Henning's Headquarters

[karlhenning]

Many, many thanks!

Although most of my Messiaen listening lately has been Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum . . . the Quartet made an early and seminal impact, and the Danse de la fureur . . . in particular (there's a 'unison dance' section of The Mousetrap which is a similar nod). I had a lot of fun with the mensural canon in inversion game (it is probably too fudged to be 'strictly accurate', but . . . it's come out the way I like it).

Got to get back to the salt mines, but I wanted to thank you;  I greatly appreciate having so sharp-eyed and sympathetic a reader/listener!

[karlhenning]

With Lunar Glare pretty much off my desk now . . . yesterday & today I've been puttering at a new passage for Discreet Erasures . . . a section which is at once a partial follow-through on my initial "mission statement" to nod towards Martinů, and yet is more immediately a response to the disc I've been listening to of Scelsi string ensemble music.  I am taken a bit with how similarly the two composers' music is striking my ear, all their differences (some quite fundamental) notwithstanding.

Of course, I had really wanted to get Discreet Erasures wrapped up by year-end 2009, but Other Things happened (as they are apt to).  My pleasure at how Lunar Glare has turned out is driving enthusiasm to burn through Discreet Erasures to its thrilling conclusion.

The piece itself is something of a funny feeling . . . no orchestra is anywhere near in line to play, nor even to consider, the Erasures . . . I'm just writing it to get a short orchestral piece stamped out and in the portfolio (partially an exorcism, to pave the way for eventual completion of White Nights).  In a Cageian way, it is liberating to write such a piece without feeling heavily 'invested' in it.

[Cato]

Karl!

How fascinating that I saw the notes G#-A-Bb in the opening of your work: in the 1970's I had a piano work which, in the Adagio, used them as a cluster (resolving to the A in the middle): the theme was a series of similar 3-note clusters, always resolving to the middle note.

But G#-A-Bb were the centerpiece.

Tomorrow I will listen to your work: I only was able to skim through the opening pages today.

[karlhenning]

!

[Cato]

Karl!

How fascinating that I saw the notes G#-A-Bb in the opening of your work: in the 1970's I had a piano work which, in the Adagio, used them as a cluster (resolving to the A in the middle): the theme was a series of similar 3-note clusters, always resolving to the middle note.

But G#-A-Bb were the centerpiece.

Tomorrow I will listen to your work: I only was able to skim through the opening pages today.

I have been able to listen to your work today, but only down to the clarinet cadenza at Bar 83.

"Piquant" is the word which kept coming to mind to describe what I was hearing, not to mention mysterious and occasionally melancholy.

Besides the dialogue between clarinet and harpsichord, of great interest was the Piu Mosso section at Bar 59.  It contained a triplet figure, where the triplet leads to a longer note on the middle tone of the triplet, used subtly here and there, and - for me at least - an echo of Mahler's opening movement for his Seventh Symphony and of various sections of Wagner.   

I was interrupted, twice, so I hope to start over and listen later to the entire work!

[karlhenning]

Thanks, Cato!

Incidentally, the disc arrived at last, yesterday, of the Michigan performance of Out in the Sun.  Haven't listened just yet.

[karlhenning]

On with the Erasures.

[karlhenning]

Rehearsal and growing pains.

[karlhenning]

Johan, there may be a fresh ping on the Passion sound-file;  an acquaintance in nearby Rhode Island expressed interest in hearing the piece.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Johan, there may be a fresh ping on the Passion sound-file;  an acquaintance in nearby Rhode Island expressed interest in hearing the piece.

Excellent! The score at the moment:


The Passion According to St. John, Opus 92 - 111 downloads


The Mousetrap, Opus 91 - 87 downloads


Irreplaceable Doodles, Opus 89 - 60 downloads

[Cato]

I have been able to listen to your work today, but only down to the clarinet cadenza at Bar 83.

"Piquant" is the word which kept coming to mind to describe what I was hearing, not to mention mysterious and occasionally melancholy.

Besides the dialogue between clarinet and harpsichord, of great interest was the Piu Mosso section at Bar 59.  It contained a triplet figure, where the triplet leads to a longer note on the middle tone of the triplet, used subtly here and there, and - for me at least - an echo of Mahler's opening movement for his Seventh Symphony and of various sections of Wagner.   

I was interrupted, twice, so I hope to start over and listen later to the entire work!

Okay class, get out your copies of the score and pay attention!   
More remarks about Karl Henning's latest home run, Lunar Glare for clarinet and harpsichord.

And yes, a quiz is always possible...even with no warning!!!   0:)

In addition to what I wrote earlier about the nature of the piece seeming piquant, I do like how the fast semitone triplets turn into elongated 7th and 9th lines for the clarinet (bars 107, 113) or elongated triplets (bar 147) or both (162-165).  Bar 208 is a shocker!  And then using the cluster notes spread out into chords (bar 230 ff. Grazioso section) adds to the connectivity in the subconscious of the work, so to speak. Using the lower register of the clarinet at the end seems enigmatic, "dark side of the moon" conclusion!

Karl: have you considered a version for bass or alto flute?

[Cato]

Karl: have you considered a version for bass or alto flute?

While running your work through my head and working in the kitchen, I began changing the harpsichord to a celesta.  That might be interesting also, given the longer duration of the instrument's notes!

I know!  "Write your own piece!"   

[karlhenning]

Hah!  Timbrally interesting suggestions, to be sure . . . since I had not long before written a piece for bass flute and harp, when I set to work on Lunar Glare, I kept all thoughts of bass flutes off my desk . . . and perfectly effortlessly . . . just wanted to give the Glare its own musical space.

[Cato]

Hah!  Timbrally interesting suggestions, to be sure . . . since I had not long before written a piece for bass flute and harp, when I set to work on Lunar Glare, I kept all thoughts of bass flutes off my desk . . . and perfectly effortlessly . . . just wanted to give the Glare its own musical space.

I wondered about whether BASS flutes (Homer Simpson moment: "MMMM, Baaaass....fluuuutes!")  had perhaps tempted you over to the DARK SIDE!   

[greg]

You have my deepest symphony, Karl. 

The Lux Nova Press website (http://www.luxnova.com/) has seen some serious overhaul recently.

"Your web browser type is Firefox 3.5. "
Looks like a Javascript exercise... lol


Anyways, Lunar Glare is a really cool-sounding title... any way I can listen?

[karlhenning]

Anyways, Lunar Glare is a really cool-sounding title... any way I can listen?

I just bought a Microtrak II, the handheld recording device which I borrowed from my friend Bill Goodwin for the September recitals last year.  So in all events there will be some kind of recording of the premiere this May.

I wanted to make sure I had this device on hand as a last resort, to ensure that I get some document of this week's performance of the De profundis.

[mahler10th]

Lunar Glare.
That has got to be good.  Can't wait to hear it.

[karlhenning]

Thanks, John!

[karlhenning]

Tonight there will be a rehearsal of the De profundis, in preparation for Friday's concert;  in case I haven't furnished it before, here is the Instant Encore stub of the event.  My friend and colleague Jaya has basically organized the whole shebang;  and I am greatly flattered that she rooted through the Henning catalogue and all on her own took a liking to the De profundis, sufficient to include it for this solemn occasion.

The piece will be sung by a very small choir, in the Baroque-HIP style.  It's a smaller group than (strictly speaking) that for which I envisioned the piece . . . but as long as Paul voices the organ so that it doesn't drown out the voices (and I have every confidence in him), there is no real argument . . . and I am actually excited to hear it in this 'stripped-down' version.

[mahler10th]

Tonight there will be a rehearsal of the De profundis, in preparation for Friday's concert;  in case I haven't furnished it before, here is the Instant Encore stub of the event.  My friend and colleague Jaya has basically organized the whole shebang;  and I am greatly flattered that she rooted through the Henning catalogue and all on her own took a liking to the De profundis, sufficient to include it for this solemn occasion.

The piece will be sung by a very small choir, in the Baroque-HIP style.  It's a smaller group than (strictly speaking) that for which I envisioned the piece . . . but as long as Paul voices the organ so that it doesn't drown out the voices (and I have every confidence in him), there is no real argument . . . and I am actually excited to hear it in this 'stripped-down' version.

Is the concert being recorded?