Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

Thanks, Daniel!

Last night's work took an unexpected turn, and it involved an entirely other Op.110 . . . .

[Karl Henning]

So . . . on Twitter I follow (and in this admittedly limited sense, have 'met') flutist Meerenai Shim of San Francisco (well, in S.F., anyway);  she has a fine début album out, Sometimes the City is Silent.  Yesterday, she tweeted a reminder for a Call for Scores, whose deadline was yesterday (i.e., 31 July). As I blogged last night, she must have sent a tweet abroad (probably more than one) erewhile, but I had not noticed (likely before my re-immersion into composing).  Seeing yesterday's tweet, though, I thought, Why on earth not?

So . . . I dropped (temporarily) both the duos (I need to fling № 4 into Sibelius, lay out parts for № 5, and check on parts for the earlier ones) and Après-lullaby (sorting out the conversion from cello ensemble to string quartet) and concentrated on chopping out a flute solo piece.

I began scribbling on the 17:10 train out of North Station . . . obviously stopped the pen while driving home, picking up some groceries (needed some flounder fillets, tinned peas, butter, &c.) and eating dinner (a lovely roast chicken) . . . and had the score ready for delivery at 21:30.

As I took up the pen on that train, I had in my notebook a few pages of sketches for a number of other pieces; and I freely drew on motifs there 'available'; so this flute solo is a kind of commentary on a couple of other pieces.  Thus the title is Airy Distillates – airy for the flute, distillates for the derivation of materials.

[Karl Henning]

Hm, I suppose I can really drop the Fl beside all the staves other than the top . . . .

[Cato]

So . . . I dropped (temporarily) both the duos (I need to fling № 4 into Sibelius, lay out parts for № 5, and check on parts for the earlier ones) and Après-lullaby (sorting out the conversion from cello ensemble to string quartet) and concentrated on chopping out a flute solo piece.

I began scribbling on the 17:10 train out of North Station . . . obviously stopped the pen while driving home, picking up some groceries (needed some flounder fillets, tinned peas, butter, &c.) and eating dinner (a lovely roast chicken) . . . and had the score ready for delivery at 21:30.

Wait! What happened      to the flounder fillets?!       

[Karl Henning]

Quite possibly in the freezer . . . unlike These Unlikely Events ; )

[Cato]

Karl's story about the flute composition brings rise to the German term Gebrauchsmusik.

A flute player needs some new music to showcase her talent, a composer always on the lookout for a concert with his works "by chance" (?) discovers her call slightly beyond the time limit, and "inspiration" is catalyzed instantly!

Under such circumstances, despite what one might suspect about composing under them, masterpieces can be born.   

[Karl Henning]

And the flounder (taken internally) is said to be good for my brain . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Meerenai updated her blog post viz. the Call. Not surprisingly, she received more than a hundred submissions! Brave soul . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Word is that young Helen will bring the Sonatina in for her lesson to-morrow.

The report is in: "She got a good start in it."

The composer is relieved that there was no crash-&-burn!

[Karl Henning]

In soft news to-day . . . flutist & composer Nicole Chamberlain (with whom, followers of Henningmusick may well note, I have played on a number of occasions in both Boston and Atlanta) has kindly consented to take a look at Airy Distillates.

A couple of clarinetists I know virtually, including one who played in Brett's wedding (that long-ago-seeming Op.93) are in Nebraska at ClarinetFest . . . I'm sending some Unlikely Events, to see what word on the street may be . . . .

Scrawling on hard copy of the Ur-text of Après-lullaby on the Green line here, the Commuter Rail there, and I think I have essentially sorted out the string quartet adaptation.  Will plug it into Sibelius to-night.  Will also plug These U. Ev. № 4 into Sibelius.  If the work is very efficient, I may well begin Sibelius-ish work on the new winds piece.

[Karl Henning]

Earlier this week, I sent Marginalia "cold" to two different (though both apparently young) SQs here in Boston.

I did not expect much, so I haven't mentioned it.

And maybe not much is yet to be expected, but very nice word just came from one of them, making me welcome to send the other two movements ....

[Karl Henning]

Après-lullaby, the string quartet, is now ready!

[Karl Henning]

. . . Will also plug These U. Ev. № 4 into Sibelius.

Did that last night, too.

– Parenthetically, I found it thoroughly delicious to re-visit Après-lullaby last night. Fond as I am of (the quite old, by now) Lutosławski's Lullaby, and of Marginalia which I scribbled over a long-ish weekend while visiting an old musical friend in Maryland, I think the last piece in the suite is its apex . . . possessed both of some musical rigors, and of some genuinely lyrical flashes.

I probably had not even looked at These Unlikely Events № 4 since returning to Boston from our February vacation;  I had certainly clean forgot where I had left the MS., so that I was a few days locating it.  One downside to letting it out of sight like that is, I forgot that I need to add some detail to the varied return to the [A] material.  The first page has (a bit unusual for me) closely managed dynamic instructions;  it just won't do to leave the return to [A] dynamically underattended . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Some low-key developments. The SQ here in Boston nicely acknowledged receipt of the scores/parts, say they will be in touch.

For (well) the first time since we were graduated in the same class, I am back in touch with a wonderfully talented singer from my Wooster days, who is now directing a chamber choir in Canada.

And an excellent clarinetist here in Boston has said, Sure, send those duos along.

[Karl Henning]

№ 4 itself.

[Karl Henning]

There's a competition. Should I bother?

[Karl Henning]

And you thought there was no progress.

[Karl Henning]

For (well) the first time since we were graduated in the same class, I am back in touch with a wonderfully talented singer from my Wooster days, who is now directing a chamber choir in Canada.

I've now sent Janet some six scores.

[Karl Henning]

There's a competition. Should I bother?

Not excited about a 60€ entry fee.

[Karl Henning]

I'm anxiously awaiting to hear more about a wind piece you mentioned earlier.

Thinking of adding alto flute, tenor saxophone & harp.