Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

Between the demise of Triad and my dismissal as church music director, I've not felt any motivation toward choral music for a while. Something unusual has happened to drive that funk away. On Facebook (all its flaws notwithstanding) I'm friends with David Ossman of the Firesign Theatre. I met David and Philip Proctor backstage after a show they performed at the Library of Congress. Anyway, he posted a poem on Facebook. Asks I, If a composer wished to set this to music, Mr O. how might one secure permission? He replied, Karl Henning One only needs to ask. Well, I didn't want to proceed without a willing musical collaborator, so I reached out to Triad alumnus Julian Bryson, Director of Choral Activities at Jacksonville University. I wrote that I want to write him a piece for choir and single-line instrument, and asked what instrument would be best. It turns out brass is easiest for him, so I settled quickly on trombone.

The text:

Let the fire move pass on
when love is in retreat
What to do? The question
nags and moments separate
Time goes soft Through an opening I hear you
and the silent bells We don't know what to say
Break off the conversation

Retreat resist
The rear guard runs and ducks firing toward the air
Strategy is firm but friendly

Stay low! Keep me at a distance! Say nothing!
Watch the fire move pass on
as love retreats across the face of Heaven

I reached out to David O. sent him the link to When as an example of my work, though the treatment of his own text will perforce be different.

Well, somebody pinch me! I've just heard back from him: Oh boy - sweet work - go ahead!
I mean, imagine getting such a msg from one of your heroes!

[Cato]

I reached out to David O. sent him the link to When as an example of my work, though the treatment of his own text will perforce be different.

Well, somebody pinch me! I've just heard back from him: Oh boy - sweet work - go ahead!
I mean, imagine getting such a msg from one of your heroes!

Excellent news!!!  Beyond excellent!   

[Karl Henning]

[Karl Henning]

I reached out to David O. sent him the link to When as an example of my work, though the treatment of his own text will perforce be different.

Well, somebody pinch me! I've just heard back from him: Oh boy - sweet work - go ahead!
I mean, imagine getting such a msg from one of your heroes!

Retreat will be Op. 199. I've started sketching the opening trombone statement. Julian seems willing to consider it for the fall, so I'll expedite this 'un. Aside from the April King's Chapel concert, this will be the priority.

[Karl Henning]

I saw Greta and Josh at church. They had read the music I sent them, and like the pieces. I wrote a new piece for them this afternoon based on Wm Billlings' When Jesus Wept. It will be something for Holy Week. Separately, I decided that some of my Opus numbers which have been catch-alls for little pieces written for Danvers, I can reassign to more substantial and/or more disseminable pieces. Thus, I have designated this piece Opus 162.

https://audio.com/karl-henning-1/audio/op-162-fantasy-on-when-jesus-wept

[Karl Henning]

Arranged for the Henning Ensemble: Picc, Alto Flute, Clarinet

https://audio.com/karl-henning-1/audio/op-162a-fantasy-on-when-jesus-wept

[Karl Henning]

Well, guess who just remembered that his former clarinet instructor now plays in a recorder ensemble? Thus I've just sent her the recorder trios, Fantasy on When Jesus Wept and Surfing an Earthquake.

[Karl Henning]

I have now just reached out to the present music director of the  Charlottesville Symphony. You never know until you try.

[Karl Henning]

Well, guess who just remembered that his former clarinet instructor now plays in a recorder ensemble? Thus I've just sent her the recorder trios, Fantasy on When Jesus Wept and Surfing an Earthquake.

And now I've sent them to a friend from Wooster who, in the time since last I saw him in the DC area, has moved back to Pbgh. I've also re-sent the number from the Op. 169 which I wrote for him. 

[Karl Henning]

Just met (at last) briefly with the Library's new Head of Programming. The good news is, in principle they'll warmly welcome us. The momentarily disappointing news is, their budget for programs is shot until June.

[Kalevala]

Any new "other" jobs leads lately?

K

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Just met (at last) briefly with the Library's new Head of Programming. The good news is, in principle they'll warmly welcome us. The momentarily disappointing news is, their budget for programs is shot until June.

Hopefully, they'll get in by June. Sounds like a nice opportunity.

[Karl Henning]

Any new "other" jobs leads lately?

K

I need to step up my acidity assiduity.

[Karl Henning]

Hopefully, they'll get in by June. Sounds like a nice opportunity.

We've played there twice before, I think. I need to get the band together to find suitable dates. I think, at this point, that will be after the 8 April King's Chapel concert. I see that the week before is the BC Choir. I should go, and schmooze.

[Karl Henning]

I've just sent "cold" outreach messages to three wind ensemble directors.

[Karl Henning]

My chief contact and a genuine friend at the New England Conservatory has retired. I've finally acted on the feeling that I should reach out, and so there have gone two more cold e-mail msgs.

[Karl Henning]

We've played there twice before, I think. I need to get the band together to find suitable dates. I think, at this point, that will be after the 8 April King's Chapel concert. I see that the week before is the BC Choir. I should go, and schmooze.

Oh, I wrote BC Choir, which is wrong, as BC = Boston College. The choir is from the Boston Conservatory

[Karl Henning]

My chief contact and a genuine friend at the New England Conservatory has retired. I've finally acted on the feeling that I should reach out, and so there have gone two more cold e-mail msgs.

The Orchestra Director has returned to me. The conversation appears to have started.

[Karl Henning]

The Orchestra Director has returned to me. The conversation appears to have started.

Well, he has made me welcome to send as much as I wish, so I'm sending:
The first movement of the First Symphony.
The Third Symphony for strings
Misapprehension for 15 strings
Ear Buds
For You, Fuchsia.

We shall see.

[Karl Henning]

I may not quite have wasted a whole hour, but it feels it. They changed Clipchamp and now it's a frustration generator.