Henning's Headquarters

[kishnevi]

Per the new 3-a-day plan, to which I have remained faithful, good gradual progress on the first mvt of the organ sonata.

My idea for this movement (not that it's anything utterly new) . . . as the incipit for the movement is Eritis sicut Deus... . . . well, how can I put this so it's not a tangle?

A. God is Changeless
B. We creatures are not
C. Our understanding of God, communally and as individuals, alters over time

The proof of the pudding will remain in the eating, but my notion of writing this movement is, a gradual moving on, endless alteration, no recapitulation.

Do you have an idea of how the movement will end?  Or at least stop?  God has all the time in the world to do what It wants, but one can't say the same of organists or composers.

And if you really want to get into the nitty gritty of it,  human understanding of the Deity does change over time,  but some people's understanding never evolves (witness Dawkins, whose idea of religion and God seems never have to gotten past the Moloch worshipping stage),  and our general ideas about God do change, but certainly some ideas seem to remain constant, or recur often, like "God is Love",  God's omnipotence and benevolence, etc.   Perhaps some motif or motifs that are not actually recapitulated, but pop up repeatedly in various different (musical) contexts

[Karl Henning]

At the moment, no, don't know how the movement will conclude. (Though for many another piece, I've known the ending early on, and composed my way to it.)

[Karl Henning]

Re-post:

26 February De profundis [ Jaya Lakshminarayan & friends ]

15 March Passion rehearsal A [ Sine Nomine ]

15 March Passion rehearsal B [ Sine Nomine ]

15 March Passion rehearsal C [ Sine Nomine ]

12 May recital [ k a rl h e nn i ng Ensemble (Bloom/Henning/Cienniwa) ]

18 May recital [ Bloom/Henning ]

23 May pre-concert rehearsal [ Sine Nomine ]

22 June recital [ N. Chamberlain/B. Chamberlain/Henning ]

Score of The Wind, the Sky, & the Wheeling Stars, Part I

Score of The Wind, the Sky, & the Wheeling Stars, Part II

The Passion According to St John, Op.92 (on MediaFire, courtesy of Johan)

Lutosawski’s Lullaby, Op.96a  1 (string quartet)

Marginalia, Op.96a  2 (string quartet)

Après-lullaby, Op.96a  3 (string quartet)

Score of Fair Warning [Viola Sonata, mvt 1]

MIDI of Fair Warning [Viola Sonata, mvt 1]

Score of Suspension Bridge (In Daves Shed) [Viola Sonata, mvt 2]

MIDI of Suspension Bridge (In Daves Shed) [Viola Sonata, mvt 2]

Score of Tango in Boston (Dances with Shades) [Viola Sonata, mvt 3]

MIDI of Tango in Boston (Dances with Shades) [Viola Sonata, mvt 3]

Johan's MediaFire folder, including the whole of Dana's première performance of the Viola Sonata

These Unlikely Events, Op.104  4

These Unlikely Events, Op.104  5

Kyrie, Op.106  1

In the Artist's Studio, work-in-progress

Airy Distillates, Op.110

Henningmusick at ReverbNation.

Henningmusick at Instant Encore.

And about an hour's worth of Henningmusick, too, at SoundCloud.

[Karl Henning]

First in a long time that I managed to spend some time with Sibelius . . . entirely pleased with how the first movement is turning out so far:

[Karl Henning]

Well, I have (I believe) a March recital date in King's Chapel.

Pianist Eric Mazonson, who did such a smashing job with (e.g.) Gaze Transfixt, has since taken on an organist position . . . I forget just where, but I want to say west of Boston. Anyway, Eric has looked at this incipit of the Organ Sonata, and has kindly said that he finds it interesting.   So I am thinking of having him join me for the King's Chapel date, for the première of the O. S., and we'll fill out the program with a couple of the ol' cl-&-org pieces.

That will be an incentive  to wrap the piece up, at the least . . . .

[Karl Henning]

I also pinged an organist in Cambridge, to whom I had sent both the Kyrie and some utilitarian Evensong chants from the Evening Service in D back in June, and from whom (you see this coming) I've heard nothing.

[Karl Henning]

I've also sent another (probably equally fruitless) message to the director of a new music ensemble here in Boston.  Whenever I make the acquaintance of new music people, there is an initial hopefulness;  but soon I am given to understand that my work is just not 'sexy' enough.  If they cannot dig my music for what it is, to hell with them.

[ibanezmonster]

I've also sent another (probably equally fruitless) message to the director of a new music ensemble here in Boston.  Whenever I make the acquaintance of new music people, there is an initial hopefulness;  but soon I am given to understand that my work is just not 'sexy' enough.  If they cannot dig my music for what it is, to hell with them.

Did you mention a specific work in the e-mail?

[Karl Henning]

Mention? Why, I attached 'em. With leave, as the individual under advisement and I have met some 3-4 times.

[Cato]

I've also sent another (probably equally fruitless) message to the director of a new music ensemble here in Boston.  Whenever I make the acquaintance of new music people, there is an initial hopefulness;  but soon I am given to understand that my work is just not 'sexy' enough.

"What?!  No ondes martenot?        And where are the just intonation rubber ducks?" 

[Karl Henning]

(* chortle *)

[kishnevi]

Perhaps you can compose a series of very brief works, and send them out under the title,  "Sexy Studies/Sexy Sketches",  Op. 69.

Or perhaps Sexy Sonata.


Or explain to them you don't write sexy music.  You write naked music.

[Cato]

Or explain to them you don't write sexy music.  You write naked music.

As opposed to writing music naked, which apparently Bruckner might have done (according to one story): when things became hot, he sat in a bathtub and worked.

[Karl Henning]

I've also sent another (probably equally fruitless) message to the director of a new music ensemble here in Boston.  Whenever I make the acquaintance of new music people, there is an initial hopefulness;  but soon I am given to understand that my work is just not 'sexy' enough.  If they cannot dig my music for what it is, to hell with them.

The response was timely, polite and professional.

And boils down to I have no use for your music.

[Karl Henning]

Some low-key developments. The SQ here in Boston nicely acknowledged receipt of the scores/parts, say they will be in touch.

For (well) the first time since we were graduated in the same class, I am back in touch with a wonderfully talented singer from my Wooster days, who is now directing a chamber choir in Canada.

And an excellent clarinetist here in Boston has said, Sure, send those duos along.

First: No, heard nought back from the SQ. However: I've just followed up with a conductorly acquaintance who had kindly suggested that he might be able to arrange a reading of It's all in your head (not that that's a bad place for everything to be). Even though he hadn't returned to me with the development, he did secure (and I quote) "general agreement to read all or part of it as part of a Classical Revolution Detroit date."  He also pointed me to a Boston group . . . notwithstanding my consistent experience of utter wash-outs so far as Boston newmusicoids are concerned, the reference may count for something.  Will report.

Second: I've got a phone number for my old schoolmate, though actual contact has not clicked.

Third: Re-reading this thread (I suppose I owe it to myself to comb back through from time to time, there are good reminders to me in here) I realized that (no bloody surprise) the clarinetist hasn't got back to me.  As in so many cases other, it probably means that no music-making will possibly ensue, but at least I can send a a follow-up.

[Karl Henning]

Well, I have (I believe) a March recital date in King’s Chapel.

I have: 12 March.

[Karl Henning]

Third: Re-reading this thread (I suppose I owe it to myself to comb back through from time to time, there are good reminders to me in here) I realized that (no bloody surprise) the clarinetist hasn't got back to me.  As in so many cases other, it probably means that no music-making will possibly ensue, but at least I can send a a follow-up.[/font]

Good news, in a small way: the clarinetist chappie has got back to me, may actually look at These Unlikely Events.

Still possible that nothing happens, but at least there is a conversation. To-day.

[Karl Henning]

I hadn't heard of that, but your post makes me want to watch Bowfinger . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Oh, and I just finished listening to Op. 16* as well. Wonderful music that. I didn't realise SC was on auto-play and was happily solving a crossword when all of a sudden I was jolted by the opening notes on the piano. I couldn't resist thereafter.

*What's the story behind the name? I searched the HQ and couldn't find an answer.

Ah, yes, Night of the Weeping Crocodiles . . . Europeans in the 14^th century or so took the notion that crocodiles weep while eating (or even to snare) their prey; and so crocodile tears became an idiom for feigned sorrow.

At the time when I adapted this piece for instrumental trio (it was originally the setting of a Wilde poem), the artists in my life were involved with a group of people who meddled in, and at times outright obstructed, some architectural/design projects, but who made a great show of being "nice," "friendly" people.

I found the experience not merely touching, but inspirational . . . .

[Opus106]

Thanks for sharing that, Karl.