David Tanenbaum’s second recording of Hans Werner Henze‘s monumental guitar opus Royal Winter Music was released in Italy May 27, 2005 by Stradivarius and will be distributed worldwide. The cycle, lasting almost an hour, is one of the longest pieces ever written for solo guitar, and it remains the only major solo instrumental work by Henze. The cd is available on this site, or from Stradivarius.It. Upon hearing David Tanenbaum play Royal Winter Music for the first time, in 1983, the composer wrote:

..nobody plays this music as well as you do. I think that your extraordinary musicality also makes you find technical answers on the guitar that seem unknown to the average player. I have never heard such a skillful and musically moving performance, and such mastery.

The composer and guitarist have since collaborated on many projects, including tours and a recording of the concerto Henze wrote for David Tanenbaum, An Eine Aolsharfe. Most recently they joined forces for a Carnegie Hall production of El Cimarron in 2000. In 2003, just before recording this cd, Mr. Tanenbaum performed Royal Winter Music at a special house concert arranged by Mr. Henze in his villa in Marino, Italy.