Hans Werner Henze

Hans Werner Henze (1926–2012) was a German composer. His work was shaped by the theater but encompassed almost every musical genre, including numerous operas and ballets, symphonies, concert works, and the instrumental “Requiem.” His music combined tonal patterns and free atonality with serial and other constructivist techniques. In the 1950s, Henze set poetry by Ingeborg Bachmann to music and composed works to her librettos, including “Der junge Lord” and “Der Prinz von Homburg.” His honors included the Hans von Bülow Medal of the Berlin Philharmonic (1997), the Praemium Imperiale Award (2000), and the German Dance Prize (2001).