Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

Groovy!  This piece is for the 27 October concert at King's Chapel;  so I want to have it ready for all the performers to start reading n/l/th 1 September.

And thus, on the Red Line this morning, I sketched some more of the voice line.

Although there has been no progress in Sibelius, what I have been doing is:

1.  Revisiting the text, noting general changes in musical tone/character to reflect the flow of the text.  Sometimes this is a matter of tempo/rhythm, sometimes an idea of the musical activity, whether in the accompaniment or of the voice.  Marking "borders" in the text, getting an idea beforehand of where the double-bars will be, we might say

2.  This morning, and still using the full text as a blueprint or template, and referring to (and augmenting) my notes from (1.) I went through and mulled on where I wanted changes in scoring, both the number of instruments in each section, and where I should manage instrument changes for the players.

3.  Took the additional work from yesterday morning on the bus ride (where I did not have my score available), and transposed it to suit where the opening of the piece (as attached earlier) leaves off.

(1.) is still a work-in-progress (won't really be done until the piece is complete, really).  (2.) feels quite nearly settled.

[Karl Henning]

Separately, I played back the MIDI of the start of the Op.130 for the artists in my life;  and although at first it was a bit of a shock (only mild), they quickly warmed to it, and at the end they were enthusiasts.

[Karl Henning]

Sorry!  Just thinking aloud.  How long is your piece?

[Karl Henning]

That's fine.  (If my piece runs on the longer end of my estimate, we push the Koukl piece out to another date.)  The only consideration which is a question yet, is whether Peter signs on;  sometime in the next two weeks he & I will get together to read & play, and we shall know.  My expectation is positive;  I just cannot speak for him 

[Cato]

A Cato/Henning production? I'm totally on board for this. Can't wait to hear the final product.

You 'n' me both, brother!      See the text above.

It is very nice to have Karl's thoughts on the piece displayed here.  Again, I am willing to let our members here read the novel which contains a prose version of the poem here.  Just let me know!

My task was to create a poem which told a complete story, so that the context of the novel was unnecessary.  It did not take very long: Karl's job is more difficult.  As a former composer, I know the difficulties involved, and so wrote the poem with musical structures in mind, and even some innate melodies.  What will be fun for me is to discover if any of my mental music is similar to Karl's!   

[Karl Henning]

Meanwhile, a bagatelle for my old Buffalo mate, presently down Peru-way.

[Karl Henning]

My erstwhile instructor writes generously of the two present works-in-progress:

Thanks for your genial message and the happy news of your two in-progress pieces. I'm struck by your enterprise in deploying for soprano, flute, soprano recorder (doubling on tenor), bass flute (doubling on picc) and horn in F your new vocal work. I seem unable to recall offhand a surfeit of works for this distinctive instrumentation. May its unique properties stimulate your muse to ever-greater achievement!

Thanks, too, for sending the score and YouTube link to the very substantial opening of The Young Lady Holding a Phone in Her Teeth. The vigor, vitality and color of the opening seem to me compelling. Beginning in B-flat a work for Harmonie or double quintet seems an arch strategy, particularly if the haunting Sarabande-informed episode beginning in C at rehearsal F might be construed as a "C" section. The rhythmic freedom and variety you conjure in 3/2 during the opening sounds to my ear giddying, wonderfully fanciful and contrasted expertly with the engaging chorale at rehearsal D. Hearty congratulations, Karl!

14 elegantly-wrought score pages embracing 133 measures running five minutes comprise, to my thinking, an uncommonly generous, even extravagant, gesture of good will and fecundity in submitting a work composed "on spec." My sincere hope is that the ensemble will reward your energy and inspiration with the commission.

Warm wishes, Karl, that they muster the good sense to do so!

[Karl Henning]

Interesting endeavor:  http://ironcomposer.org/enter/

[Cato]

Interesting endeavor:  http://ironcomposer.org/enter/

* Finalists will be assigned an instrumentation and the Secret Musical Ingredient at 9 a.m.

Rumor has it that THIS is the "secret musical ingredient" :

[Karl Henning]

Hah!

[Karl Henning]

Separately, on the bus this morning I made sketches for "the next 15-second piano piece," Versuch eines Milonga.

[Cato]

Separately, on the bus this morning I made sketches for "the next 15-second piano piece," Versuch eines Milonga.

Dude!  Are you taking dance lessons?   

[Karl Henning]

Dude!  Are you taking dance lessons?   

Hah!

Well, and it turns out that my sketch from yesterday practically fulfilled the 15-second requirement with little addition.

[Cato]

Well, and it turns out that my sketch from yesterday practically fulfilled the 15-second requirement with little addition.

The half and quarter-note silences are a nice touch, emphasizing the right hand's compressed dance, and thereby also emphasizing the enigmatic single notes in the bass.

[Karl Henning]

And the third.

[Karl Henning]

A fourth.

[Karl Henning]

I've just learnt that an old high school bestie is now visiting his cousin in California.  This calls for musical commemoration!

[Karl Henning]

The MIDI demos are accumulating as a playlist (unlisted) on YT.

[Sergeant Rock]

Cool little piece.

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

Thanks!