Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

C'mon, where's your sense of innovation into unexplored musical territory?

If you ask me that, you've not listened to any of my music. You speak of exploring, but I've been doing it.

[Karl Henning]

Atonal Honking: It's Back!

A great pleasure to rehearse with Peter H Bloom & Mary Jane Rupert last night . . . first in a long time that the three of us have played together. The new pieces (the source duos of These Unlikely Events are fresh from last year . . . and though Marginalia dates from a few years ago, this is the first that this piece has sounded forth as vibrating air particles, ever).  All three pieces meet with the enthusiasm (and not approval only) of my colleagues (most gratifying);  and they like how the three pieces serve as a suite all their own, notwithstanding the diverse sourcing.

I'll also pat myself on the back for judging the pieces aptly for rehearsal purposes:  the concert is a week from to-day, so that last night, and this coming Monday evening, are the only opportunities for the three of us to rehearse together, and the music is already falling into place.  Next Monday's rehearsal will really serve essentially to win a greater degree of comfort.

First I've put the clarinet together since playing The Mousetrap with Pete Lekx in Ohio.  Music isn't making me rich as the world reckons wealth, so obviously I'm doing it because of that intangible, Joy.  There's more to the inner motivation than the Joy (though the Joy were certainly enow) . . . not way to parse it all out, really . . . .

[madaboutmahler]

Karl, sorry for being absent from your thread for so long!

I will make it a priority to listen to some of your recently posted compositions this evening. However, Soundcloud does not work on my computer for some strange, frustrating reason. So, could you possibly send the audios for Lunar Glare, Mirage and Gaze Transfixt? That would be great. And, I don't suppose you could send the scores for those too? Sorry for asking so much!!!

Looking forward to listening to them.

And congratulations on the concerts coming up, I wish some Henning-musik would be brought to England!

[Karl Henning]

That's a drag, Daniel . . . a few folks here and there have had trouble with SoundCloud, grrr.

Later this week I should be organized enough to arrange for your requests, and thank you for our interest!  Do I have an e-mail address for you? Oh! Seems that I do, via Facebook.

[Karl Henning]

Okay, I've sent you the score to Lunar Glare . . . did it arrive? This has been a test . . . .

[Scion7]

Easy, easy - it was humor!   :-)

I've checked out a few things by you on YouTube.

[Karl Henning]

Not to worry, I dig humor.

[madaboutmahler]

That's a drag, Daniel . . . a few folks here and there have had trouble with SoundCloud, grrr.

Later this week I should be organized enough to arrange for your requests, and thank you for our interest!  Do I have an e-mail address for you? Oh! Seems that I do, via Facebook.

Okay, I've sent you the score to Lunar Glare . . . did it arrive? This has been a test . . . .

Yes, sorry about that, Karl. My computer is not exactly the best... SoundCloud seems to confuse it for some reason. 

Yes, I have recieved the score of Lunar Glare, thank you for sending it, it looks great. Looking forward to hearing it, when do you think you will be able to send the audio?

Thanks again, Karl.

[Karl Henning]

Meanwhile, over at the blog . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Just had a lovely chat on the phone with Mark Engelhardt, chap whom I met when he was MD & organist at the Cathedral Church of St Paul here in Boston.  It had been an age since we talked, so it was very good indeed to wipe away the dust.

[Karl Henning]

Concert coming!

Long story reduced to the current fact:  The quartet (fl, cl, hp & frame drum) will wait for another occasion.  Instead, I took two of the clarinet duos (These Unlikely Events) and the middle piece from the cello quartet suite, Marginalia, and arranged these as a short suite for alto flute, clarinet & harp.

Peter (flutist) and Mary Jane (harpist) are now back from their Down-Under Tour, but are about to head to the DC area for a couple of concerts between now and the 17 April King's Chapel date . . . so we're getting together to read these three trio arrangements this evening.  I'm sure we'll be able to assemble them with relative ease.

The program, then, is now:

I.

stars & guitars, Op.95
Peter H. Bloom, bass flute
Mary Jane Rupert, harp

II.

These Unlikely Events № 3 (première)
Marginalia (première)
These Unlikely Events № 1 (première)
Peter H. Bloom, alto flute
Karl Henning, clarinet
Mary Jane Rupert, harp

To-morrow, this.

Rehearsing again with Peter & Mary Jane this evening.

[Karl Henning]

Rehearsal last night went very well. Very pleased with how the recital should turn out : )

[Lisztianwagner]

Good luck for the concert, Karl! I hope it will be a success.

[Karl Henning]

Thanks, Ilaria!

[springrite]

Thanks, Ilaria!

Don't forget to plan ahead for a concert/recital in October... Remember?

[madaboutmahler]

Good luck for the concert, Karl! I hope it will be a success.

Yes, best of luck, Karl! I am sure it will be great! Looking forward to hearing how it goes!

[Karl Henning]

Thanks, Daniel! We three had fun.  I captured it on my shoestring handheld recording device . . . there's something of a process to get to listenable sound-files. Later this week!

[madaboutmahler]

Thanks, Daniel! We three had fun.  I captured it on my shoestring handheld recording device . . . there's something of a process to get to listenable sound-files. Later this week!

Glad to hear it, Karl. And I'm sure the audience must have loved it too! Very excited to hear the performances once you have uploaded them.

[Scion7]

Thoughts on Lindberg's clarinet concerto? 

I've been trying to get into it - but it sounds an awful lot like some of the stuff that I don't like by jazzer Anthony Braxton (i.e., stuff he got into post-1978 or so ...)

I dunno - just doesn't move me.  Technically proficient, of course ...

[Karl Henning]

It's long enough since last I heard it, that rather than try to recall what by now may well be a stale opinion, I'll give it a fresh listen . . . .