Hans Werner Henze

Hans Werner Henze (born July 1, 1926, Gütersloh, Germany) is a German composer well known for his left-wing political convictions. He left Germany for Italy in 1953 because of a perceived intolerance towards his politics and homosexuality. He continues to live in the village of Marino in the Lazio region of Italy. An avowed Marxist and member of the Italian Communist Party, Henze has produced compositions honoring Ho Chi Minh and Che Guevara.

Hans Werner Henze Edition: Orchestra
Hans Werner Henze's orchestral works and concertos on four CDs, played by the NDR Sinfonieorchester under Peter Ruzicka, the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Oliver Knussen with Anssi Karttunen, and Daniele Roccato with the Orchestra Sinfonica Abruzzese;…
Hans Werner Henze Edition: Sinfonia
The ten symphonies of Hans Werner Henze (1947-2000), including the choral Ninth after Anna Seghers, played by the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin and Rundfunkchor Berlin under Marek Janowski, recorded 2008-2014; first box of Wergo's Henze centenary…
Robert Floyd Plays New Music by Hans Werner Henze and Larry Austin (LP)
1971 LP on Advance Recordings with late 1950's / early 60's compositions for piano by the German composer and by the founder of The New Music Ensemble, performed by Robert Floyd.
Grimethorpe Special (LP)
Four avant-garde works for brass band composed in the 1970's and performed by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band conducted by Elgar Howarth, released on Decca's "Headline" contemporary music series in 1977. With insert.
Der Langwierige Weg In Die Wohnung Der Natascha Ungeheuer (LP)
Great 1971 avant-garde/jazz/electronic extravaganza featuring Gunter Hampel, Stomu Yamash'ta, Willem Breuker and others, released on DGG in 1972. With insert.
Fragments From A Show (LP)
Contemporary brass music by five composers performed by The Brass Ring, released by Crystal Records in 1986.
Zeitgenössische Musik In Der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 4 (1950-1960) (3LP box)
Fourth volume of the massive and exhaustive 3LP box series of "Contemporary Music from West Germany" released in the early 80's by Deutscher Musikrat, presenting pieces composed between 1950 and 1960 by Hans Werner Henze, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Hans …
Zeitgenössische Musik In Der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 8 (1970-1980) (3LP box)
Eigth volume of the massive and exhaustive 3LP box series of "Contemporary Music from West Germany" released in the early 80's by Deutscher Musikrat, presenting pieces composed between 1970 and 1980 by Hans Werner Henze, Wolfgang Rihm, Hans-Joachim H…
Works For Double Bass
*2022 stock* 'Hans Werner Henze was, during his lifetime, probably the most-performed composer of western modern music, and his advanced yet sensuously traditional music remains an important presence on stages around the world today. Henze was deeply…
Heliogabalus Imperator / Works For Orchestra
*2022 stock* The relationship between Hans Werner Henze and Oliver Knussen was one of great mutual respect. The German composer admired the British conductor and composer for electrifying performances of Henze’s own and other composers’ works. Knusse…
Piano Works
Jan Philip Schulze has been playing Henze’s piano works “in his sleep,” as he says. Indeed he has worked with the composer intensively on every piece, yet during the recording sessions he was noticeably surprised, while listening back to recordings, …
Musica Da Camera: Ensemble Dissonanzen
Chamber music by Hans Werner Henze, weighted toward pieces drawn from his theatre works, played by the Naples-based Ensemble Dissonanzen: Ein kleines Potpourri from Boulevard Solitude, Toccata Mistica, Drei Tentos and Neue Volkslieder und Hirtengesän…
Guitar music Vol.1
Often described as one of Europe's foremost living composers, Hans Werner Henze could perhaps more accurately be described as Europe's greatest living composer. Born in 1926, Henze's career spans sixty years, his style encompasses everything from neo…
Being Beauteous / Kammermusik 1958
Hans Werner Henze's cantata Being Beauteous (Rimbaud) with Anna Prohaska, and Kammermusik 1958 (Hölderlin) with Peter Gijsbertsen and Jürgen Ruck, first recording of the string orchestra version; NDR Sinfonieorchester, Peter Ruzicka, Hamburg 2013 and…
Hommages
Chamber and solo pieces by Hans Werner Henze dedicated to friends and colleagues, most in first recordings, performed by ensemble recherche, a coproduction with Westdeutscher Rundfunk.
Sinfonien 2 & 10
Hans Werner Henze's Symphony No. 2 (1949) and Sinfonia N. 10 (1997-2000), Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin under Marek Janowski, recorded in 2012 and 2013, completing their Henze symphony cycle.
Sinfonia N. 9
Hans Werner Henze's Sinfonia N. 9 for chorus and orchestra, text by Hans-Ulrich Treichel after Anna Seghers's The Seventh Cross, with Rundfunkchor Berlin and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin under Marek Janowski, recorded November 2008.
Aristaeus / Orpheus Behind the Wire
Hans Werner Henze's two Orpheus works: Orpheus behind the Wire for a cappella choir on Edward Bond, and the first recording of Aristaeus for speaker and orchestra, recorded live in Berlin on 1 February 2004 with Rundfunkchor Berlin and Rundfunk-Sinfo…
Ein Landarzt / Das Ende einer Welt
Hans Werner Henze's radio operas Ein Landarzt (after Kafka) and Das Ende einer Welt (libretto by Hildesheimer), revised versions, premiered live in the Cologne Philharmonie on 27 September 1996 with the WDR Sinfonieorchester under Markus Stenz.
Pollicino
First recording of Hans Werner Henze's children's opera Pollicino, after Collodi, Grimm and Perrault, sung in German by young soloists with a choir and orchestra of Berlin music school students under Jobst Liebrecht. Echo Klassik 2004.