Letter (with Envelope) from M. Barnet to H. W. Henze, September 8, 1989
I am sure this letter will be a surprise
for you. But surprises are necessary after
years of silence.* 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[sic]‡
and will remain here until the first
week of october[sic]‡.* 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
new[s] 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?*
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 no-
thing else.* 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.
I am writing a lot of articles and press and
finished two novels a Cuban in New York
* that
will come out in april[sic]‡ by Surkhamp[sic]‡
* and Oficio
de ángel, a melancholy saga of my h‡ life
and the life of my generation in Cuba
1948-1964.
*
¿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?* 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
[k]nows and can
give me information. I could receive it in Berlin and take
it to Havana in a bag.
This is a crazy theme but when you are about to reach
50* you start needing such compensations.*
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 I‡ 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.*
As always,
Miguel Barnet
[Envelope, Manuscript]
Br.
Hans Werner Henze
La Leprara 0047
Marino
Roma
Roma
Italia
Miguel Barnet
Storkwinkel 12
| Berlin 3|
Germany
Editorial
Responsibilities
- Editor(s)
- Elena Minetti
- Transcription
- Elena Minetti; Joachim Veit
Tradition
-
Text Source: Basel (Schweiz), Paul Sacher Stiftung (CH-Bps), Sammlung Hans Werner Henze, Abteilung: Korrespondenz
Shelf mark: Barnet, MiguelPhysical Description
- Document type: Letter
- weißes Papier
- Faltung: 1mal längs, 1mal quer
- 2 folios
- 3 written pages
- Dimensions: 297x210 [mm] (HxW)
- Rand: Grußzeile mit 2cm vom linken Rand, Rest 5-7, 5cm auf S. 1, 1 bis 3,5 auf S. 2.
Material
Extent
Layout
Writing styles
-
1.Handwriting, Barnet, Miguel, ballpoint pen (dark).
Text Constitution
-
"august"sic
-
"october"sic
-
"it"added above
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"april"sic
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"Surkhamp"sic
-
"h"crossed out (uncertain transcription)
-
h
-
""erased
Commentary
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"… 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.
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"… 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.
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"… and then no thing else."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.
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"… 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.
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"… 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.
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"… my generation in Cuba 1948-1964."The novel Oficio de ángel was published in Havana in 1989.
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"… the end of Sept ?"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.
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[Figure Description]An arrow indicating a page turn.
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"… are about to reach 50"Barnet turned 50 years old on 28 January 1990.
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"I"recte "it".
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"… 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.
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[Figure Description]On the right, next to the signature, Barnet’s graphic signature.
