Henning's Headquarters

[ibanezmonster]

YouTube has everything!

Such a nice sounding instrument. Now I want one.

[Karl Henning]

Charles rehearsed with Jim the other day, and reports that the mandocello sounds beautiful, so . . . definitely writing something for it, beyond the adaptation I have in mind of the Cello Sonatina.

[Karl Henning]

Okay, the news is:  We have at last (democratically, and yet quite efficiently) determined a name for the Event, a fusion of elements of the sundry works: Bards, Gazelles, Squirrels & Sonatas.

And a name has been unanimously approved;  it was a suggestion of my own, but one which arose while we all (with your help) were bandying ideas (and, Jeffrey, The Four was spoken of well by more than one of us).

The basic inspiration came from a Firesign Theatre bit, when they did a doo-wop number and called their quartet The Eight Shoes.  Similarly, as we are four composers, I suggested The Eight Ears.

But then, thinking that the art of music does not, in a sense, exist unless there is audience to hear it, more than our eight is needed.

So the name of our group is: The Ninth Ear.

[Karl Henning]

The program will be:

The Unarmed Man (flute, clarinet, contrabass) Charles Turner, première

Gifts of the Bard (mandolin) Jim Dalton

Après-mystère / Zen on the Wing / Swivels & Bops (flute & clarinet) kh

Sweet Gazelle (shakuhachi & guitar) Charles Turner

Violin Sonata (violin & piano) Nancy Rexford, première (?)

INTERMISSION

Clear, Full Moon (voice & guitar) Jim Dalton

Spinning (clarinet & guitar) Charles Turner

Two extracts from The Untempered Guitar (guitar) Jim Dalton

Send Me an Angel / Dancing with an Angel (clarinet & contrabass) Charles Turner, première

Suma Beach (shakuhachi & voice) Charles Turner

Jazz for Nostalgic Squirrels (flute, clarinet, guitar & contrabass) kh, première

====

There may be more premières in there, which I must investigate . . . .

[Brahmsian]

The program will be:

The Unarmed Man (flute, clarinet, contrabass) Charles Turner, première

Gifts of the Bard (mandolin) Jim Dalton

Après-mystère / Zen on the Wing / Swivels & Bops (flute & clarinet) kh

Sweet Gazelle (shakuhachi & guitar) Charles Turner

Violin Sonata (violin & piano) Nancy Rexford, première (?)

INTERMISSION

Clear, Full Moon (voice & guitar) Jim Dalton

Spinning (clarinet & guitar) Charles Turner

Two extracts from The Untempered Guitar (guitar) Jim Dalton

Send Me an Angel / Dancing with an Angel (clarinet & contrabass) Charles Turner, première

Suma Beach (shakuhachi & voice) Charles Turner

Jazz for Nostalgic Squirrels (flute, clarinet, guitar & contrabass) kh, première

====

There may be more premières in there, which I must investigate . . . .

Excellent news, Karl! 

[Karl Henning]

Thanks for all your kind support, Ray!

[Karl Henning]

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?

Rehearsal this evening, so I will have an answer soon.

Charles got back to me, and appears to think well of the piece.

[Karl Henning]

And, back at the blog . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Happy Friday!  The notorious Blue Shamrock is now available at Amazon.

[North Star]

Excellent, Karl!
It's a pity I only have Scotch to celebrate that with..

[Lisztianwagner]

That's wonderful, Karl, congratulations!

[Karl Henning]

Thank you!

[Mirror Image]

I'm still completely enamored with Out in the Sun. I think this may be the best work I've heard from you, Karl. No joke. The performance itself sounded damn fine, too. I mean just listen to that rapturous applause at the end. Well deserved. This work would make a great coupling on a J. Adams recording. I may be completely wrong here, which wouldn't be surprising, but I do hear some parallels with Adams' Century Rolls in this work of yours, especially in regard to the counterpoint. Just an observation.

[Karl Henning]

Thanks, glad you like the piece!

[Mirror Image]

Thanks, glad you like the piece!

You're welcome, Karl.

[Karl Henning]

Hey! On Twitter, Paul Cienniwa (@pcienniwa) tweets:

Op. 116 by @karlhenning is going to be a fun ride. And there aren't too many fast notes for me!

[Mirror Image]

Hey! On Twitter, Paul Cienniwa (@pcienniwa) tweets:

Which work is Op. 116?

[Karl Henning]

Plotting for violin and harpsichord.

[Mirror Image]

Plotting for violin and harpsichord.

Ah okay, thanks.

[Karl Henning]

Okay, worked out an inside cover blurb for the Op.34 Short Pieces for organ.