Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

Merry Christmas, all!

[TheGSMoeller]

.

Merry Christmas, all!

Back at you, Karl. Hope you and yours had a great one

[Karl Henning]

Many thanks, Greg!

[Karl Henning]

And with mighty thanks to Luke, here are links to mp3 versions he has kindly uploaded at 192 bits:

Fair Warning
Suspension Bridge (In Dave’s Shed)
Tango in Boston (Dances with Shades)

Thanks again, Luke!

[Karl Henning]

I would love to hear some of your work Karl, could you possibly upload some audio samples? I've looked in a variety of places, including your blog, and couldn't find any... Very interesting posts, so am glad that I have joined the thread!

Sorry to reply so slowly, Daniel . . . the post above has links to the three movements of my Viola Sonata. When you have a chance, I should be glad to know your thoughts.

[Karl Henning]

The Whimsies will go on!

DMC Duo are touring the west coast:

March 19 6 pm at Space for Art in San Diego

March 22 4 pm at the University of San Diego

March 25 7 pm at the Tribal Cafe in Los Angeles

March 31 8 pm at Gallery 1412 in Seattle

And the clarinetist/bass clarinetist just sent me a nice note informing me that Angular Whimsies is definitely on for the tour.

Late-breaking news: There is (or, will be, anyway) a recording of Angular Whimsies from the tour.

When we shall get a chance to hear it, no knowing just yet.

[Karl Henning]

I was once routed from Los Angeles to Toledo via Pittsburgh!         And it was the cheapest option!

Glad to read that the Ohio trip has catalyzed Karl's ideas for new work: we talked a bit about instrumentation for the cantata with my poem The Crystalline Ship.  Karl is still thinking of a recorder and flute accompaniment, which would indeed fit the nature of the text.

Reminds me that I need to re-cultivate the acquaintance of a certain recorderist.

[Karl Henning]

Fippleuse? . . .

[madaboutmahler]

Sorry to reply so slowly, Daniel . . . the post above has links to the three movements of my Viola Sonata. When you have a chance, I should be glad to know your thoughts.

That's alright Karl, downloading the files to listen to right now. I'll put up my thoughts once the piece has finished.

[madaboutmahler]

Listening to the viola sonata now, Karl, it is absolutely brilliant. Love the way you write for the viola, what a beautiful instrument it is. The third movement was not available through the link, but I thoroughly enjoyed the first two movements, they both had a wonderful feel for melody, and very fascinating, thrilling rhythms and harmonies. Has inspired me to write something for the viola myself sometime soon. Thank you Karl, look forward to hearing some more of your work in the future.

[Karl Henning]

. . . Has inspired me to write something for the viola myself sometime soon.

A very high compliment, thank you!

[Karl Henning]

Not too early to think of April, really.

I am hoping that I might prevail upon Peter H. Bloom & Mary Jane Rupert to revive stars & guitars for the King's Chapel concert (17 Apr).

I should like to give How to Tell (Chasing the Tail of Nothing) another go, but – if we can get stars & guitars back on the slate, that's a solid 20 minutes, and the King's Chapel program must be kept to a disciplined half an hour: ergo, no capacity for the 11-minute How to Tell.

The solution, I am thinking, is a new 7-minute piece for flute, clarinet, harp & frame drum, latest whispers.

All right, now to see if the several calendars can be coordinated  . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Well, some people say to think is to act, and then — there's this Henning . . . .

In the very nick of time, I rang Peter, who took the call at the airport (he's flying back to Boston) — so, yes, we two spoke at the last moment before he becomes incommunicado over the flight.  He said that he is glad to be on board for the revival of stars & guitars. (Yes, this is a most fortunate composer.)  Timing is extraordinarily good . . . he and Mary Jane will be on tour from 26 February to 4 April (and then traveling again somethng like 11-15 April) . . . so (a) they are available for a 17 Apr concert date in The Town of the Pulse, and (b) they will be in mid-season form.

I then called Mary Jane, and I left voice-mail — and she got right back to me.  She's on board, too.

I've yet to hear back from Dan; so a quartet for flute (alto flute, maybe? I mean, why not, write the piece that way I want to, to hell with marketing), clarinet, harp & frame drum may yet be in the offing.

[Karl Henning]

(Wonder what Dan is about these days?)

Have I mentioned that a message came, out of the blue, from an Italian clarinetist, asking for clarinet solo music? On New Year's Eve (no, really).  Blogged about it.  The conversation goes on, and indeed, I've now sent PDFs of a few pieces, so . . . we shall see. Or not.

A curious chain reaction sprang from a misprision. Our own Dana, the chappie who boldly commissioned, and yet more bravely premièred, the Viola Sonata, mistook me when I mentioned a quartet in my Facebook status.  Reminded me, though, that I promised a cellist that I would send something, and that the something I had in mind is a string quartet adaptation of the cello ensemble suite, It's all in your head (not that that's a bad place for everything to be); I think, actually, that it should fit a conventional quartet quite readily . . . just need to do the puttering in Sibelius.

A pianist/harpsichordist now in New York, whom I met when we were both choristers at St Paul's, has responded with mild interest to my suggestion of Lunar Glare. He'll be in Boston in a couple of months, so we'll see what he thinks then.

And . . . now plotting the return of Henningmusick to Atlanta.

[Karl Henning]

Good news: Dan is in!

[Karl Henning]

Had dinner with my mate Paul C yesterday, lots of good news (if none of it earth-shattering). [Of course, in general, just the fact of an ongoing friendship with such a talented and active musician, is of itself a tremendous (if intangible) asset.]  At the end of February, Paul will play the Three Short Pieces (again! — you see, modest as these pieces are, wonderful that here's an organist who keeps them in his repertory) and have the ladies of his choir sing the SSA version of the Alleluia in D. We talked a bit about Sine Nomine (the choir who did such a splendid job with the Passion) . . . not news from last night, but Sine have settled on what they want to do (what they do best) which is High Renaissance . . . no particular plans for a return to the Passion, then (though you know that the conposer is apt to keep the hope alive, even on subsistence rations).  But, says I to Paul, "A couple of weeks ago I had an idea of asking you if I could write a short anthem for Sine."  Could happen — or, even, will happen, just a matter of timing.

Very separately, there may be opportunities for me to flap the arms a bit.

[Karl Henning]

Good news: Dan is in!

Really excited about the new quartet, too. Probably illusory, but I am suffused with a feeling of the ease with which a mere seven minutes of musical space can be turned to good, sharp, effective account.  Enormously grateful to my good angels, that the timing works out so that three such capable and musical colleagues (a) are available for the date, and (b) are ready to sign on to a performance of a piece which I've yet to write.  Even such an intangible vote of confidence is an occasion for deep gratitude.

Was telling Masha about the imminent quartet, last night. She asked after the title, and I said, latest whispers.  She returned, "not Parrot Tulips?" (a reference to recent exciting developments in her own artworld).  It's so perfectly right, I'm going with latest whispers (music for parrot tulips).

Waiting to see if Dana wants a standard string quartet, or a quartet comprised of paired violas and 'cellos.

[Karl Henning]

(* crickets *)

Laying plans to bring Lunar Glare south.

[mahler10th]

I am listening to "Fair Warning" with "Suspension Bridge" next on the list.  It is having the same effect as listening to Lutoslawski has on me.  Atomic structures and sub-atomic collisions are taking place within my head. 
I am now listening to "Suspension Bridge" - one of which I can see from my living room window!  Utterly thought provoking stuff Karl.  The sliding strings are great and somewhat sad, the piano sometimes wants to dominate them, when it comes in the 'voice' of the strings seemingly feel sorry for themselves, and the piano opens new dialogues which are seemingly agreeable at first - but the piano keeps getting angry with the self mourning of the strings, and at the end they both finish in a downbeat truce, but with conflicting emotions.
The most important thing for me in music is that it first 'speaks' to me, and I can communicate with it.  For sure I find that in both these pieces, even though that communication may have nothing to do with what you were thinking when you composed them!   
(Nice clean recordings too)

[Karl Henning]

Many thanks! I am touched that you enjoy the music so.