Hans Werner Henze (1926-2012)
CD
Royal Winter Music I
Royal Winter Music II
Marco Mina (guitar)
rec. No information is provided
DVD
Hans Werner Henze in Villa La Leprara
English subtitles
PAL
NovAntiqua LC28904 [CD 70; DVD 120]
An important part of Julian Bream’s guitar legacy is his contributions to its repertory, in the main initiated via tireless efforts with composers to write new music for the instrument. Among those who responded positively were Benjamin Britten, Alan Rawsthorne, Richard Rodney Bennett, William Walton, Lennox Berkeley and Malcolm Arnold, among others.
In 1976, at the request of Bream, German composer Hans Werner Henze composed music for solo guitar inspired by characters from Shakespeare, and entitled Royal Winter Music. The work was described as a Sonata, and is in six movements. It was premiered by Julian Bream in Berlin on 20 September 1976. Some three years later, Henze wrote another Sonata in three parts, which continued the same theme. Henze considered the work, as a whole, then complete. This Second Sonata was premiered by Reinbert Evers on 25 November 1980.
Those more intimately familiar with the characters from Shakespeare may be able to quickly associate the individuals related to each movement of the Sonatas. The Philistines among us may be left floundering while others, more erudite, quickly identify in Sonata I how ‘Ophelia gently sings of sad love before the water envelopes her’ and how, in the Second Sonata, ’mad Lady Macbeth rages and fumes in distractedly fragmented, obsessive and deliberate gesture’.
There have been more than 20 recorded versions of Royal Winter Music based on the published editions by Bream and Evers. After careful examination of the autograph , the liner notes indicate that more than 300 editorial changes have been identified, and state that the revisions ‘are not compatible with the expressive plasticity of the autograph.’ Some of the changes are dealt with in the fine detail.
The key merit of this new recording is that it is purported to be more authentic and true to the original composition than other recordings made to date. Without access to the autograph, and the edited versions, one must take the word of Marco Mina at face value. What is rather surprising is that Julian Bream collaborated very closely with Henze in revising and adapting the autograph to make it playable on the guitar. This is not uncommon practice when non-guitarists compose music for the instrument. Segovia was often scathing about the unplayable manuscripts supplied to him by composers who did not play the guitar. He once said that they ‘make me laugh.’
Over decades, it became customary among guitarists to both value and trust the musicianship and editorial skills of Bream. One can assume that editorial changes were made only on the basis of playability, sound musical judgement, and in consultation with the composer. The liner notes state that Mina met Henze in 1990, but give no details of editorial collaboration. Just how critical the editorial changes made are to the actual music, may be a matter of conjecture since they appear without the endorsement of Henze, who passed away in 2012.
Among the recorded versions of Sonata I made up to the present, that by Bream is a favourite and with sound reason. Composed for him, edited by him in conjunction with the composer, and played by an absolute master guitarist, this is an imposing combination. Other versions will also have their merits, as does the version here by Mina. An autograph manuscript may be a reason to further pursue this music, but does not guarantee a musical advantage over that originally produced by Bream.
This review programme is presented in the format of a hardback booklet with English, Italian, Dutch, and German liner notes, and comprising a CD and DVD. The booklet is filled with numerous black and white photographs germane to the composer and the guitarist. The DVD provides a narrative on the life and times of Henze during his occupancy of The Villa La Leprara, south-east of Rome.
Marco Mina studied at the G. Verdi Conservatory of Music in Milan, where he graduated under the direction of Prof. Ruggero Chiesa. He also studied at the University La Sapienza in Rome where he graduated cum laude under the supervision of Prof. Pierluigi Petrobelli. He has taught guitar at major conservatoires in his home country, and regularly holds music classes at prestigious musical institutions in Europe, Australia and the USA.
Influenced by serialism, atonality, Stravinsky, Italian and Arabic music, jazz as well as traditional German schools of music, the compositions from this composer’s pen will be, for some, a matter of acquired taste. While the interpretations by Mina of this music may offer greater insight into the fine detail of the composer’s original intent, it is by the hand of Julian Bream that one acquires a special affinity and warmth for the music.
It is worth mentioning the rumour of a subsequent antipathy that developed between Bream and Henze. This may explain, at least in part, why the Sonata II, written for and dedicated to him, was premiered by someone else, and not recorded by Bream. The liner notes make no reference to this, merely indicating that the reason is shrouded in mystery.
The video component of this presentation is rather long. It is narrated entirely in Italian by Marco Mina, assisted by Michael Kerstan, who was close to Henze over many years, and is now Director of the Henze Foundation. There are English subtitles, but those with no knowledge of Italian will require a little experimentation to access them. A quick click on sottotitoli (sub-titling) will ease any frustration.
The narrative is essentially a biographical overview of Henze, which centres on his home in Italy, Villa La Leprara. It tends to focus on breadth rather than fine detail.
In 1963 Henze discovered a choice piece of land from which he could see both the town of Marino and the city of Rome. Almost immediately he commenced construction of a home, establishing complementary gardens. This house is quite magnificent, and includes large marble columns from a demolished church. The architectural style is in the local vernacular, as is the interior décor. It includes sympathetic furnishings, Persian rugs and large art works by Renzo Vespignani. Through this house passed the most important artists of the 20th century in literature, music, and art.
It is a very interesting documentary per se, but for aficionados of Henze it’s essential viewing
In total, and supplementary to its musical value, this presentation represents an important contribution to collectors of guitar history memorabilia.
Zane Turner
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