Henning's Headquarters

Started by BachQ, April 07, 2007, 12:21:26 PM

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Cato

Add another emphatic and enthusiastic vote for Karl's St. John's Passion .

I have still not been able to perform the score mentally in one sitting, and have not really looked at the middle or end unfortunately, (that will happen tonight for sure!)but the first part contains some marvelous moments: (those of you with the score can chime in here, if you wish) e.g. the E major chord for Peter's denial (bar 139) I find highly ironic with Jesus' E major chord on the word "voice" in the line "Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." (bar 226)

Pilate's music for "truth" consists, however, of the chord E/A/Bb. (bar 231)  

Also, I can imagine the open fifth of bar 253 on the word "man" ("Here is the man!") echoing medievally throughout the church: no dynamics are given in my copy, but I would think this would be forte with a long pause afterward.

See?!  I am already interpreting the work   :o    as if I am the conductor!   0:)

"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

karlhenning

Thank you, all, gents!

Quote from: Cato on January 29, 2008, 09:46:37 AM
. . . no dynamics are given in my copy . . . .

Oh, we've got to get you an up-to-date score :-)

Cato

Quote from: karlhenning on January 29, 2008, 11:26:39 AM
Thank you, all, gents!

Oh, we've got to get you an up-to-date score :-)

Many thanks!  I was able to download it today, thanks to a snow day, where everything melted by 9:00 A.M!
"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

karlhenning

The Alleluia in D was part of yesterday's broadcast; and if Ed hews to his stated intention, we will sing May God Be Merciful to Us on Ash Wednesday, and my Nunc dimittis from the Evening Service in D this coming Sunday. So all in all, an unusual (but agreeable) density of Henning performances at the Cathedral this week  8)

karlhenning

Quote from: Cato on February 01, 2008, 10:38:53 AM
Many thanks!  I was able to download it today, thanks to a snow day, where everything melted by 9:00 A.M!

I've still found some four-five little graphic 'nudges' which want making, but once I etch those in, I am done, I tell you . . . .

karlhenning

Today is Ash Wednesday;  I have an idea that we may be singing one of my anthems at the noon service, May God Be Merciful to Us.

At tonight's rehearsal, I am told, we will begin reading my setting of the Passion.

And in yesterday's mail, there came a demo of Tapestry's Denver performance of Castelo dos anjos, to which I will try to listen this afternoon.

Or, if time allows, this morning . . . .

toledobass

Quote from: karlhenning on February 06, 2008, 04:33:19 AM
Today is Ash Wednesday;  I have an idea that we may be singing one of my anthems at the noon service, May God Be Merciful to Us.

At tonight's rehearsal, I am told, we will begin reading my setting of the Passion.

And in yesterday's mail, there came a demo of Tapestry's Denver performance of Castelo dos anjos, to which I will try to listen this afternoon.

Or, if time allows, this morning . . . .

Nice about the recording showing up.  Lately, I've been wondering how composers deal with the discrepancy between the minds ear and a live performance.  When do you know it's your writing that may be a problem vs some thing else like the performers' unfamiliarity with where the piece is going etc.  Just curious about any part of this process of your craft.

Allan

karlhenning

With Castelo, the singers 'plugged into' most of the piece readily.  Even when they invited me to their rehearsal before the Cambridge 'preview' in November, the only comment I had to make, which at all bordered on significance, was that they were still cautiously under tempo for the Vivo section.  Happily for me, in this case no question of faults in my writing arose, as they all agreed that my preferred tempo was achievable, and simply a matter of their own increased familiarity and comfort with (e.g.) all the meter changes, and the 'interlocking parts' texture.

karlhenning

Well, among other things, at this afternoon's Ash Wednesday service we sang a de Victoria anthem, Nobis datus, the lovely Sing, My Soul by Ned Rorem, and my own, very easy May God Be Merciful to Us.

One might almost say, mercifully easy.

Bogey

Quote from: karlhenning on February 06, 2008, 04:33:19 AM
Today is Ash Wednesday;  I have an idea that we may be singing one of my anthems at the noon service, May God Be Merciful to Us.

At tonight's rehearsal, I am told, we will begin reading my setting of the Passion.

And in yesterday's mail, there came a demo of Tapestry's Denver performance of Castelo dos anjos, to which I will try to listen this afternoon.

Or, if time allows, this morning . . . .

Excellent that it was recorded Karl.  Did the rest of the show get recorded as well?
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

karlhenning

I should guess so, Bill; I've only got Part II here, though.  Haven't listened yet;  I'll wait until I'm at home, no distractions!

Last night at choir, we read the Nunc dimittis (which we're going to sing on Sunday);  went much better than when we gave it a go last season (fall of '06, somehow I am thinking).

And we read the Passion.  A group of singers sight-reading a piece running somewhere in the 30- to 40-minute range . . . the first pass is certainly a great deal shy of perfection;  and (regrettably) this 'mush' of the piece is the first impression for most of the singers, who don't yet see the piece in the finished, attractive state in which the composer envisions it.  Still, some very positive reaction.

The Very Good News is, that we have read every note of all 50 pages, and if the choir did not execute the piece last night with all their musical in tell y-gence, they've now got an idea of the piece's measure;  and we've got six weeks to pull it into graceful and grand shape.

greg

 ???
what's up with the name?

played through some of the St.John's Passion. I see now, it's more like a chant-type thing, Gregorian chant or something? But really, the way you wrote it, all the notes seem to fit in place- in fact, everything does. I even like how the score looks.  ;D


Quote from: George Leroy Tirebiter on February 07, 2008, 03:53:37 AM
and we've got six weeks to pull it into graceful and grand shape.
good luck, i hope they can do it justice.

karlhenning

Glad you like it, Greg;  more positive feedback has been filing in from sundrie choristers :-)  A bunch of people look like they will be gone missing this next rehearsal, so progress may not be what I might hope;  will report.

And the St Paul's Choir did a fine job with my Nunc dimittis this morning.  May be on the broadcast next Sunday; will advise.

greg

Quote from: karlhenning on February 10, 2008, 01:49:29 PM
Glad you like it, Greg;  more positive feedback has been filing in from sundrie choristers :-)  A bunch of people look like they will be gone missing this next rehearsal, so progress may not be what I might hope;  will report.
yes, please do keep us informed.....

one of these days i'm going to have to see an actual Henning performance in Boston, i swear i will!  $:) ;D

karlhenning

WCRB Alert!

Ed has had a full plate, and he hasn't gotten around to The Latest Sunday. So the Nunc dimittis must needs wait. However, there will be Henningmusick on this coming Sunday (17 Feb), Bless the Lord, O My Soul. The Cathedral's half-hour program begins at 7:30am (Eastern), and at some point within that half hour, you may hear the choir singing my music.

http://wcrb.com/

karlhenning

Bless the Lord, O My Soul began ca. 07:36 Chowder Time.  Choir sounded good, the composer is well content.

toledobass

That's great Karl! When are you gonna put your CD together?

Allan

Bogey

Quote from: toledobass on February 17, 2008, 05:52:55 AM
That's great Karl! When are you gonna put your CD together?

Allan

And will there be liner notes?  (Do not even think about a rebuttal here Allan  :D)
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

karlhenning

Allan, have I not yet sent you aught of my music?

. . . separately, I am quickly, oh so quickly, adapting the brass compliment of my roof-raising Easter anthem, Pascha nostrum, to a tp(2)/tn(2) quartet.

BachQ

Quote from: karlhenning on February 22, 2008, 07:07:09 PM
Allan, have I not yet sent you aught of my music?

. . . separately, I am quickly, oh so quickly, adapting the brass compliment of my roof-raising Easter anthem, Pascha nostrum, to a tp(2)/tn(2) quartet.
Why isn't "nostrum" capitalized?