Sonatina 1947

World premiere August 6, 2003

Salzburg · Salzburger Festspiele
Piano Christopher Tainton

I wrote this sonatina in december 1947 for Wladimir Horbowski, the highly respected piano teacher, who at that time used to be working in Stuttgart. With the years, maybe due to several removals I had misplaced the manuscript and thought it to be lost.

Only recently it happened to reappear, in fact in the Paul Sacher Foundation’s archives in Basel, and now it enjoys daylight again. I was very pleased indeed with the rediscovery from that phase of my life, it’s awkward and blurry echoes of the old master’s piano music, and with it’s upcoming presentation. Very special thanks go to Christopher Tainton, the pianist, and to all those who did help to revive this piece.

Hans Werner Henze, Juni 2003