Henze, Hans Werner

Henze apologises for being unable to come to his party, stating that he is at the edge of his nervous capacities, that the libretto of [his opera, We Come To] The River is terrifying and, having finished it at 4am, he went to see his mother and learned from her doctors she was dying of cancer, explaining that he has read Maupassant's short story 'Boule de Suif' and how much he loves it, asking him to consider giving the idea back, as for Richard it is just a possibility but for him it is a necessity, advising him on the orchestration of a dramatic work for the Montepulciano Festival; encouraging Richard not to worry about his father's illness, advising him on the orchestration of an unfinished work, again encouraging him not to be upset and to "make yourself transparent, so the pain goes through you..."; in the typed letter from Berio to Richard Blackford he discusses the progress of his work on A-RONNE, dated 17 February 1977, one page, 8vo (22 x 14cms);

7 pages in all, various sizes, the Henze letters dated ("Crete 27 Sept 75"; "Hamburg 18 III 77") with autograph envelopes, 1975-1977; together with a typed letter signed by Edward Bond, commenting on a libretto sent to him, some creasing to Henze letters

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Henze wrote these heartfelt words to composer Richard Blackford, then his assistant, during a period of self-imposed isolation. Behind the brief allusion to his anxious state ("I'm at the edge of my nervous capacities") was a deep personal and professional crisis from which Henze did not fully emerge for another 30 years. The adaptation of Maupassant's short story 'Boule de Suif' never came to fruition.