Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

And Peter H. Bloom will play the flute version of the Op.126 № 3 on the concert, as well.

[Karl Henning]

More praise from a relative of mine for From the Pit of a Cave in the Cloud:

https://www.youtube.com/v/H1GX6gAmom8

"The fan-base is spreading!"

[Karl Henning]

An interesting and musical morning . . . it's raining, which is keeping me from my walk (even though I am not made of sugar) and I am not complaining because we are in sore need of the rain.  I started with sending Lux Nova Sibelius 6 files of the Op.126 № 3 (flute version) and № 7, and so, since my eye fell upon the folder containing the Op.126 pieces, my eye was drawn to № 2.

I've told my buddy Jonathan of the Midtown Brass that I was working on a new arrangement for them (I don't think I told him yet that this is the jazzed-up Wachet auf).  And in the back of my mind was the thought, do I continue work on that, now?  I am unsure I can get it done in time for it to be useful for their Christmas events (it's a piece they will want to practice, and from here through year's-end, chanced are they do not have much practice time.

Now, I did find my Public Domain version of "I Want Jesus to Walk With Me," and seeing my arrangement in the Op.126 folder reminded me that I need to prepare the surgery theatre.  I began by looking at the present state of the Op.126 № 2, and making little rhythmic improvements.  (These of themselves will not "clear" my arrangement;  I need to check for textual "watermarks."  Though it does increase my motivation to get my work clear of any conflicting claim, as my arrangement waxes yet better.)

And then the idea occurred to me that, as a short-term contact-renewer with both Jonathan, and Kevin here on the North Shore, a brass quintet arrangement of the Op.126 № 2 would prove a signal success.  So that is what I am up to . . . .

[Karl Henning]

Well, this is good, clean fun.

[Karl Henning]

The new and improved (and, I am hoping, squeaky clean) choral arrangement:

[Karl Henning]

Application fee of €40,00 . . . non, grazie.

[Karl Henning]

Audio of the entire 23 Nov 2015 Triad concert in Quncy, as a SoundCloud playlist.

Audio of the entire 14 Dec 2014 HTUMC Christmas concert ["It ain't Trinity Wall Street"] as a SoundCloud playlist.

Very good rehearsal at church last night.  The members of the youth choir who are joining us on my Opp. 52a & 53a are doing very nicely. Next Thursday's rehearsal will be with the flute & violin (and possibly the handbells . . . would be good, really), and then a week from Sunday is the concert.

Out for a pint with Peter & Dan this evening!

[Cato]

Out for a pint with Peter & Dan this evening!

"A bunch of the boys
Were whooping it up
At the Malibu Saloon!"   0:)

[Karl Henning]

My own whoops will be mild, as I shall need to drive home afterwards  0:)

[Karl Henning]

. . . but not drinking anything which originates in Versailles, Ohio! 

[Cato]

. . . but not drinking anything which originates in Versailles, Ohio! 

Like sparkling muscatel!   0:)

[Karl Henning]

Like sparkling muscatel!   0:)

That plus Stockhausen is a combination believed by scientists to result in 92% fatalities.

[Karl Henning]

Thread Duty:

Henning
Sweetest Ancient Cradle Song, Op.67
HTUMC Chancel Choir
Timothy Diek & Mark Napierkowski, tp
Christine Reiff, hn
Luke Deardorff, tn
Kevin Carubia, ta
Susan Taormina, org
live performance 14 December 2014

https://soundcloud.com/htumc-music-program/12-sweetest-ancient-cradle-song?in=htumc-music-program/sets/christmas-concert-14-dec-2014

As a composer presenting his work to you, the listener, I cannot deny that there are imperfections in this inaugural performance.

As the music director of a group of brave, dedicated amateurs, I am genuinely proud of how good and musical a job they did with a substantial score which was very much a "stretch" for them.

It means a great deal to me that the piece in its entirety has finally been presented to an audience, and I am grateful to the singers and to the church for the opportunity.

[Karl Henning]

Henning
The Snow Lay on the Ground, Op.68a
HTUMC Chancel and Youth Choirs
HTUMC Handbell Choir
Rachel Wimmer, vn
Susan Taormina, org
live performance 14 December 2014

https://soundcloud.com/htumc-music-program/14-the-snow-lay-on-the-ground?in=htumc-music-program/sets/christmas-concert-14-dec-2014

This is an altogether more musically modest affair than Sweetest Ancient Cradle Song, just a through-composed arrangement of a traditional carol.  The Youth Choir are the charmers, here, to be sure.

[jochanaan]

As a composer presenting his work to you, the listener, I cannot deny that there are imperfections in this inaugural performance.

As the music director of a group of brave, dedicated amateurs, I am genuinely proud of how good and musical a job they did with a substantial score which was very much a "stretch" for them.

It means a great deal to me that the piece in its entirety has finally been presented to an audience, and I am grateful to the singers and to the church for the opportunity.

Well done, all!

[Karl Henning]

Thank you, sir.

[Karl Henning]

(I know: it's Sibelius's birthday . . . but I'm preoccupied with prep for the Christmas concert just yet . . . .)

[North Star]

(I know: it's Sibelius's birthday . . . but I'm preoccupied with prep for the Christmas concert just yet . . . .)

It is also the Finnish Music Day, in Finland. Working on your own musical endeavours is more than apt.

[Karl Henning]

Kiitos.

I think he will not mind if I post the score here for our select band:

On Sunday, I asked Charles if he was thinking of writing anything new for the spring Triad concert(s); he is not, and as he was mentioning pieces which he might put forward, I was pleased that possibly utmost in his consideration is this set of three wordless choruses.  I said, "They're good pieces, we should do them."

And now:  to photocopy The Friendly Beasts . . . .

[Karl Henning]

The occasional imperfection notwithstanding, yesterday's concert went very smoothly, very musically, and was graciously received. There was a time or two in the morning's dress rehearsal when I was not far from thinking, This is going to be a disaster, isn't it? (My Concern Level began to rise when it was perhaps half past eleven that we finally had enough of a quorum to begin a rehearsal I had planned to start on the hour at 11.) The good news is, that I had reasonably calculated the full rehearsal time: I had hoped to set everyone free at half past twelve, and in the event I released everyone before 13:10.

The pacing and the flow of the program were good. The audience/congregation enjoyed (and were favorably impressed by) the whole.

With two weeks' more rehearsal, Born on Earth to Save Us and Joseph & Mary would have been quite fine, I think.

At any rate, now we can coast into Christmas Eve, and then (too) we've already got our Epiphany anthem, for our return from the holiday break.

I have both audio and video documents, but of course I've not seen to preparing them at all;  and when they are ready, they will depend heavily upon the listener's charity.