Auden, Wystan Hugh: Brief an Henze, Hans Werner. Kirchstetten (Westbahn), Montag, 19. Oktober 1964
author: Auden, Wystan Hugh
language: en
availability: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Copyright by the Estate of W. H. Auden. By courtesy of the Estate of W. H. Auden. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Oct 19th 1964[^1] answered 25 oct [Despite stating October 25, Henze did not reply until October 26.]
Dearest Hans:

[^1: The content of this letter makes it possible to ascertain that it was written on 19 October 1964. In fact, Auden writes at the end that he is leaving for Berlin on Thursday, supposedly 22 October 1964. In Henze's letter of 26 October 1964, Henze writes Welcome to Berlin.]

Many thanks for your letter. [This letter has yet to be located.] No, I did not expect you to be able to read the Greek text, but I think you may find both the introduction and the notes helpful.[^2] Hope you have also been able to get the Graves. [Auden had probably recommended that Henze read The Greek Myths , a compendium of Greek mythology with comments and analyses by the poet and writer Robert Graves.] In it, you will find the Judgement of Calliope story.[^3] .

[^2: Auden sent Henze an edition of Euripides' Bacchae in Greek, with numerous explanations in English, edited by Eric R. Dodds. This book, which once belonged to Auden as confirmed by his manuscript entry, is part of Henze’s private library. It can currently be consulted at the library of the Musicological Department of the Paderborn University.]

[^3: The subject of the Intermezzo in the middle of The Bassarids is taken from the myth of the judgement of Calliope, the eldest and wisest of the nine muses, who was invited by Zeus as a judge between Aphrodite and Persephone to settle their dispute over contending for Adonis. See the story of Calliope's verdict in Robert Graves, Aphrodite's Nature And Deeds, pp. 67-72.]

No, The Maenads will not do: they are only women. Uncommon or not, The Bassarids is a genuine word and sounds well both in English and in German. Also, slightly puzzling titles activate public curiosity. [The discussion regarding the title is also present in Henze's letter on 6 October 1965 and in Auden's letter on 20 October [1965].]

I hope you've had my letter about Herr Reinhold [A letter from Auden regarding Helmut Reinold and most probably his translation of the libretto of The Bassarids has yet to be located.], about whom we are worried. You must make it clear to him and to Schott that his demands[^4] are absolutely unacceptable to us.

[^4: Reinold's requests are not mentioned in the epistolary exchange between Henze and the librettists, however, the correspondence between Henze and Reinold preserved at the Paul Sacher Foundation provides explanations in this regard. In particular, Henze's letter to Reinold on 29 October 1964, suggests that the librettists had imagined that Reinold wanted to appear as co-author of the libretto, given the numbers of cuts and adjustments he was making to his translation. Reinold's translation was ultimately not accepted by the three authors and the study score of The Bassarids states that the text was arranged by Helmut Reinold, the libretto was translated into German by Maria Bosse-Sporleder.]

Off to Berlin on Thursday, much love Wystan .

P.S. Beware of taking counsel from too many people. Trust your mother !![^5]

[^5: Auden's exhortation refers to the fact that Henze had asked several people for help in understanding the term bassarids. See also Henze's letter from 6 October 1965 and Henze's reply of 25 October, in which Henze refers humorously to Auden as his mother.]