Postal/view card from M. Barnet to H. W. Henze, between 2 and July 31, 1976

Writing styles

• 1.

  Handwriting, Barnet, Miguel, ballpoint pen (blue).

Text Constitution

• 1.

  "… and your plans. Horace Ové"An arrow links the name “Horace Ové” to his address in London, which Barnet wrote in the top right-hand corner, next to the place for the stamp.
• 2.

  "5a Greencraft Gardens … N.W. 6328-7340 London"added in the top margin
• 3.

  ""deleted by overwriting
• 4.

  "… will never reach your dimensions."Something different was originally written and then the word “dimensions”, over it, but the original text is no longer legible.
• 5.

  "Galéon secolo XVI"uncertain transcription
• 6.

  "… 16th century Галеон. 16-ый век"The caption on the picture of the postcard is written in three different languages. The first of the three is almost illegible, as Barnet has written over it, it is probably Spanish.

Commentary

• 1.

  "… 1976, not after July 1976"Barnet congratulating Henze on his 50th birthday suggests that this postcard was written after 1 July 1976. In addition, Barnet writes that he read reviews on We come to the river and probably an article published on July 25. It is therefore assumed that this postcard was written in July 1976.
• 2.

  "… from you and your plans."The previous letter in which Henze tells Barnet of his plans has not yet to be located.
• 3.

  "… England will film Cimarrón ."A film by Ové about El Cimarrón does not seem to have realised. Michelangelo Antonioni also wanted to develop a project based on this work. See Barnet’s letter to Henze on 21 July 1970.
• 4.

  "colaboration"recte "collaboration".
• 5.

  "Congratula tion"recte "Congratulations".
• 6.

  "… again for your 50th birth."Henze’s 50th birthday was on 1 July 1976.
• 7.

  "on"recte "in".
• 8.

  "th"recte "the".
• 9.

  "… will never reach your dimensions."Among the various articles Barnet might have read may have been the rather negative one by John Rockwell, entitled “Henze’s First Opera in a Decade Seen in London” in the New York Times on 25 July 1976, p. 58. Here, Barnet seems to be defending Henze from Rockwell’s criticism that his music was not compelling enough.
• 10.

  "of"recte "on".
• 11.

  "… for Cimarrón in July ."Henze never returned to Cuba after 1970. A performance of El Cimarrón in Cuba was planned on July 1977 (see Barnet’s later letter), however, it probably never took place because years later Barnet still complains in a letter to Henze that he was not able to see a live performance of the work.
• 12.

  [Figure Description]Picture of a 16th-century galleon, moved by the wind, surrounded by flying seagulls.