Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

Concert went very well.  I think I succeeded in playing Thoreau at the proper pace, and thus for its genuine duration, for good or ill    I was pleased with my playing, and pleased that my chops lasted the entire show.  As expected, though, my device did not last the whole show, but still, most of it!  More detail tomorrow; I am bushed.

[jochanaan]

Concert went very well.  I think I succeeded in playing Thoreau at the proper pace, and thus for its genuine duration, for good or ill    I was pleased with my playing, and pleased that my chops lasted the entire show.  As expected, though, my device did not last the whole show, but still, most of it!  More detail tomorrow; I am bushed.

Enjoy the post-gig glow!  We've all felt it, we players.

[Karl Henning]

Another show tonight!

I just listened to the first of the audio from last night, Charles's Flute Dances, flute and percussion.  I think this is a piece you might like playing, jo!

[Cato]

Concert went very well.  I think I succeeded in playing Thoreau at the proper pace, and thus for its genuine duration, for good or ill    I was pleased with my playing, and pleased that my chops lasted the entire show.  As expected, though, my device did not last the whole show, but still, most of it!  More detail tomorrow; I am bushed.

9 Cheers for The Ninth Ear!

[Karl Henning]

Last night's concert was better still (with one peculiar caveat).  Higher energy, tighter ensemble (in the trio, particularly).  No surprise, since I had spent yesterday relaxedly dawdling with my mum, mom-in-law & aunt at Plum Island, where before Friday's concert I had put in a day's work at the office.  (Note to self:  Do always take the day of a concert off, the music will thank you.)

The one caveat relates to Thoreau.  It was brought to my attention that our audience in Danvers (which would be, in large part, our parishioners) would be inspired to mutiny if I played Thoreau in all its 25-minute glory.  It was only good sense, and the advisory was meant in a thoroughly brotherly spirit.  (Part of the problem, which was a matter of my not reminding Charles of Thoreau's duration when he prepared the program, was that the second half of the program was significantly longer than the first.)

Since on Friday, I had accomplished what I wished with the Op.109 (I wanted to play it in public, as it ought to be, and probably have a good document of the event), I suffered no need to insist . . . and I gave assurance that I was perfectly content to present an abridgement, with an eye to keeping the peace.  I asked Charles what he would suggest, and he replied 5-6 minutes.  "I defy you," I said;  "I'm playing 7!"

Back when I first played Thoreau at King's Chapel, I bought a small, cheap clock so that I could mind the time.  (Honestly, it was part of that undercurrent nervousness which resulted in my rushing the piece so awfully, then;  the condition which it was my goal to defeat on this occasion.)  So, since the proposal was to reduce the music a great, great deal, I thought that my process ought to be dispassionately Cageian.  I decided that I should play for 3'30, and then I should turn the page, my eye lighting on some suitable "landing place," play for a further 2"30, and then turn to the last page.

[Cato]

Last night's concert was better still (with one peculiar caveat).

Again, 9 cheers!

The one caveat relates to Thoreau.  It was brought to my attention that our audience in Danvers (which would be, in large part, our parishioners) would be inspired to mutiny if I played Thoreau in all its 25-minute glory. 

And yet, we have other meditative works of similar length e.g. Pärt's When Sara Was 90 Years Old.   Do the lengths of works have to be published to forewarn the impatient or the Adult ADHD victims?   

On the other hand, we have the stories about Bruckner showing his symphonies to conductors, whose first reaction usually was: "Yes, yes, a marvelous work!  But where can you make cuts?"   

[Karl Henning]

I'm smiling a little, with the thought that I've now written a controversial piece....

[Cato]

I'm smiling a little, with the thought that I've now written a controversial piece....

Cause a riot somehow next time, and then those contracts will come your way! 

"At bar 193, the clarinetist suddenly throws his instrument at the audience while blowing into a duck call."

[jochanaan]

Another show tonight!

I just listened to the first of the audio from last night, Charles's Flute Dances, flute and percussion.  I think this is a piece you might like playing, jo!

I think I might!  What percussion does it require?

[Karl Henning]

Charles originally wrote it for djembe, but contentedly let Dan do his frame drum magic with the piece.  I don't have a score yet, but I am sure that Charles will soon-ish load audio from one of this weekend's concerts up on SoundCloud.

[Karl Henning]

On the other hand, we have the stories about Bruckner showing his symphonies to conductors, whose first reaction usually was: "Yes, yes, a marvelous work!  But where can you make cuts?"   

Aye!

Listening tonight (at last) to the audio of Thoreau from Friday.  I don't know what they were complaining about: I played it at a trim 24 minutes!    Much closer to my intention.  Largely pleased with the take . . . will hoist up to YouTube soon.

[Karl Henning]

http://www.youtube.com/v/OnLYQ748aEg

[Karl Henning]

Listening again; I feel I can play it better (though I do have a fairly strong impression that Friday's performance is a good improvement, in more ways than one, on the inaugural Jail).  I had a great time playing the space, which is agreeably live;  and I am pleased that some of the space comes through on the recording.  There is the occasional sonic intrusion from the street;  but honestly, true to the subject of the piece, I welcome the external counterpoint.

[Karl Henning]

Whew! No surprise, I can hear how rushed I was in the original King's Chapel performance . . . no question, I was pressing to make sure the piece was an interesting listen.  The acoustic is much drier, of course (lots of irregular surfaces in the space to absorb/diffuse sound).  I am playing better, now, though I do need to phase in a new reed.

[Karl Henning]

I've not yet transferred the audio from the MicroTrak to the PC for the Saturday concert.  But:  both I see people walking about like trees and Le tombeau went much better on Saturday than on Friday.  I am probably to blame.  Well, in one instance, I am definitely to blame:  I gaffed my own note in measure 2 of Le tombeau!  I could give lessons in The Stupid!

But what I meant by my share of the blame is:  Although I largely felt that I had the energy for Friday's show (and my chops endured well), I didn't realize the degree to which I had lacked energy, until I went in to Saturday's concert, after a completely relaxed day dawdling around Plum Island with my family.  (Where Friday, of course, I had put in eight hours working for the office.)  And because I had so much store of energy for the Saturday show, I think that fed my fellow musicians, and all of the ensemble pieces went much better.

Now, my MicroTrak was not going to be able to record the entirety of both concerts.  So on Friday, it ran out of juice in the middle of How to Tell (I shall listen to that "trunk" of the piece, just to see how things sounded for that go . . . and who knows?  There may be something usable).  My solution for Saturday was, since I had to pare back so radically, I didn't bother recording Thoreau.  I am sure Charles did record it, though, so if he furnishes that recording, I shall listen, just out of curiosity.

I am fixin' to have Saturday's performances of both quartets, and of the trio, available for listening sometime tonight.  Tomorrow night at latest.

[Sergeant Rock]

I am fixin' to have Saturday's performances of both quartets, and of the trio, available for listening sometime tonight.  Tomorrow night at latest.

Looking forward to hearing it.

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

Thanks!

I do understand that Thoreau is not for everybody 

[Sergeant Rock]

Thanks!

I do understand that Thoreau is not for everybody 

I plan to give it another try soon.

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

You are kind.

[Sergeant Rock]

You are kind.

And brave! 

Sarge