Hans Werner Henze

Home > ... > Literature and the Arts > Performing Arts > Music: History, Composers, and Performers: Biographies > ...

Hans Werner Henze

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Hans Werner Henze , 1926-, German composer, b. Gütersloh. Henze was a pupil of Wolfgang Fortner and René Leibowitz. His early works were influenced by Stravinsky , Hindemith , and Bartók . In his first violin concerto (1947) he took up twelve-tone writing, but he has not confined himself to that method (see also serial music ). Henze's leftist politics of the 1960s and 70s are manifested in works such as the oratorio The Raft of the Frigate Medusa (1968) and the Essay on Pigs for baritone and chamber orchestra (1969). He has also written ten symphonies, the ninth of which (1997) is a choral work about Nazi terror based on Anna Seghers 's The Third Cross. Among his other compositions are concertos for various instruments and several operas including Elegy for Young Lovers (1961) and The Bassarids (1965), both to texts by W. H. Auden, The Young Lord (1965), and English Cat (1983).

Bibliography: See his autobiography, Bohemian Fifths (1995).

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-Henze-Ha" title="Facts and information about Hans Werner Henze">Hans Werner Henze</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Hans Werner Henze." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 28 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Hans Werner Henze." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (November 28, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Henze-Ha.html

"Hans Werner Henze." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved November 28, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Henze-Ha.html

Learn more about citation styles

Henze, Hans Werner

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | © World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Henze, Hans Werner (1926– ) German composer. Influenced by twelve-tone music, he is best-known for his operas, such as Elegy for Young Lovers (1961).

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O142-HenzeHansWerner" title="Facts and information about Hans Werner Henze">Hans Werner Henze</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Henze, Hans Werner." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 28 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Henze, Hans Werner." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (November 28, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-HenzeHansWerner.html

"Henze, Hans Werner." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved November 28, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-HenzeHansWerner.html

Learn more about citation styles

Henze, Hans Werner

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music | 1996 | | © The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music 1996, originally published by Oxford University Press 1996. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Henze, Hans Werner (b Gütersloh, Westphalia, 1926). Ger. composer and cond. Studied at Brunswick State Mus. Sch. 1942–4, Heidelberg 1946. Studied Schoenberg's 12-note system with Leibowitz at Darmstadt 1948. Mus. dir. Hessian State Opera's ballet, Wiesbaden, 1950. Settled in Italy 1953. Politically Henze moved in the 1960s to the extreme Left and many of his works after that date reflected revolutionary ideals and dogmas. Henze's mus. style is bewilderingly diverse, reflecting his fertile imaginative gifts and his refusal to be ‘tied down’ by formulae. As much a Fr. or It. composer as Ger., he can adopt at will Schoenbergian, Stravinskyan, or aleatory styles. Sensuous lyricism, rich and delicate tone-colours, and easy mastery of choral writing are among the prin. features of his work. Wrote Music and Politics (Ithaca, NY, and London, 1982). Prin. works:OPERAS AND MUSIC THEATRE: Das Wundertheater (1-act, after Cervantes, for actors and orch., 1948; new version for singers 1964); Boulevard Solitude (1951); König Hirsch (1953–5; reduced version as Il Re Cervo, 1962); Der Prinz von Homburg (after Kleist) (1957–8, rev. 1991); Elegy for Young Lovers (1959–61); Der junge Lord (1964); Das ende eine Welt (1964, stage version of radio opera, 1953); Ein Landarzt (1964, stage version of radio opera, 1951); The Bassarids (1965); Moralities (3 scenic cantatas to Auden text, 1967); Der langwierige Weg in die Wohnung der Natascha Ungeheuer (The Tedious Way to the Place of Natasha Ungeheuer) (1971); La Cubana (vaudeville, 1973); We Come to the River (lib. by E. Bond) (1974–6); Don Chisciotte della Mancia (version of Paisiello, 1976); Pollicino (children's opera, 1979); Il Ritorno di Ulisse in Patria (realization of Monteverdi, 1980–2); The English Cat (lib. by E. Bond) (1980–3, rev. 1990); Das verratene Meer (1986–9).RADIO OPERAS: Ein Landarzt (Kafka) (1951); Das Ende einer Welt (1953).BALLETS: Ballett-Variationen (1949, Suite 1949); Rosa Silber (1950, Suite 1950); Maratona (1956, Suite 1956); Undine (1956–71, 2 Suites 1958); Tancredi (1964 rev. of Pas d'action 1952, Suite 1952); Orpheus (1978).CHAMBER BALLETS: Jack Pudding (1949, Suite 1949); Die schlafende Prinzessin (arr. of Tchaikovsky for small orch. 1951); Labyrinth (1951, choreog. fantasy for orch. 1950); Der Idiot (1952); Des Kaisers Nachtigall (after Andersen, 1959, Suite 1959).INCIDENTAL MUSIC: Der tolle Tag (Beaumarchais) (1951); Les Caprices de Marianne (Musset/Ponnelle) (1962); Der Frieden (Aristophanes/Hacks) (1964).ORCH.: syms.: No.1 (for chamber orch. 1947, rev. 1963), No.2 (1949), No.3 (1949–50), No.4 (1955), No.5 (1962), No.6, for 2 chamber orch. (1969), No.7 (1982–4); Symphonic Interludes from Boulevard Solitude (1953); Quattro Poemi (1955); Antifone (1960); Los Caprichos (1963); Symphonic Interludes from Der junge Lord (1964); 3 Symphonic Studies (1955–64); The Hunt of the Maenads (from The Bassarids) (1965); Telemanniana (1967); Heliogabalus Imperator (1971–2); Tristan, preludes for pf., orch., tape (1973); Ragtimes and Habaneras, brass band (1975); Suite from Pollicino (1979); 2 Dramatic Scenes from Orpheus (1979); Barcarola (1983); Allegro brillante (1989).CHAMBER ORCH.: Sinfonie (1947, rev. for full orch. as sym. No.1, 1963); Symphonic Variations (1950); Sonata for Strings (1957–8); 3 Dithyrambs (1958); 4 Fantasies (3 movts. from Chamber Music 1958 with new Adagio), 8 instr. (1963); In memoriam: Die weisse Rose (1965); Fantasia für Streicher (1966, from film mus. for Der junge Törless); Fragments from a Show (from Natasche Ungeheuer), hn., 2 tpt., tb., tuba (1971); Suite from film mus. Katharina Blum (1975); Amicizia, cl., tb., vc., pf., perc. (1976); Aria de la folia española, orch., also chamber orch. (1977); Apollo trionfante, wind, perc., db. (1979); Arien des Orpheus, guitar, hp., hpd., str. (1979); Canzona, ob., 3 vas., vc., pf., hp. (1982); I Sentimenti di Carl P. E. Bach (transcr. of Fantasia for pf. and vn., 1787), fl., hp., str. (1982); Cinque piccoli concerti (interludes from The English Cat), 8 instr. (1983); Sonata for 6 (1984); 12 kleine Elegien, Renaissance instr. (1986); Requiem (9 Spiritual Concertos), pf., tpt., large chamber orch. (1990–2).CONCERTOS: chamber conc., pf., fl., str. (1946); vn. conc. No.1 (1947), No.2, vn., bass-bar., 33 instr., tape (1971); concertino, pf., wind, perc. (1947); pf. conc. No.1 (1950), No.2 (1967); Jeux des Tritons (from Undine), pf., orch. (1956–7/1967); Ode to the West Wind, vc., orch. (1953); Concerto per il Marigny, pf., 7 instr. (1956); double conc., hp., ob., str. (1966); db. conc. (1966); Compases para preguntas ensimismadas, va., 22 players (1969–70); Il Vitalino raddoppiato, vn., chamber orch. (1977); Musik, vc., chamber orch. (1977); Le Miracle de la Rose, cl., 13 instr. (1981); gui. conc. (1986); 7 Liebeslieder, vc., orch. (1984–5).VOICE AND INSTR.: Ein Landarzt, monodrama, bar., orch. (1951–64, see also RADIO OPERA); Whispers from Heavenly Death ( Whitman), high v., 8 instr. (or pf.) (1948); The Reproach (Der Vorwurf) ( Werfel), aria for bar., tpt., tb., str. (1948); Apollo and Hyacinth, alto, 9 instr. (1949); 5 Neapolitan Songs, mez. or bar., chamber orch. (1956); Nocturnes and Arias, sop., orch. (1957); Chamber Music 1958 ( Hölderlin), ten., guitar, 8 instr. (1958); 3 Hölderlin Fragments, v., guitar (1958); Ariosi (Tasso), sop., vn., and orch. (or pf. 4 hands) (1963); Being Beauteous (Rimbaud), coloratura sop., hp., 4 vc. (1963); Essay on Pigs, bar., chamber orch. (1968); El Cimarrón, bar., fl., guitar, perc. (1969–70); Voices (22 songs), mez., ten., 15 instr. (1973); The King of Harlem, mez., instr. ens. (1979); 3 Auden Poems, v., pf. (1982–3).CHORAL: 5 Madrigals, ch., 11 instr. (1947); Lullaby of the Blessed Virgin, boys' ch., 9 instr. (1948); Chorus of the Captured Trojans (from Goethe's Faust II), ch., orch. (1948, rev. 1964); Novae de Infinito Laudes, cantata, 4 solo vv., ch., small orch. (1962); Cantata della Fiaba Estrema, sop., small ch., 13 instr. (1963); Choral Fantasia ( Bachmann), chamber ch., tb., 2 vc., db., org., perc., timp. (1964); Muses of Sicily (Virgil), conc. for ch., 2 pf., wind, timp. (1966); Das Floss der Medusa, oratorio for sop., bar., speaker, ch., 9 boys' vv., orch. (1968); Jephte (realization of Carissimi's oratorio, 1650), 3 sop., alto, ten., 2 bass, 6 vv., instr. (wind, hp., perc., guitar, banjo, mandolin) (1976); Canzoni für Orpheus, unacc. ch. (1980).CHAMBER MUSIC: str. qts.: No.1 (1947), No.2 (1952), No.3 (1975–6), No.4 (1976), No.5 (1976); vn. sonata (1946); sonatina, fl., pf. (1947); Chamber Sonata, pf., vn., vc. (1948, rev. 1963); Serenade, vc. (1949); Quintet, fl., ob., cl., hn., bn. (1952); 3 Tentos (from Chamber Music 1958), guitar (1958); Der junge Törless, fantasia (after work for str. orch.), str. sextet (1966, trans. of Fantasia für Streicher); Memorias de El Cimarrón, guitar (1970); Carillon, Récitatif, Masque, mandolin, guitar, hp. (1974); Royal Winter Music (2 sonatas on Shakespearean characters), guitar (1975–6 and 1979); L'Autunno, wind quintet, fl., cl., ob., hn., bn., with interchangeable instr. (1977); sonata, solo vn. (1977); va. sonata (1979); Capriccio, vc. (1983); Selbst- und Zwiegespräche, va., gui., small org. (1984–5); Serenade, vn. (1986); Five Night Pieces, vn., pf. (1990).KEYBOARD: Variations, pf. (1949); pf. sonata (1959); Lucy Escott Variations, pf. or hpd. (1963); 6 Absences, hpd. (1961); Divertimenti, 2 pf. (1964); Toccata senza Fuga from Orpheus, org. (1979); Euridice, hpd. (1981).

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O76-HenzeHansWerner" title="Facts and information about Hans Werner Henze">Hans Werner Henze</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "Henze, Hans Werner." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "Henze, Hans Werner." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (November 28, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-HenzeHansWerner.html

MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "Henze, Hans Werner." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Retrieved November 28, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-HenzeHansWerner.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

Free Article Concert note.(Music)(Concert Review)
Magazine article from: New Criterion; 5/1/2004
Free Article No delicacies.(poem)
Magazine article from: Poetry; 10/1/1998
Free Article Opera & video: classical music can offer art a new creative paradigm suggests Chris Townsend.
Magazine article from: Art Monthly; 12/1/2007

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

HANS WERNER HENZE 'MUSIC IS A LANGUAGE OF WHICH WE DON'T KNOW ENOUGH YET'
Newspaper article from: The Boston Globe; 7/31/1988; ; 700+ words ; LENOX - Hans Werner Henze, the eminent German composer, is in...conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Henze's Seventh Symphony. On Sunday, Aug...Tanglewood Music Center will perform Henze's opera "Elegy for Young Lovers...
Henze's dance of death.(On Music)(Hans Werner Hanze)
Magazine article from: The New Leader; 11/1/2005; ; 700+ words ; OVER THE YEARS, attitude toward Hans Werner Henze's music has fluctuated wildly. Henze and I were more or less coevals, which may...as belonging to an earlier age. "How about Henze?" I ventured. He brushed him aside with...
'Arabian' Might; Hans Werner Henze's Rewarding Route to the East
Newspaper article from: The Washington Post; 5/13/2001; ; 700+ words ; ...composers. The German composer Hans Werner Henze, who turns 75 this year, has now...sounds favored by younger composers. Henze first heard the dazzling young tenor...1996. The singer sang three of Henze's songs and so impressed the composer...
Classical: Henze's terrible, wonderful life Hans Werner Henze, a homosexual communist pacifist in Nazi Germany, was lucky to survive the war. His experiences then made him one of the most challenging of today's composers, says Michael Church
Newspaper article from: The Independent - London; 3/9/2001; ; 700+ words ; How should we view Hans Werner Henze? As our critic Bayan Northcott once...insults, abuse, and punishments," Henze recalled in his autobiography Bohemian...some officers turned up, singled out Henze and his most beautiful friends, and...
The prime of Herr Hans Werner Henze
Newspaper article from: The Independent - London; 6/23/1996; ; 700+ words ; ...the way we've hedged our bets on Hans Werner Henze. Of course we celebrate his achievements...now. Whenever periodic bouts of Henze-based activity do break out in...distinction. But the fact is that Henze's output is so prodigious, it...
Classical: From the outside looking in Hans Werner Henze's newly-published autobiography reveals a composer scarred by war, exile and alienation.
Newspaper article from: The Independent - London; 11/6/1998; ; 700+ words ; ...his 70th birthday two years ago, Hans Werner Henze brought out a full-scale autobiography...going for it. A lifelong diarist, Henze has a fund of immediate impressions...Elsa Morante, Ingeborg Bachmann, Hans Magnus Enzensberger and Edward Bond...
Open letter to Hans Werner Henze.(composer)
Magazine article from: Perspectives of New Music; 6/22/1997; ; 700+ words ; Dear Hans Werner Henze, In your book, Die englische Katze...it seems that you yourself, Herr Henze, belong to those "authors . . . who...younger generation" - in which you, Herr Henze, are a confirmed believer - "experiences...
Hans Werner Henze's `Boulevard Solitude'
Newspaper article from: The Independent - London; 3/21/2001; 220 words ; Hans Werner Henze's `Boulevard Solitude', which opened last night at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London Laurie Lewis
A `SPRITELY' ASHTON CLASSIC.(Ashton, Frederick)(Ferri, Alessandra)(Cooper, Adam)(Galasso, Sabina)(Tambone, Biagio)(Fournillier, Patrick)(Henze, Hans Werner)(Review)(Brief Article)
Magazine article from: Dance Magazine; 8/1/2000; ; 700+ words ; ...which gave the audience all the iridescent tunes of Hans Werner Henze's eclectic score. However, I could not help feeling a striking discrepancy between Henze's music--more conceptual than emotional--and...
Henze's haunted sensibility
Magazine article from: Musical Times; 7/1/2006; ; 700+ words ; Hans Werner Henze is 80 on 1 July. WRITING IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY ABOUT the death of his mother in 1976, his own 5oth year, Hans Werner Henze described his 'unrestrained grief. [...] It is an archetypal...

Pictures from Google Image Search

Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture

For students and teachers!

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including:

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including: