Der langwierige Weg in die Wohnung der Natascha Ungeheuer (The Tedious Way to the Place of Natascha Ungeheuer)[1] is a
composition by the German composer
Hans Werner Henze. It represents one of the most outré examples of his early
socialism-inspired works.
The work is an
allegory: Natascha Ungeheuer (in English 'monster', 'ogre', but also a reference to the German painter
Natascha Ungeheuer [
de])[6][7] is the "siren of a false
Utopia" according to Salvatore.[4] She lures the leftist intellectual into the cosy situation whereby they preach socialist values whilst essentially living the same
bourgeoismiddle class lifestyle, identifying with the
proletariat in words only.[6] In a broadly
analogous way to the
temptation of Christ, Salvatore's hero resists the temptation to go all the way to Natascha's apartment, yet "has not yet discovered his way to the revolution".[4]
It was met with
boos from the audience, which, Henze reflected, "was understandable [in] that our portrait of Berlin caused displeasure" amongst the very intellectuals it savaged.[8]
^Bruce Cole (December 1973). "Review: Henze: Der langwierige Weg in die Wohnung der Natascha Ungeheuer recording"". Tempo (107): 40–41.
JSTOR944274.
Further reading
Flammer, Ernst Helmuth. "Form und Gehalt III: Eine Analyse von Hans Werner Henzes Der langwierige Weg in die Wohnung der Natascha Ungeheuer." Melos/NZM, no. 4 (1978), pp. 486–495
Henze, Hans Werner. "Art and the Revolution". Music and Politics. Translated by Peter Labanyi. New York: Cornell University Press, 1982. 178–183.
Henze, Hans Werner. "Natascha Ungeheuer". Music and Politics. Translated by Peter Labanyi. New York: Cornell University Press, 1982. 184–193.
Jacobshagen, Arnold. "Musica impura. Hans Werner Henzes Der langwierige Weg in die Wohnung der Natascha Ungeheuer und die Studentenbewegung", in: Rebellische Musik. Gesellschaftlicher Protest und kultureller Wandel um 1968 (musicolonia, vol. 1), Arnold Jacobshagen and Markus Leniger (eds.), Cologne (Christoph Dohr) 2007, pp. 109–124
ISBN978-3-936655-48-3