Henze, Hans Werner: Brief an Auden, Wystan Hugh in Kirchstetten. Montag, 3. Juli 1967
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/)

3.7.67

W. H. Auden
Kirchstetten (Westbahn)
Hinterholz 6
N. O. Austria

Dear Wystan,

Thanks for your letter [This could be Auden's letter of 10 June 1967, but it's not certain.]. The news about my health are widely exaggerated. [It cannot be determined what news about his health Auden may be referring to.] One day when I will see you I shall tell you all about it. It is something that unfortunately can not quite be cured but one can live with it. I can work but not conduct at least for another season and perhaps never again. [As Henze recounts in his Autobiography, pp. 225-226, in early 1967, Henze's doctor forbade him to conduct, due to hypertension, even though he had already conducted some concerts during the summer.] That is very boring because it amused me so much. I am writing a piano concerto at present, very long and symphonic. [Henze's Piano concerto no. 2 is indeed quite long: lasting about 50 minutes. Henze finished composing it in the summer or fall of 1967 (see his Autobiography, p. 227).] In July I go to Dartmouth, Hannover ( New England ) as a composer in residence.[^1] The rest of the year I shall stay in Marino.

[^1: The festival Henze attended as composer in residence was organized by the conductor Mario di Bonaventura. There, Henze would attend rehearsals of his own pieces and also conduct and analyse other works (see his Autobiography, pp. 227-228).]

I have the feeling Moralities are a very nice piece and I want to thank you again for having given me the libretto. I shall make a recording of it in Dresden with the Kreuzchor boys (I am still able to make gramophone recordings) in autumn.[^2]

[^2: Moralities were actually recorded under Henze's direction with the choir of the Dresdner Kreuzchor in 1968 and released by Deutsche Grammophon in a co-production with Eterna. See Hans Werner Henze – Muses Of Sicily - Moralities. Solists, Chorus And Orchestra Conducted By The Composer.]

The Bassarides will come out at La Scala end of March 1968 , with Paskalis, Driscoll and Meyer, the rest italian singers. Production by a polish director called Svinarski who is supposed to be great; designs, fabulous by Vespignani. Conductor Bartoletti.[^3] It seems very promising and I hope we are not in for any trouble this time.

[^3: The Italian premiere of The Bassarids took place at La Scala in Milan on 26 March 1968 (with the libretto translated in Italian by Fedele D'Amico). The conductor, however, was not Bartoletti, but Nino Sanzogno.]

I hope you are well and happy. All my love also to faithless Chester.