT of stuff to be able to afford to live out here, by hiring a property management company to rent out my condo. No way could I afford a house or even a condo in this part of the country. I have basically no extra space here now.)

Sorry for the TMI...

foxandpeng

#149
March 12, 2023, 01:23:00 AM
Quote from: krummholz on March 11, 2023, 05:59:54 PMHard to say why - and it was a LONG time ago (decades), so I might find my reaction completely different today. I no longer have the album - got rid of my old LPs when I moved here, as I have nothing to play them on and they were just taking up space.

(I know, that's sacrilege to vinyl devotees... but I had to jettison a LOT of stuff to be able to afford to live out here, by hiring a property management company to rent out my condo. No way could I afford a house or even a condo in this part of the country. I have basically no extra space here now.)

Sorry for the TMI...

I'm going to have another run at 5 and 6 today, once I wake up a bit. I'm starting gently this morning with Ives 1-3, as Henze may just be a little challenging yet. Hoping 6 might feel less like root canal treatment on this pass.

I did exactly the same with my cd collection some years ago. A great shame, but space matters. I can't bear to do the same with books, but moving to digital media has been great. Everything via my phone, through my headphones or Sonos speakers. No looking back.

Don't apologise for the info - good to have the background :-)
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

BWV 1080

#150
May 15, 2023, 06:17:48 PM
Henze is a hit or miss composer, symphonies 1-5 I love, 6-10 I don't care about.

Which matches overall - probably 20% of his output I really love, 40% I am indifferent to and 20% is just plain bad.

Bottom line - if you have heard one Henze piece, you have heard one Henze piece


This vid from Hurwitz gives an idea of the personality here - the dedicated communist who lived most of his life like a lord in an Italian villa



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