Henze-Digital, Briefedition
author: Henze, Hans Werner
language: en
availability: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Mit freundlicher Genehmigung der Hans Werner Henze-Stiftung (Dr. Michael Kerstan). (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

January 6th, 1986
Dear Miguel,

thank you very much for your kind letter, and for the lovely book which I received in summer. [Barnet had sent Henze a book on Cuban art, which is now kept at the library of the Hochschule für Musik in Detmold.] I'm so sorry I'm so late in answering you, the reason was simply that I was travelling a lot, and never could find the time. Your letter is very optimistic, and full of the old sense of friendship that so often has given me joy and happiness. I hope to see you the next time you come to Europe. [From this sentence Henze already makes it clear that he does not accept Barnet's invitation in his previous letter of 1 December 1985.] Time is running so fast these days, I'll be 60 in 1/2 year, unbelievable. [Henze turned 60 years old on 1 July 1986.]

Everything is good here, and calm. I'm writing quite well, I think, and at times enjoy it even. And I have come to the point now that I allow myself to stop as soon as I feel only slightly joyless. My new works are very successful, [Among the successful new works that Henze probably had in mind were his Seventh Symphony, premiered on 10 December 1984, and Il ritorno di Ulisse in patria , premiered on 14 August 1985.] I have learned so much, and I love my teaching activities that grow all the time. I'm going to my home country more and more frequently, [Henze also frequently travelled to Germany to teach composition at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne.] and this year I'm being honored by my compatriots in a way that makes it hard to stay being cross with them, and so I'm yielding to their flirtations. There 2 will be huge festivals in various towns, publications of all sorts,[^1] and I'm invited to organize a huge festival of New Music Theatre in Munich,[^2] and a foundation will be made in Frankfurt, [It is not clear which foundation Henze is thinking of here.] and I'll have an own school in a village in my home country, Westfalia,[^3] can you imagine? This development has taken 40 years of solidarity work (in a kind of solidarity jail) but maybe I'm coming out of it in a sort of respectable way, it seems. And I love to be admired, why not, and, with the years, the desire for a bit more attention and, in some very sad and deeply saddening cases, the wish for more respect, has grown considerably. So when a country I love and respect, as Cuba, ignores me because I know Padilla and I'm gay, and mad, and independent (without feeling free, though!) or whatever it might be, I'm extremely hurt.[^4] If they wanted to hurt me, they succeeded, but nobody ever told me anything. Some awful rumours were made and heard, very embarrassing. Perhaps I should never go back there. In any case, if they ever wanted me to come, they would have to amount of an effort, because, dear Miguel, (this 3 year I'm unable to come because completely booked out, which is a pity if your and Alicia's idea should actually materialize) [Barnet and Alonso were planning to perform El Cimarrón in Havana in 1986. See Barnet's letter of 1 December 1985.] my experiences, exciting as they might have been, are not without anger. If they wanted to make me angry they made it. It seems I'm not good enough for Cuba. I have to accept such an evidence, don't I, and draw my consequences. And it is just as well, and I do have no time. And the climate is too hot and too damp for my physical conditions anyway. I must look after myself, it turns out that I have to work less and to travel less and less. But I'm very well, my life is good and I'm very happy. In spite of a world of enemies and invidious colleagues.

[^1: In addition to programme notes with texts by and about Henze, in 1986 the collected volume Henze edited by Enzo Restagno and the book Der Komponist Hans Werner Henze edited by Dieter Rexroth were published.]

[^2: The invitation to organise a festival, which later became the Münchener Biennale, was made in March 1985 by Jürgen Kolbe, municipal councillor for culture in Munich. See Henze's Autobiography, pp. 416-417.]

[^3: In his Autobiography, p. 424, Henze mentions that he received an invitation from the mayor of Gütersloh, Karl Ernst Strothmann, to return to his hometown on the occasion of his 60th birthday. It is likely that the idea of a music school also dates from this occasion, although is not certain. A festival dedicated to Henze was actually organised in Gütersloh from 8 to 25 September 1986.]

[^4: Henze feels that Cuba ignored him after not receiving an official invitation to return to the country since 1970. After the Padilla Affair and his signature of the open letter to Castro (see its publication in De nombreuses personnalités s'émeuvent de l'arrestation du poète cubain Heberto Padilla ), demanding the release of the poet and his wife, Henze was persona non grata in Cuba and so his return was no longer possible. See Henze's letter to Barnet on 21 May 1971.]

I'm learning something know that you, dear Miguel, have always known, that it is important to be in harmony with one self and make sure to have lovely and trustworthy friends. And that we can be effective and useful with our work. The rest is a matter of choices of another kind, and that is never easy, neither for 4 oneself, nor for the others. Cuba is something very special and wonderful in my memories and experiences. One day, I hope, I will be able to come back to it and see the old friends, and bring some of my music. But it is not necessary, and not urgent. [Henze would never return to Cuba.] Please, ring me the next time you come to this part of the world!

All the best, much love, and a big hug from
hans