Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

That problem should not be impossible to address!  😇

the changes in volume are managed either by a Swell pedal (generally tied to the Swell manual or by pulling out/stuffing in stops. Many organs have foot-operated buttons for this, for when the hands are too busy.) Since in this piece, the pedal part is one of three melodic voices, the feet are probably just too busy.

[Karl Henning]

The commission for the engraving job came from two orchestras who are sharing the cost. The first of the two checks arrived today. 

[VonStupp]

It is great to see so much motion happening here! Even if much of the goings-ons are your end, as Philip Brunelle says, in the music world, all you can do is put yourself out there and ask for interest. Greatest amounts of luck to you!
VS

[Cato]

The commission for the engraving job came from two orchestras who are sharing the cost. The first of the two checks arrived today.

Time to celebrate at ...

[Karl Henning]

It is great to see so much motion happening here! Even if much of the goings-ons are your end, as Philip Brunelle says, in the music world, all you can do is put yourself out there and ask for interest. Greatest amounts of luck to you!
VS

Warm thanks, mon ami!

[Karl Henning]

Time to celebrate at ...

When I'm out from PT, I will indeed head to the Peppercorn House for a celebratory (and reasonably frugal) lunch.

[Karl Henning]

And now, a second. This chap had actually responded first, with the caveat that he doesn't promise anything. He didn't provide an e-mail address until I persisted today.

In fairness, it turns out that he's on sabbatical this semester, so I made a point of thanking him for taking my call, as it were.

[Karl Henning]

I've refreshed contact with Dan Meyers, who played recorder for the deliciously controversial Opus 129. Dan has formed a recorder quartet and welcomes pieces I might send them. Thus:

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

When I'm out from PT, I will indeed head to the Peppercorn House for a celebratory (and reasonably frugal) lunch.

I wish I could join you. I just looked up the Peppercorn House and it looks like a nice restaurant.

[Karl Henning]

Eric wrote today: Karl, thank you so very much for thinking of me! I will definitely take a look at this when I get to church to practice today or tomorrow. In terms of dissonance, a quick superficial look seems like it shouldn't traumatize the old ladies, as this would certainly be perfect for Lent and Holy Week. That's something I wish I didn't have to think about, but I'm afraid I have to consider it in a service setting. If I were giving a recital, that would never be an issue.

One technical thing that won't work, I'm afraid: crescendi and diminuendi aren't possible (at least for me) in such an active pedal part, since I would need to use both feet for actual playing, and you've indicated many such markings. In a pedal part with longer note values, that would be doable, but not here.

Again, thank you! I'm very flattered that you thought to send me this!

And Ed wrote yesterday: Thank you for the gift Karl!  I'll try to incorporate it into Lent and Holy Week Offerings coming up.

[Karl Henning]

An utterly unmusical post: Neither of two new friends at Redeemer is available to ferry me to tomorrow's CRWE concert. And Eric and Greta will be playing, so it is not at all practical to impose upon them (though dropping me off home afterwards is simple enough. So to get to the concert I've booked a trip with the Ride. Once in the past I had quite the misadventure. The venue is at 300 Hammond Pond Parkway in Chestnut Hill. There is an identical address in Newton. Newton is south of S.R. 9, Chestnut Hill to the north. On that day,  I had never been to this auditorium, so I had no inkling that I was dropped off at the wrong place. It was a bitterly cold day, and I did a lot of walking, yet never quite reached the venue. I wound up finding shelter in a mall on Rte. 9 and summoned an Uber to bring my mortal remains home. Anyway, I have now been to the auditorium, so there will be no misadventures tomorrow. 

[Kalevala]

An utterly unmusical post: Neither of two new friends at Redeemer is available to ferry me to tomorrow's CRWE concert. And Eric and Greta will be playing, so it is not at all practical to impose upon them (though dropping me off home afterwards is simple enough. So to get to the concert I've booked a trip with the Ride. Once in the past I had quite the misadventure. The venue is at 300 Hammond Pond Parkway in Chestnut Hill. There is an identical address in Newton. Newton is south of S.R. 9, Chestnut Hill to the north. On that day,  I had never been to this auditorium, so I had no inkling that I was dropped off at the wrong place. It was a bitterly cold day, and I did a lot of walking, yet never quite reached the venue. I wound up finding shelter in a mall on Rte. 9 and summoned an Uber to bring my mortal remains home. Anyway, I have now been to the auditorium, so there will be no misadventures tomorrow.

What is CRWE?  And perhaps call one of the two people that you had mentioned today to see if they might be willing to give you a lift home?

K

[Karl Henning]

What is CRWE?  And perhaps call one of the two people that you had mentioned today to see if they might be willing to give you a lift home?

K

Charles River Wind Ensemble. I'm sure Greta and Eric can bring me home afterwards. I'll confirm at church in the morning. 

[Karl Henning]

I wish I could join you. I just looked up the Peppercorn House and it looks like a nice restaurant.

It's a nice place. Whenever my sister comes to visit, we have dinner there.

[Karl Henning]

One of the three has provided an e-mail address, so I have sent him The Nerves.

Heard from him today:
Good Afternoon, Karl:



I just listened to your piece, thank you for sending it me. It is really interesting. I can see the connections to the system of nerves that run through the body. There is a fantastic energy in the composition!

I wrote back to ask if he might consider programing it. I also mentioned In the Artist's studio (the piece for harp and 17 winds.) Let's see.

[Karl Henning]

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.

New emphasis. And yet, I've busied myself with divers arrangements, and with outreach instead. I've asked a friend to print out the text for me. It is a while since I did any pre-compositional work on paper, but here's a case where I think I want a sheet of paper to help me visualize and sketch the musical architecture. The fact is, I haven't yet "heard" what I want to do with the choir. So I think the page will be a good aid.

[Karl Henning]

And well, since I just pardoned myself for seeming to procrastinate on the Op. 199, I made some headway tonight on the Op. 197. My first thought was a Fantasia on "A Laugh for Rory" (a number which Kirk wrote and played for his infant son, and a track which my parakeet enjoys) for the Recorders, which I might then adapt for the Henning Ensemble. I immediately perceived that if I kept to that thought, it would be a piece too challenging for the recorders, and of insufficient interest for the, erm, Henningtonians (a barbarous neologism coined by Peter, but which seems to stick around.) I therefore resolved to write two distinct pieces, both based on the same Rahsaan Roland Kirk number, but each tailored to its proper group.

[Karl Henning]

The skies seem to be opening back up. For some while in the back of my mind I've felt that I've labored to be doing more creative work, have felt that motivation and inspiration were, not absolutely avoiding me, but were not the reliable companions they had always been earlier. But I am finding this year that my experience defies that. I find that I do not lack for musical ideas. That's it. I think I'll just absorb that a while. 

[Karl Henning]

That problem should not be impossible to address!  😇

And you were right. Yesterday, Eric followed up: I read through "When Jesus Wept" today, and discovered that I'd lied--most of those dynamic changes that are indicated when the pedals are active are indeed possible. The other good news is that I hear nothing that would give the bluehairs heart attacks. The pastor doesn't yet know if there will be a good Friday service, but if there is, this would be a perfect prelude. If not, I'll use it for the last Sunday of Lent. So thanks again! Not only is it beautiful, but it's also "mission-related", as we used to say in the Army!

[Karl Henning]

This morning, I've sent this to Ed, Eric, Yun and Mark. Pretty sure I hadn't sent it to them before.