Letter from H. W. Henze to M. Barnet, January 6, 1986
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Absolute Chronology
Preceding
- 1985-12-20: to Sacher
- 1985-12-01: from Barnet
Following
- 1986-06-03: to Sacher
- 1986-06-01: from Barnet
[Manuscript]
00047 Marino (Roma)
thank you very much for your kind letter, and for
the lovely book
which I received in summer.*
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 happyness‡. I hope
to see you the next time you come to Europe.* Time
is running so fast these days, I’ll be 60
in 1/2 year,
unbelievable.*
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,* 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,*
and this year I’m being honored by my compatriots
in a way that makes it hard to stay being crossed‡
with them, and so I’m yielding to their flirtations. There
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00047 Marino (Roma)
all sorts,* and I’m invited to organize a huge festival
of New Music Theatre in Munich,* and a foundation will
be made in Frankfurt,* and I’ll have an own school
in a village in my home country, Westfalia,* 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.* 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‡ would have to‡
amount of an effort, because, dear Miguel, (this
00047 Marino (Roma)
year I’m unable to come because completely booked
out, which is a pity if your and Alicia’s
idea should actually materialize)* 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.
I’m learning something know[sic]‡ 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
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00047 Marino (Roma)
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.* 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
Editorial
General Remark
The description of the sources was made according to the provided digital copies.
Responsibilities
- Editor(s)
- Elena Minetti
- Transcription
- Elena Minetti
Tradition
Writing styles
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1.Handwriting, Henze, Hans Werner, felt pen/fineliner (blue).
Text Constitution
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"ed"crossed out
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"would"crossed out
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"would have to"added above
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"know"sic
Commentary
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"… 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.
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"happyness"recte "happiness".
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"… in 1/2 year , unbelievable."Henze turned 60 years old on 1 July 1986.
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"… 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.
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"… country more and more frequently,"Henze also frequently travelled to Germany to teach composition at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne.
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"… towns, publications of all sorts,"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.
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"… Music Theatre in Munich ,"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.
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"… be made in Frankfurt ,"It is not clear which foundation Henze is thinking of here.
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"… my home country, Westfalia ,"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.
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"… might be, I'm extremely hurt."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.
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"… '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.
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"… not necessary, and not urgent."Henze would never return to Cuba.
