Barnet, Miguel: Brief (mit Umschlag) an Henze, Hans Werner in Marino. Freitag, 8. September 1989
author: Barnet, Miguel
language: en
availability: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

September 8, 1989
Dear Hans:

I am sure this letter will be a surprise for you. But surprises are necessary after years of silence. [The preceding letter in the correspondence is Henze's letter of 6 January 1986.] Silence, sometimes is also the way to communicate when life is such a big turmoil and things happen to be so delinous and capricious.

I hope you feel well, happy and with the high and creative spirit that your personality has always beamed. I happen to be in Berlin since august and will remain here until the first week of october . [Barnet was in Berlin with a DAAD scholarship for Literature, as can be inferred from the list of recipients in the DAAD Jahrbuch 2022, p. 106.] It is far from Rome but still we are neighbours, after all.

My friends from DAAD, here, told me you were going to come but then they said no. I just heard this sad news today, that is why I am writing to you, because, otherwise I would have done everything to meet you here. When shall we see each other again? [In the correspondence, there is no evidence of meetings between Barnet and Henze after Barnet's visit to Marino, in May 1982.]

My feelings towards you have not (2.) changed, and I feel that something should be done to repair the loss of communication. The last time I heard from you was when we talk by phone in Cologne, and then nothing else.[^1] Probably it is my fault. We are both very busy and I understand it very well. But, nevertheless, I need you very badly. Your friendship and solidarity has always been very stimulating for me, you know it.

[^1: From Barnet's dedication dated Köln 3/6/1986 on the book Die stummen Hunde , now kept at the Library of the Hochschule für Musik in Detmold, it can be deduced that Barnet was in Cologne in June 1986. Henze himself was often in this city to teach composition at the Hochschule from 1980 to 1991.]

I am writing a lot of articles and press and finished two novels a Cuban in New York [The original Spanish title of Barnet's fourth testimonial novel is La vida real (1986), later translated into German as Ein Kubaner in New York.] that will come out in april by Surkhamp [Ein Kubaner in New York was published by Suhrkamp in April 1990. Henze had this book in his library, now kept at the library of the Hochschule für Musik in Detmold.] and Oficio de ángel, a melancholy saga of my life and the life of my generation in Cuba 1948-1964. [The novel Oficio de ángel was published in Havana in 1989.]

¿What are you doing? ¿How is Fausto? ¿Could you send me the record of La Cubana to Havana or to Berlin before the end of Sept?[^2] My address here is
M. B. Storkwinkel 12 1000 Berlin 31.
My telephone is 8911388. ¿How are your beautiful dogs? ¿Do you know of someone in Rome who could sell me a short hair Chihuahua, smooth coat. I am breeding them in Cuba and need a young male to get new blood, because we have a lot of inbreeding. Maybe Fausto knows and can [An arrow indicating a page turn.] give me information. I could receive it in Berlin and take it to Havana in a bag.

[^2: Henze often sent Barnet recordings and scores. Precisely in regard to La Cubana, in a letter sent as early as 30 May 1973 Barnet had requested its recording and in a postcard Barnet thanked Henze for receiving the work's score. This letter is the last to be located in the correspondence, so it cannot be ascertainable whether or not Henze sent Barnet what he requested here.]

This is a crazy theme but when you are about to reach 50 [Barnet turned 50 years old on 28 January 1990.] you start needing such compensations. [Barnet's passion for dogs, shared with Henze and Moroni, emerges in several letters of their correspondence. See, for example, Barnet's letter of 7 April 1973.]

Life is also made of those elemental and odd things. And, as you remembered, I always loved dogs. Dear Hans, we will have to talk more in person, about hundreds of things, including Cuba.

But I do not know how, where and when. I had the hope it was going to be during my stay here, but unfortunately it will not be possible.

Please, my best regards to Fausto, and my love to you. In November 1969 we met for the first time. This year is the 20th anniversary of our friendship. I congratulate myself for such a long and fruitful relationship. [Henze arrived in Cuba for the first time on 21 March 1969. Shortly afterwards he met Barnet, as the composer writes in his Autobiography, pp. 253-254.]

On the right, next to the signature, Barnet's graphic signature.

As always,
Miguel Barnet