HANS WERNER HENZE (b.1926): Guitar Music, Vol. 2 - Ode to an Aeolian Harp for Guitar and Ensemble (ensemble oktopus; Konstantia Gourzi), Royal Winter Music for Guitar (Guitar Sonata No. 1), Carillon, Récitatif, Masque for Guitar and Harp, 3 Fairy Tale Pictures from "Pollicino" for Guitar (arr. Reinbert Evers [b.1949]).

Description: Effectively a guitar concerto, the Ode (1986) - a cycle of four meditations on poems by Moerike - is one of the Henze's most intimate and lyrical compositions. Henze stresses dark instrumental colors among the fifteen solo players in the ensemble. There are no flutes, brass, or violins; instead, the composer uses the more somber cousins of these instruments, including alto flute and bass flute, bass clarinet, viola d'amore and viola da gamba (and also an oboe d'amore and percussion). Franz Halász (guitar), Cristina Bianchi (harp).