The Seven Boleros for large orchestra (1998) originated from musical material first used in Henze's opera Venus and Adonis (1997), where they served as accompaniment for solo voices.
Composition History
Henze's Seventh Symphony was a commission from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for their 100th anniversary, composed over nine and a half months.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Henze considered his Seventh Symphony a 'German' work, dealing with 'German things,' and was drawn to the tradition of Beethoven.
Composer Biography
Hans Werner Henze (1926-2012) was a highly versatile and influential composer, creating over forty stage works, ten symphonies, concertos, chamber music, oratorios, and song cycles.
Recording & Production
The recording of the Boleros, Overture, and L'heure bleue took place in January 2013 at Studio Stolberger Straße, while the Seventh Symphony was recorded in October 2013 at the Philharmonie Cologne.
Compositional Technique
The Seventh Symphony marks a return to the traditional four-movement structure, typical of classical symphonies by composers like Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, after Henze's earlier single- or three-movement forms.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Henze's works uniquely combine timeless beauty with contemporary social engagement, reflecting his harmonious balance of art and life found in his Mediterranean home near Rome with his partner Fausto Moroni.
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