El Cimarron was written shortly after the 1968 and derives from the political thoughts the composer matured in that period.

The text is based upon the story of Esteban Mantejo, a "Cimarron", a runaway slave in Cuba at the end of last century.

The work -about 80 minutes long- has a strong theatrical component, and Henze calls it "a recital for four musicians". There is a vocalist, a flautist, a guitarist and a percussionist, but this indicates only their main activity. All of them can use a lot of instruments, and provide singing, talking and shouting. I say "can" because several section of the work are only indicated in graphic form, leaving the musicians the opportunity to partecipate actively in the composition.

Divided in two main parts and fifteen smaller pieces, the music never is an abstract support for the text, but always has a physical function. With great skill, Henze recreate nature noises and traditional dances in the form of a stage performance with direct political suggestions.

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