Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

The Op.16a is done!

[Karl Henning]

I mean it!

[jochanaan]

I mean it!

I have heard it said that compositions are often not so much finished as abandoned.

[Karl Henning]

Oh, I'll eat my own cooking, particularly this piece

[jochanaan]

Oh, I'll eat my own cooking, particularly this piece

It must be a tasty dish, then.

[Karl Henning]

More work on the vc/pf piece (or, the first I've worked on it since 29 April) for Kirstin:

[Karl Henning]

More work on the vc/pf piece (or, the first I've worked on it since 29 April) for Kirstin:

I've actually done a bit more work on this yet, and I feel that the piece is 92% done.  I have a plan, and it will wait until morning.

[Karl Henning]

It may be done, or (if not) very close, I think.

[Cato]

I mean it!

Concerning the Crocodiles: if you can read the music, note the (in general) use of the piano as a percussion instrument, which lets the clarinet stand out even more with its assorted statements.  Note the use of the pedal markings e.g bar 77 ff., to create that certain fading-echo, bell-like background, or the treble "drum roll" in bar 95.

The bell-like open fifths deep in the bass in bar 129 ff. (Larghissimo !) are an especially nice touch.

[Karl Henning]

Thanks!  Both times I played the piece, that measure was one of my favorite moments.

Separately . . . listening to "the Gardener" this morning, after letting the piece rest for most of yesterday.  I think I may be happy with the last page as is.

Need to check, though, to see if the harmonics on the last two pages need the wee circle sign, or if the notation as presently appears is sufficiently clear.

[Karl Henning]

Need to check, though, to see if the harmonics on the last two pages need the wee circle sign, or if the notation as presently appears is sufficiently clear.

In his textbook on orchestration, Sam Adler says that, in this case, adding the wee circle sign makes it a bit clearer.  So, I did not absolutely have to, but, why not?

I've now sent the piece both to Kirstin (vacationing in the Adirondacks, so I do not expect immediate response) and to Sara down Nashville way (I think the piece technically manageable for her, as well);  and, just to cheer her up, to Carolyn, the pianist who with our Dana gave the première of the Viola Sonata.

[Karl Henning]

Well, probably I am wrong (and misled by the French assez).  Bother . . . I am going to have to strike assai from my scores where I mean something other than (apparently) many musicians will read it . . . .

Or, perhaps I needn't bother, since I generally give a metronome marking as well . . . .

[jochanaan]

Karl, the French assez, though it appears cognate with assai, literally means "enough."  And I'm not sure that, say, Allegro assai is identical or even particularly similar to Allegro molto...

[Karl Henning]

Oui, but one does see tempo indications such as Assez vif, en français . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Just a bagatelle, really.

[Cato]

Just a bagatelle, really.

A pleasantly piquant avocado!   

[kishnevi]

Oui, but one does see tempo indications such as Assez vif, en français . . . .

And one sees American composers who also use Assez vif 😀

That avocado does look tempting....

[Karl Henning]

And one sees American composers who also use Assez vif 😀

Tu as raison!

[Karl Henning]

The violist (who at present resides in the middle west) did not bat an eye 

[Karl Henning]

Per this, the Avocado may be recorded this evening.


In other news . . . some may recall that I prepared a flute choir arrangement of the Kyrie (under the title Brothers, If They Only Knew It).  I've not heard back from Perimeter Flutes, but I knew that I probably would not until autumn.  There is a flute choir in Vermont, and last night, on spec, I slung the piece by the director.  She wrote a nice message today, saying that she would read it through.