Henning's Headquarters

[Cato]

For your consideration:

The Complete Musicians  (or "Compleat Musick Makers" if you want an archaick loock  0:) )

Pens, Strings, and Other Things

The Sounds of Manuscripts   

Four Talented Trees    (Music paper and some instruments are made from trees...)

And my favorite:

Middle-Aged Mutant Ninja Musicians!!!

A few more:   

Musicians at Large

Scribblers, Strummers, and Tootlers  (Yeah, I know!)

The Quintessential Quartet  0:)

[Karl Henning]

I'm going to pass along all those suggestions to Charles . . . .

[Cato]

I'm going to pass along all those suggestions to Charles . . . .

If he hates them, keep my name out of it!  0:)

[Karl Henning]

As ever, you can rely on both my discretion, and my imagination.

[Karl Henning]

A friend in Columbus (that is not code for I, myself, only I don't like to admit it . . . this is an actual friend I have in Columbus, and I don't care who knows it) offers the following suggestions.

Not all of them are to be taken seriously, so I promised him diplomatic anonymity . . . and think of the raft of suggestions more (to allude to our recent discussion of Louis [Andriessen]) as an Ijsbreker . . . .

[kishnevi]

Paris had Les Six.

Why can't Boston have

THE FOUR

[Karl Henning]

The piano piece for my mysterious Buffalo cohort has gone on indefinite hiatus, so I am co-opting the title for the shakuhachi/handbells/tenor drum piece: When the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy.

Mind you, this is but the start.  And the part for the shakuhachi will be refined, I shall need to consult with Charles at several points.

[ older file removed ]

[Karl Henning]

Paris had Les Six.

Why can't Boston have

THE FOUR

I am taken with the simplicity!

[Karl Henning]

Had to dial the bitrate down considerably to get even this sampling of the piece to an attachable dimension . . . .

[Karl Henning]

PHB writes:

Whimsy Brevis looks great.  Terrific, punchy quodlibet.  Thanks.  Many thanks.  I've looked it over and there's nothing crazy about it or in it (in the negative sense) yet completely crazy in the good sense. Demanding for the bass flute, but not overly.  It percolates pertly.  I'm looking forward to reading it (and performing it) with MJ when the occasion arises.  I'll keep you posted.

[North Star]

Paris had Les Six.

Why can't Boston have

THE FOUR

Not to mention Могучая кучка (The Five) - The Four would definitely be cool. 

[Karl Henning]

I've not heard back from any of "the group" yet. We shall see!

(If none of the lot speak up over the course of today, I may make An Executive Decision!)

In other news . . . very pleased to get a message from Nana, and she likes the Kyrie. I am not surprised, but I am certainly greatly pleased.  She wants to have Moderato Cantabile sing it, she does not know when, just yet.  And that is fine.  (And thanks again to Harry for introducing us!)

Although I remain practically an unknown composer, and the years rolls on with (e.g.) no commission yet from the BSO . . . to have the work so warmly appraised by such colleagues as Nana and Peter H Bloom is A Mighty Intangible.

[Karl Henning]

If he hates them, keep my name out of it!  0:)

Okay, Charles has sent acknowledgement:

Karl, thanks for all of the suggestions. I'm going to compile them, and we will do a round-robin process-of-elimination, then vote.

Probably not today - I have other fish to fricasseee.

. . . including a rehearsal he has with our Jim Dalton.

[Karl Henning]

Well, understand that I am planning to refine the shakuhachi part in consultation with Charles at some point . . . but the composition is largely complete:

[Karl Henning]

The Magnificat which I am delighted to learn that Nana continues to champion, I think will work nicely for flutes, and I know a flute quartet down Georgia way . . . .

[jochanaan]

Well, understand that I am planning to refine the shakuhachi part in consultation with Charles at some point . . . but the composition is largely complete:

Looks very nice!  I wonder if, instead of a tenor drum, you could call for a conga or djembe or one of those taiko drums?  Might blend better with the shakuhachi.  But I like your handbell scoring!  Three octaves plus in your bell set, I see.  Does the bell choir use Schulmerich bells?

[Karl Henning]

I think we may have a djembe in the closet . . . fact is, I need to have a closer look when I am in the choir room tomorrow evening.  Will check on the bells, too!

[jochanaan]

If the bell set is only three octaves, you could probably adjust the scoring.  But many churches in this area have four- or five-octave sets, from C3 to C8 (sounding; written C2 to C7).  My old church has a 3-octave set, from C4 to C7 sounding.  I've even heard rumors of 6-octave sets! (I played handbells in college and for years in my church; I even directed the handbell choir for a while.  Love 'em!)

[Brahmsian]

First Listen to this!!

Henning

When The Morning Stars Sang Together, Op. 118, No. 1

Magnificent, what an incredible piece, Karl.  Beautiful!    Thank you for sharing, my friend. 

[Karl Henning]

Many thanks, gents!