The Emperor’s Nightingale (L'usignolo dell'imperatore)
freely adapted from the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen
Commissioned by the Venice Biennale
Year of composition 1959
Revised version 1970
Duration 17 minutes
Dedicated to Margaret and Ludwig von Hessen
World premiere
World premiere 16. September 1959
Biennale di Venezia · Teatro La Fenice
Production Franco Enriquez
Stage design Attilio Colonnello
Dancer Fiorella Coba
Mimes of the Piccolo Teatro, Mailand
Conductor Ettore Gracis
Comments
Andersen’s tale is simply told, in a linear quick-moving style, in theatre music for a ballerina and a number of mime actors. The solo flute of course represents the nightingale, the piccolo, the noise of the mechanical bird. The other melody instruments present all the emotions of the young Emperor (still almost a child), while percussion, piano and celesta provide the atmosphere of chinoiserie. Since its creation this work has been performed several times as a flute concerto.
Hans Werner Henze
Instrumentation
1 Flauto | anche Ottavino | |
1 Clarinetto basso | ||
Percussione | 2 Triangoli 3 Piatti sospesi 3 Tamtam 3 Tomtom Campanella da rumba [per 4] | |
Celesta | ||
Marimba | ||
Pianoforte | ||
1 Viola | ||
1 Violoncello | ||
Versione ridotta di Henning Brauel (1970) | 1 Flauto | anche Ottavino |
Percussione | 2 Triangoli 3 Piatti sospesi 3 Tamtam 3 Tomtom Marimba Campanella da rumba Vibrafono (ad lib.) Campane tubolari (ad lib.) [per 3] | |
Celesta | ||
Pianoforte |