Henze

[Quarky]

Henze seems to be one of those underrated and underperformed Composers. Prolific output, and much of it would not be amiss on Afternoon on 3. Some of it might even fit on Essential classics. I'm sure there was a ballet performed at ROH a couple of years back, which seemed quite mild and unadventurous.

I can understand why Knussen performed Englische Liebeslieder, but this seems to be one of his little known works. No recording as far as I can see, not even a clip on YouTube.

[edashtav]

Henze seems to be one of those underrated and underperformed Composers. Prolific output, and much of it would not be amiss on Afternoon on 3. Some of it might even fit on Essential classics. I'm sure there was a ballet performed at ROH a couple of years back, which seemed quite mild and unadventurous.
[...]

Your second and third sentences, oddball, provide perfect reasons for why your first one is true.

His work is better than that, IMHO, but not much!

[Sydney Grew]

Your second and third sentences, oddball, provide perfect reasons for why your first one is true. . . .

What . . . like Bach and Mozart you mean?

[edashtav]

What . . . like Bach and Mozart you mean?

Your comment made me laugh.

Superficially, it's logical but at its heart flawed, but my tendency to employ generalisations left me open to your scorn!

Old Bach and Mozart were genii - thunderstorms that provided their own dynamic that could override the spirit of the wind.

Henze was not a genius. With him, abundance signalled a lack of quality control. Henze was replete with self-confidence but less imbued with self-criticism

Classical chalk does not blend with modern cheese.


And if that cheese is "quite mild and unadventurous" then I , for one, reject it as unlikely to be worthy of my time and attention.

It is not the job of serious contemporary music to fit seamlessly into the mores of the past.

Afternoon on 3 and Essential Classics are comfort blankets, full of music to induce snoozes and siestas.

If a real piece of "new" music were to be scheduled, just think of the desolation of the awaking listener: "Good grief, I've just nodded through Sorabji's 6th piano symphony, a work that I've waited a lifetime to hear."

Were that listener to be me,Sydney, I'd probably die of apoplexy.

[kuligin]

Your second and third sentences, oddball, provide perfect reasons for why your first one is true.

His work is better than that, IMHO, but not much!

I think thats a bit unfair, his out put is very large and so hard to come to terms with but in my view The Bassarids and Elegy for Young Lovers are amongst the best operas composed post war. I would love to hear others and was sad not to be able to travel to Cardiff to see Boulevard Solitude.

[edashtav]

I think thats a bit unfair, his out put is very large and so hard to come to terms with but in my view The Bassarids and Elegy for Young Lovers are amongst the best operas composed post war. I would love to hear others and was sad not to be able to travel to Cardiff to see Boulevard Solitude.

Four friends of mine attended Boulevard Solitude in CMK and were bowled over by it.
I don't want to dismiss Henze's music but I do feel he was more the Telemann of the 20th century than its JSB.

[kea]

I've heard Symphonies 1 through 6 on a DG box. I remember 6 as being rather quirky and entertaining, and the other five very little at all. Don't think they were particularly unpleasant to listen to, solid Berg-style expressionism, but not as distinctive. I've also heard the 3 violin concertos of which again one was unusual involving spoken word and electronics and such-like, and the other two were more neo-Berg stuff.

I do feel he was more the Telemann of the 20th century than its JSB.

I'm not sure about that, but he could be the Johann Christian to Stockhausen's CPE.

[ahinton]

I must confess to utter astonishment at some of the patronising comments about Henze upthread (not to mention the puzzling one about Sorabji's Sixth Piano Symphony, reference to which seems to have little if any relevance here); that said, it's not the first time that I have witnessed a composer's mere creative prolixity being seized upon and used as a weapon with which to beat him, so perhaps I should be only dismayed and not also surprised...

[Roehre]

I've heard Symphonies 1 through 6 on a DG box. I remember 6 as being rather quirky and entertaining, and the other five very little at all. Don't think they were particularly unpleasant to listen to, solid Berg-style expressionism, but not as distinctive. I've also heard the 3 violin concertos of which again one was unusual involving spoken word and electronics and such-like, and the other two were more neo-Berg stuff......

Not really an in-depth knowledge of a composer's output for a well-based opinion, is it?
what about the operas, the other symphonies/concertos, the chamber music and songs, the ballets?

[kea]

Not really an in-depth knowledge of a composer's output for a well-based opinion, is it?
what about the operas, the other symphonies/concertos, the chamber music and songs, the ballets?

No, not really. I haven't found myself in dire need of more Henze, but I should go back and listen to what I have (which also includes the complete string quartets and the Capriccio for Solo Cello according to a quick music library search—possibly other stuff that hasn't been digitised, but that's out of reach atm. Apart from the 2nd Violin Concerto and 6th Symphony the piece I have listened to the most is the 5th [3 times], which suggests I know it as well but simply can't bring it to mind right away.) in order to form a more coherent judgment about it. If you have any other recommendations as well, I'd welcome them.