Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

Therapy machine?  And how is that supposed to work?

All the best,

PD

PD, the difficulties I face trying to play clarinet at present, difficulties which make even attempts to play the clarinet too frustrating to be of any use, are not only that I cannot simply think my fingers towards the tone holes anymore, but that the limited sensation in my fingers makes trying to seal the tone holes of the clarinet exceedingly difficult. (There is also the fact that with the limited sensation in my fingers, I am really afraid that in trying to put the clarinet together and twisting the joints together I could damage the keys almost without knowing it.) Thinking out loud, an old friend of mine wondered if it would be easier with the saxophone. And since with the saxophone, unlike the clarinet, I don't need to seal the tone holes with the pads of my fingertips but simply depress a key which controls a pad which seals the tone hole, the exercise should be significantly easier. This evening was my first attempt and I consider it partially successful, but the immediate takeaway is that I'll need my friend to help me adjust the neck strap. I'll still make an attempt each day and see how my fingers like the exercise, but I believe that when I can find a comfortable way to hold the instrument, I may even possibly be able to play some.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

PD, the difficulties I face trying to play clarinet at present, difficulties which make even attempts to play the clarinet too frustrating to be of any use, are not only that I cannot simply think my fingers towards the tone holes anymore, but that the limited sensation in my fingers makes trying to seal the tone holes of the clarinet exceedingly difficult. (There is also the fact that with the limited sensation in my fingers, I am really afraid that in trying to put the clarinet together and twisting the joints together I could damage the keys almost without knowing it.) Thinking out loud, an old friend of mine wondered if it would be easier with the saxophone. And since with the saxophone, unlike the clarinet, I don't need to seal the tone holes with the pads of my fingertips but simply depress a key which controls a pad which seals the tone hole, the exercise should be significantly easier. This evening was my first attempt and I consider it partially successful, but the immediate takeaway is that I'll need my friend to help me adjust the neck strap. I'll still make an attempt each day and see how my fingers like the exercise, but I believe that when I can find a comfortable way to hold the instrument, I may even possibly be able to play some.

I am so sorry that playing an instrument is still such a struggle.  Hope that trying to play a saxophone helps you.  ❤️  Hang in there!  You can do it!

PD

[Karl Henning]

I am so sorry that playing an instrument is still such a struggle.  Hope that trying to play a saxophone helps you.  ❤️  Hang in there!  You can do it!

PD

It's an ongoing project. The doctors told me it would require hard work and patience. Heck, I'm even encouraged by the fact that I made a sound with the instrument; not the most beautiful sound, perhaps, but....

[Karl Henning]

To remind myself of a 15 Nov deadline:  Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame featuring Monica Chew with Clavichord (musicavatar.org)

Time to chop this out.

[Karl Henning]

Time to chop this out.

Hm, is the sound file small enough to attach?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Do you feel like you can't (as in meaning don't want to) compose longer pieces due to difficulty getting them performed (vs. shorter works)?  I believe that you said something along those lines?  I just don't want you to give up composing longer works.  I'm sure that you have the talent.  Please don't give up.

PD

[Karl Henning]

Do you feel like you can't (as in meaning don't want to) compose longer pieces due to difficulty getting them performed (vs. shorter works)?  I believe that you said something along those lines?  I just don't want you to give up composing longer works.  I'm sure that you have the talent.  Please don't give up.

PD

You're very kind, PD. In this case, the Call is specifically for pieces no longer than a minute. For me, it's a great chance to just "exhale" a piece.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

You're very kind, PD. In this case, the Call is specifically for pieces no longer than a minute. For me, it's a great chance to just "exhale" a piece.

Well, I do get that you 1) Need to earn a living; and 2) Get your name and reputation and people getting to know about you and your music out there.

PD

[Karl Henning]

The detailed reply is illuming. I was desirous of the conductor's feedback (which is yet to come.) He has, I think, more than one assignment, so I wasn't necessarily proposing the Op. 175 for this group, though that would of course be wonderful. The gist of the present email is eminently practical: a 25-minute piece by an unknown composer is "a big ask" and so substantial a piece for which the winds all sit out is a further consideration. I kind of feel that I am being asked for a manageable extract from the ballet. Not that my friend is literally so asking, but let me think on those lines.

So, I sent them Ear Buds. A message just came: [The conductor] reviewed your score in our meeting today. Without getting into too much detail, the work doesn't fit the bill of a concert opener (e.g., too much stasis). The instrumentation would be a bit hard to fit, too, with largish percussion, the addition of bass clarinet, third trombone, and tuba. The sound world might not only be a stretch for our audience, but also for the orchestra from a rehearsal time/allocation standpoint. These are just some quick comments on a busy day, and they may not be helpful, but I did want you to know that the score was reviewed.

I don't say I'm crushed (I'm not) but I own that I'm disappointed. I wrote back to say that I have recently composed a new piece to which those objections would not apply, and could I send it? My friend wrote back, Maybe in a year, okay?
Only reasonable. Although obviously this was not the "dream outcome," I really don't have any complaint.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

So, I sent them Ear Buds. A message just came: [The conductor] reviewed your score in our meeting today. Without getting into too much detail, the work doesn't fit the bill of a concert opener (e.g., too much stasis). The instrumentation would be a bit hard to fit, too, with largish percussion, the addition of bass clarinet, third trombone, and tuba. The sound world might not only be a stretch for our audience, but also for the orchestra from a rehearsal time/allocation standpoint. These are just some quick comments on a busy day, and they may not be helpful, but I did want you to know that the score was reviewed.

I don't say I'm crushed (I'm not) but I own that I'm disappointed. I wrote back to say that I have recently composed a new piece to which those objections would not apply, and could I send it? My friend wrote back, Maybe in a year, okay?
Only reasonable. Although obviously this was not the "dream outcome," I really don't have any complaint.

Huh?  Why so long?    And I'm so sorry for you.

PD

[Karl Henning]

Huh?  Why so long?    And I'm so sorry for you.

PD

The CEO and M.D. meet weekly, so a combination of my friend wanting not to appear just to be hyping me (i.e. a composer friend of his), the organization being a "small shop" and therefore the need to get on with the programming and rehearsing.

[Florestan]

It's an ongoing project. The doctors told me it would require hard work and patience. Heck, I'm even encouraged by the fact that I made a sound with the instrument; not the most beautiful sound, perhaps, but....

Good luck with it, Karl! You can, and will, do it, I'm sure.

[Karl Henning]

Done. Now, for the re-scoring of The Mask I Wore Before.

Benefit of revisiting "my thread": I had done some of this work, then grew preoccupied with organizing music for the church choir through to Epiphany, which task drove The Mask clean out of my mind. I've done some more work today. In fact, I'm quite close to wrapping it up, but I've worked enough for today and downing tools.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Benefit of revisiting "my thread": I had done some of this work, then grew preoccupied with organizing music for the church choir through to Epiphany, which task drove The Mask clean out of my mind. I've done some more work today. In fact, I'm quite close to wrapping it up, but I've worked enough for today and downing tools.

Keep at it Karl...don't "slack"!  You can do it. 

PD

[Karl Henning]

Keep at it Karl...don't "slack"!  You can do it. 

PD

I finished today. I'm trying to fend off an annoying, small voice saying, maybe it's rubbish? I originally wrote the piece a year and a half ago, submitting it to a competition. It's actually the sort of endeavor I enjoy: The organization sends you the specs (five minutes long, scored for clarinet, violin, viola and cello) and we contestants have ten days (I think it was) to submit our entries. I paced myself, to allow two days for "finishing." I think I remember genuinely owning the piece as I sent it in. or I imagine that I did. In adapting the original quartet for five reeds this month (clarinet, soprano sax, English horn, bass clarinet and bassoon) I made occasional rhythmic adjustments, added a fifth voice here and there (as opposed to simple redistribution, which was most of the task) even added a measure here, a chord there ... reviewing the MIDI export once again, I'm prepared to dismiss that small voice as a heckler.

[Karl Henning]

Took this this Tuesday in nearby Arlington.

[Karl Henning]

On Sunday afternoon, Ensemble Aubade played their Mozart/Ernest Bloch/Louise Farrenc/Robt Russell Bennett program at Christ Church in Andover. I went firstly to hear the program again, which of course waxes better each time (and it is an excellent program.) A secondary consideration was to take the opportunity to refresh the acquaintance of the organist there. After our initial meeting (some time before my stroke, so I had driven there on my own), I came away with the impression that we'd gotten a conversation started, yet the line went quiet. She's very busy at present, so it will not do for me to press. I'll reach out when the Op. 169 pieces become available at the Press. As I gabbed with the lads offstage during the Intermission, they mentioned (in but a general way) that they will look closer at my two "companion pieces" to Oxygen Footprint, Swiss Skis and Feeling the Burn (Bicycling Into the Sun.) Even though there's nothing on the calendar yet, knowing that they have the pieces in mind is very pleasant, so I'm revisiting the MIDI export of the later two pieces, which were among the first I composed after my stroke.

[Karl Henning]

I finished today. I'm trying to fend off an annoying, small voice saying, maybe it's rubbish? I originally wrote the piece a year and a half ago, submitting it to a competition. It's actually the sort of endeavor I enjoy: The organization sends you the specs (five minutes long, scored for clarinet, violin, viola and cello) and we contestants have ten days (I think it was) to submit our entries. I paced myself, to allow two days for "finishing." I think I remember genuinely owning the piece as I sent it in. or I imagine that I did. In adapting the original quartet for five reeds this month (clarinet, soprano sax, English horn, bass clarinet and bassoon) I made occasional rhythmic adjustments, added a fifth voice here and there (as opposed to simple redistribution, which was most of the task) even added a measure here, a chord there ... reviewing the MIDI export once again, I'm prepared to dismiss that small voice as a heckler.

I've now officially submitted The Mask I Wore Before, Op. 168a to the Call.

[Karl Henning]

An organist friend must have chanced upon this:

... for he asked me today if it would work for organ (for  small, or continuo organ?) I thought about modifying it but concluded that apart from removing one marking which is specific to handbell notation, it would likely work as is. My friend confirmed:

It looks good. Going see if it works with an 8' or 4' flute stop. But definitely not both.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

An organist friend must have chanced upon this:

... for he asked me today if it would work for organ (for  small, or continuo organ?) I thought about modifying it but concluded that apart from removing one marking which is specific to handbell notation, it would likely work as is. My friend confirmed:

What does the title mean?  Is it a place or idea or?  In any event, it's lovely!

PD