Hans Werner Henze - Symphony No. 7; Barcarola (Simon Rattle)

Information

Composer: Hans Werner Henze

1. Symphony No. 8: II. Allegramente con comodo tenerezza e ballabilita (Excerpt)
2. Symphony No. 7: I. Tanz. Lebhaft und beseelt
3. Symphony No. 7: II. Ruhig bewegt
4. Symphony No. 7: III. Unablässig in Bewegung
5. Symphony No. 7: IV. Ruhig, verhalten
6. Barcarola

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Simon Rattle, conductor

Date: 1993 / 2026

Label: Warner Classics

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Hans Werner Henze (1926–2012), a champion of eclectic lyricism, initially experimented with Boulezian serialism before expanding his palette into a diverse musical language. His mature style seamlessly synthesizes post-Romanticism and the Second Viennese School with elements of jazz, folk, and revolutionary songs. As a deeply committed artist with strong communist convictions, Henze earned primary renown for his operas and symphonies. Notably, his Seventh Symphony serves as an explicit homage to the great masters of German Romanticism, beautifully illustrating his ability to bridge rigorous avant-garde techniques with traditional forms to create a uniquely expressive and politically engaged body of work.

Simon Rattle (b. 1955, Liverpool) studied at the Royal Academy of Music and is Chief Conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Laureate of the London Symphony Orchestra. He is Principal Artist of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Founding Patron of the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, and from 2002–2018 served as Principal Conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker. In 2024, he became Principal Guest Conductor (Rafael Kubelik Chair) of the Czech Philharmonic. Renowned worldwide, Rattle conducts leading orchestras and opera houses. Equally committed to education, he has pioneered influential outreach programs with both the Berlin Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestra.