The Vocal Scarf of the Primadonna Rosa Silber (Das Vokaltuch der Kammersängerin Rosa Silber)

List of works

1943 to 2012

Choreographic poem

Commissioned by the RIAS Berlin

Year of composition 1950
Revision 1990
Duration 18 minutes

Dedicated to Boris Blacher

Concertante world premiere 8. May 1951

Berlin · Titania Palast, Rias-Sonderkonzert
RIAS-Sinfonie-Orchester
Conductor Ferenc Fricsay

Scenic world premiere 15. October 1958

Köln

Choreography Lisa Kretschmar
Conductor Siegfried Köhler

World premiere of the Revision 14. January 1991

London · Barbican Hall · Parnassus Ensemble
Conductor Hans Werner Henze

This bitter-sweet divertissement of my early years draws on many impressions and influences from my Berlin days of 1950, including Paul Klee and the colours of his “vocal scarf”, classical ballet, Boris Blacher and Stravinsky. The folksong “C’est le mai, c’est le mai” is used as a variation theme. I thoroughly revised the piece in 1990.

Hans Werner Henze

1 Ottavino
1 Flauto
1 Oboe
1 Corno inglese
1 Clarinetto
1 Clarinetto basso
2 Fagotti

2 Corni
2 Trombe
2 Tromboni
1 Tuba

Timpani
Percussione	Piatto sospeso piccolo Piatti a due Tamburo piccolo [per 1]
Archi