Henning's Headquarters

[Scion7]

If they ever knock on my door with that super-jackpot lottery over-sized big check, paparazzi, etc.,
I'll dump a wad of cash on your lap! 

[Karl Henning]

All right. We'll hold you to that 

[Karl Henning]

Good progress, I think, this morning. Now for a short brunch with some friends I've not seen in ages, and then it's back to work this afternoon.

[Karl Henning]

Some more, not done for the day, oh, no . . . .

[Cato]

Some more, not done for the day, oh, no . . . .

Not much time to imagine it carefully, but note the use of the piccolo in its lower register, an effect not used much, or at least I do not recall it happening much in the scores I have studied.

[Karl Henning]

Okay, just a little tinkering already this morning.  I do not have the social engagements today or tomorrow which I had yesterday;  and yesterday's work has further illumined my musical path unto mine ears (to mix senses), so be prepared for extensive progress.

[Karl Henning]

The morning's work.

[Karl Henning]

When I am at all tempted to be disappointed that I am not making faster progress with the piece, I find instead that I am pleased with all that is happening musically.  (Or, maybe that's rationalization.)

One good thing is, I feel certain the piece will keep to a 12-minute span.  Though, goodness knows, that will be a busy 12 minutes for Evelyn.  (But then, that was sort of the idea.  She'll make a great show of it.)

[Karl Henning]

I must thank Cato and Luke for their kind words, which have been a vital encouragement.  For a long time following the initial sketch (so say, from the end of June until this weekend) I wallowed in quite a bit of doubt.  Not so much doubt of the enterprise, because the text is searingly engaging, and I've always known it would make a smashing piece, but doubt as to whether the start I had made was really the start of such a smashing piece.  At this point, though, I find myself even a little in awe of what's emerged, wondering a bit, Am I the fellow who wrote this?  In some ways, it feels like the wildest, freest thing I've done to date.  I am even more excited, knowing that I have tomorrow as a holiday, clear for more musical exploration.

Now, I have complete confidence that when I show the piece to the members of the ensemble, they will be 100% engaged.

[Cato]

.  At this point, though, I find myself even a little in awe of what's emerged, wondering a bit, Am I the fellow who wrote this?  In some ways, it feels like the wildest, freest thing I've done to date.  I am even more excited, knowing that I have tomorrow as a holiday, clear for more musical exploration.

Now, I have complete confidence that when I show the piece to the members of the ensemble, they will be 100% engaged.

At the risk of making you too conscious of yourself, even the opening page has some of your trademarks telling the listener that "You are entering a new world." e.g. on page 1 the 7:8 figures vs. the 5:4 ones, and then later the use of silence full (bars 47 and 71) and partial (bar 96, "Scorned")  for emphasis, and bars 77 ff. with the antiphonal ostinato among the instruments.

Karl's choice of instruments reminded me of Bernard Herrmann's statement about  why he used 10 flutes in his (rejected) score for Alfred Hitchcock's spy movie Torn Curtain: "The sound of 10 flutes is frightening."  While Karl has obviously not used 10 flutes, his forces create a similarly unsettling feeling, in the case of From the Pit of a Cave in the Cloud, the feeling of being at the mercy of the hostile inhabitants of a desert landscape.  The assorted triplet figures (e.g. bars 81 and 83 on "Ancient" and"Modern") create an exotic, faraway atmosphere, thereby marrying the text and the music in Holy Polyphony, so to speak!   0:)

[Karl Henning]

Thanks!  This morning I'm beginning with two sections which I had mentally mapped out yesterday . . . soon-ish, there will be evidence . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Still pressing on . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Right away I've changed that quarter-note for "wills" to a dotted-half; no reason to cut that off.

[Karl Henning]

About to break for lunch . . .

[jochanaan]

Karl, in addition to my admiration for work already done, I do admire your discipline and industry.

[Karl Henning]

Thank you, sieur!

[Karl Henning]

I am not yet there, but if I can reach the two-thirds point before quitting for the day, I shall happy be.

[Karl Henning]

I am so very nearly at the two-thirds mark, I am content to lay my figurative pen aside for the night.

Coming into the Labor Day weekend, the score was at m.49 on p.5;  now, three days' work later, we're up to m.236 on p.22.  That is progress I am pleased with;  and I feel certain the piece can be done, and done to my satisfaction by next Monday morning.

Now, to bounce the present state of the piece off the doughty musicians . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Re-post & refresh:

Variations on Wie lieblich est, S.10 (oboe & organ)

Time Was, Op.4 (pf solo)
№ 1: Prelude (Charlottesville)
№ 2: Dance (Barefoot Amid Dandelions)
№ 3: The Myth of Motion II:  Toccatina (on the Ekaterininsky Canal)

Pictures Only I Can See, Op.11 (pf solo)
№ 1: Spring in Her Step
№ 2: The Bronze Girl's Spilt Milk
№ 3: The Myth of Motion I:  Chorale
№ 4: The Sleep-Pavane at the Foot of Frozen Niagara
№ 5: Petersburg Nocturne || MIDI on YT

Little Towns, Low Countries, Op.18 (pf solo)
№ 1: Invention (Mt Hope Avenue, Rochester)
№ 2: Aubade (Lake Canandaigua)
№ 3: Gigue (Glasgow Street, Cornhill)

Night of the Weeping Crocodiles, Op.16 (cl/vn/pf)

Night of the Weeping Crocodiles, Op.16a (cl/pf/prc)

To Melt From a Distance, Op.21 (pf solo)

Gaze Transfixt, Op.23 (pf solo)

Lutosławski's Lullaby, Op.25 (pf solo)

Fancy on Psalm 80 from the Scottish Psalter, Op.34 № 3, performed by Carson Cooman, on YouTube.

O Beauteous Heavenly Light, Op.34 № 2, performed by Carson Cooman, on YouTube.

Journey to the Dayspring, Op.40 on YouTube

'Tis Winter Now (Danby), Op.45a (mezzo-soprano, flute & organ) at Amazon

Initiation of Barefoot on the Crowded Road, the former Op.41 (now the Discreet Erasures, Op.99, below)

Danse antique, Op.44

The original Born on Earth to Save Us, Op.52 for Bill Goodwin.

Born on Earth to Save Us, Op.52a for HTUMC.

Joseph and Mary, Op.53a for HTUMC.

Score of The Wind, the Sky, & the Wheeling Stars, Part I

Score of The Wind, the Sky, & the Wheeling Stars, Part II

Counting Sheep (or, The Dreamy Abacus of Don Quijote), Op.58a for Pierrot-plus ensemble [ score, part I ].

Counting Sheep (or, The Dreamy Abacus of Don Quijote), Op.58a for Pierrot-plus ensemble [ score, part II ].

I Look From Afar, Op.60 for choir, brass quintet, organ & optional timpani

Blue Shamrock, Op.63 for clarinet unaccompanied, at Amazon.

Sweetest Ancient Cradle Song, Op.67 for choir, brass quintet, organ & optional timpani 1^st half | 2^nd half

Sweetest Ancient Cradle Song, Op.67 for choir, brass quintet, organ & optional timpani ::  Choral Score 1^st half | 2^nd half

Timbrel and Dance, Op.73 [ St Paul's choir plus ].

Scene 1 from White Nights, Op.75 № 2

Scene 2 from White Nights, Op.75 № 3

Scene 3a from White Nights, Op.75 № 4

Intermezzo I from White Nights, Op.75 № 6

Intermezzo I from White Nights, Op.75 № 6, arr. for saxophone choir

Scene 4 from White Nights, Op.75 № 7

Scene 5 from White Nights, Op.75 № 8

Before-&-after, Finale-VS.-Sibelius exhibits from the Op.75 № 8| A | B | C | D

Scene 7 from White Nights, Op.75 № 10

Canzona, Op.77a № 1 (org solo)

Gigue, Op.77a № 2 (org solo)

26 February De profundis, Op.78 [ Jaya Lakshminarayan & friends ]

Mirage, Op.79a (alto fl, cl, pf)

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, Op.80 carol for choir, brass quintet, organ & timpani

Moonrise, Op.84 for brass quintet. And MIDI

Moonrise, Op.84a for flute choir in six parts. And MIDI

15 March Passion rehearsal A [ Sine Nomine ]

15 March Passion rehearsal B [ Sine Nomine ]

15 March Passion rehearsal C [ Sine Nomine ]

Conclusion of the 19 Mar 2010 performance by Sine Nomine of the St John Passion, Op.92:

http://www.youtube.com/v/8netMuAHFkI

12 May recital [ k a rl h e nn i ng Ensemble (Bloom/Henning/Cienniwa) ]

18 May recital [ Bloom/Henning ]

23 May pre-concert rehearsal [ Sine Nomine ]

22 June recital [ N. Chamberlain/B. Chamberlain/Henning ]

Love is the spirit of this church, Op.85 № 3

Nicodemus brings myrrh and aloes for the burial of the Christ, Op.85 № 4 for cello & piano | Recording on SoundCloud

For God so loved the world, after Op.87 № 9 {Would you like the Doxology with that?} Yes | No | Recording on SoundCloud

The Passion According to St John, Op.92 (on MediaFire, courtesy of Johan)

Lutosawski’s Lullaby, Op.96a № 1 (string quartet)

Marginalia, Op.96a № 2 (string quartet)

Après-lullaby, Op.96a № 3 (string quartet)

Score of Fair Warning [Viola Sonata, mvt 1]

MIDI of Fair Warning [Viola Sonata, mvt 1]

Score of Suspension Bridge (In Dave's Shed) [Viola Sonata, mvt 2]

MIDI of Suspension Bridge (In Dave's Shed) [Viola Sonata, mvt 2]

Score of Tango in Boston (Dances with Shades) [Viola Sonata, mvt 3]

MIDI of Tango in Boston (Dances with Shades) [Viola Sonata, mvt 3]

Cato's analysis of the Viola Sonata

Johan's MediaFire folder, including the whole of Dana's première performance of the Viola Sonata

Discreet Erasures, Op.99 for orchestra

Angular Whimsies, Op.100a (bass clarinet, percussion [two players] & piano)

Whimsy brevis, Op.100b (bass flute & piano)

http://www.youtube.com/v/OAp3w15ISl4

How to Tell (Chasing the Tail of Nothing), Op.103 (alto flute, clarinet & frame drum); 7 June 2014 performance

These Unlikely Events, Op.104 № 4

These Unlikely Events, Op.104 № 5

Kyrie, Op.106 № 1

Gloria, Op.106 № 2 :: work-in-progress, March 2015

Credo, Op.106 № 3

Sanctus, Op.106 № 4

(The Sanctus, arranged for tuba quartet)

Agnus Dei, Op.106 № 5 || Première by Triad

Brothers, If They Only Knew It, saxophone quartet (after Op.106 № 5)

In the Artist's Studio, Op.107, for 17 winds & harp

Organ Sonata, Op.108
Mvt 1: Eritis sicut Deus
Mvt 2: . . . scientes bonum . . .
Mvt 3: . . . et malum

Thoreau in Concord Jail, Op.109 for clarinet solo

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

Airy Distillates, Op.110 for flute solo

Annabel Lee, Op.111 for vocal quartet

http://www.youtube.com/v/tN3aMOrzEb8

Misapprehension, Op.112 for clarinet choir

The Mystic Trumpeter, Op.113 № 1 for soprano & clarinet

Après-mystère, Op.113 № 2 for flute & clarinet And MIDI

http://www.youtube.com/v/7RhH161HhlA

just what everyone was expecting, Op.114 № 1 for clarinet & marimba

(very nearly) what everyone was expecting, Op.114 № 5 for bass clarinet & marimba

just what everyone was expecting, Op.114a for clarinet, mandocello & double bass

My Island Home, Op.115 for percussion ensemble

http://www.youtube.com/v/hlh61D6COvU

Plotting (y is the new x), Op.116 for violin & harpsichord

http://www.youtube.com/v/2vKGfppo0o8

Jazz for Nostalgic Squirrels, Op.117 (fl, cl in A, gtr & cb) [ and at Soundcloud ]

When the morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy, Op.118 № 1 (shakuhachi, drum & handbell choir)

http://www.youtube.com/v/79tPHWpH3UI

Divinum mysterium, Op.118 № 2 (choir unison & handbells)

http://www.youtube.com/v/MPr7NhE2-Bs

Easter Stikheron, Op.118 № 3 (choir SATB & handbells)

Welcome, Happy Morning!, Op.118 № 4 (handbells)

My Lord, What a Morning, Op.118 № 5 (choir & handbells)

http://www.youtube.com/v/AJzV-RxXiIk

Hymtunes Moscow & Te Deum, Op.118 № 6 (handbells)

Musette, Op.118 № 7 (handbells)

Psalm 130, Op.118 № 8 [ I think ] (clarinet & bass voice) [work-in-progress]

The Crystalline Ship, Op.119 № 1 (mezzo-soprano & baritone saxophone)

I Saw People Walking Around Like Trees, Op.120 (flute, clarinet, double-bass & frame drum)

http://www.youtube.com/v/E0_-CTvtSS8

... illa existimans quia hortulanus esset ...., Op.121 (vc/pf)

Le tombeau de W.A.G., Op.122a (flute, clarinet, double-bass & frame drum) Audio

A Song of Remembrance, Op.123 (mixed chorus SAB & pf)

http://www.youtube.com/v/kYWAm11MX4s

The Mysterious Fruit, Op.124 (mezzo-soprano & marimba)

The Mysterious Fruit, Op.124a (mezzo-soprano & pf)

Tiny Wild Avocadoes, Op.125 (2 vn/va)
№ 1 "Children's Song"
№ 2 "Autumn Leaves (Wind Effect)"
№ 3 "Scampering Squirrels"
№ 4 "Pond at Twilight"
№ 5 "The Gnomes (Paul's Garden)"
№ 6 "Cheerful Song on the Wing"
№ 7 "The Avocado in Winter"

In the shadow of the kindly Star, Op.126 № 1 (violin solo and handbell choir)

I Want Jesus to Walk With Me, Op.126 № 2 (choir SATB unaccompanied)

Variations on a Basque Carol, Op.126 № 3 (clarinet unaccompanied)

Beach Balls (Red) , Op.125 № 5 (org solo)

Little Suite, Op.127 (vc & pf)
№ 1 "Summer Song"
№ 2 "Valentine"
№ 3 "Sparrows Hopping on the Wet Sidewalk" || MIDI on YT

Notebook for Elaina & Anna, Op.128 № 1 "Out for a Walk" (fl/a sx)

From the Pit of a Cave in the Cloud, Op.129, soprano & chamber group { work-in-progress }

Piece for double wind quintet, Op.130 {work-in-progress}

Visions fugitives de nouveau, Op.131 (pf solo)
№ 1: One Leaf
№ 2: Versuch eines Milonga
№ 3: Beneath the Clear Sky
№ 4: That Tickles!
№ 5: Stephen Goes to California
№ 6: Kay's Blue Crabs
№ 7: Questionable Insistence
№ 8: Morning Prayer
№ 9: Bunny Keeping Still
№ 10: Gamboling Squirrels
№ 11: The Street Musician
№ 12: The Shade of an Oak
№ 13: "Could you change one more thing?"
№ 14: Waiting
№ 15: Bicycling in Boston Common
№ 16: Mist on the Harbor
№ 17: Peter Moves to Montréal
№ 18: Seeing a Long-Since-Cancelled Stamp
№ 19: ... but his mind is elsewhere
№ 20: Starless Summer Night || MIDI on YT

Neither do I condemn thee, Op.132 for flute duet

Saltmarsh Stomp, Op.134 for clarinet choir { work-in-progress }

Ear Buds (The dream of a young man in the woods, listening), Op.135 for young symphonic band { work-in-progress }

A whimsical Canon:

http://www.youtube.com/v/B6xeqrcavUQ

8 Oct 2013 recital at King's Chapel

Henningmusick at ReverbNation.

Henningmusick at Instant Encore.

About an hour's worth of Henningmusick, too, at SoundCloud

The 9^th Ear at SoundCloud.

And: Maria appears on the evening news in DC.

[Karl Henning]

Peter H. Bloom (bass flute & picc.) confirms that he is in — but I knew I could count on him first of all, bless him.

Of course, I sent my message with a substantial score attached on Labor Day evening, so I do not expect to hear from everyone straight off.  Mostly, I'm hoping that Evelyn is not affrighted by the challenge;  the fact that the concert is seven weeks from today helps, in being both time long enough that there is room for preparation, and time short enough that a quick-but-serious study of the score-in-progress should commend itself to our fearless singer.

My other, lesser concern (lesser, only because as yet, I trust my musical instincts) is that I haven't written anything technically onerous for (in score order) Carol, Dan or Pam.  I know Dan can handle all of the rhythms I throw at him, and I think everything I've written for the recorder is readily idiomatic . . . there is a chance that he could manage more chromaticism than I've slung his way, but I've found it an engaging challenge to keep the recorder relatively diatonic.  I know that Carol is a flute student of Peter's, and I do not think I've written too virtuosic a flute part (unlike some of Peter's bass flute passages).