Henning's Headquarters

[Karl Henning]

Water Music
Feverishly wasting into Death's haze
lay Isolde beneath Tristan arching,
painfully supporting himself cool-handed,
suckling her with the Life from which
she would soon be weaned.
Suspension-bridgish Tristan oilly encabled
his beloved's spinal column
in parallel arch, with steel tendrils
desperately sweating to bind her afresh
to the banks of the world.
Her labored breaths, birds circling
on collarbone wings, cried to be borne
irrevocably downriver to the treacherous sands
where Life's waters collapse traceless,
mourned only by the wind.
Her avian heart pattered like the wings
of her breath, her gasps moulting, spiraling
unsuspended to icarian waters
wending charonward, her beak madly grappling
her beloved's jointed worms.
The structural Tristan dumbly stretched,
concrete and inert to the fragile wisps
of febrile birdsong until Isolde, unbound,
bounced featherless off the sloping steel cord,
both coolly soft, and weak.
—KH [after Halina Poswiatowska, as translated by Marek Lugowski]

[Cato]

Water Music
Feverishly wasting into Death's haze
lay Isolde beneath Tristan arching,
painfully supporting himself cool-handed,
suckling her with the Life from which
she would soon be weaned.
Suspension-bridgish Tristan oilly encabled
his beloved's spinal column
in parallel arch, with steel tendrils
desperately sweating to bind her afresh
to the banks of the world.
Her labored breaths, birds circling
on collarbone wings, cried to be borne
irrevocably downriver to the treacherous sands
where Life's waters collapse traceless,
mourned only by the wind.
Her avian heart pattered like the wings
of her breath, her gasps moulting, spiraling
unsuspended to icarian waters
wending charonward, her beak madly grappling
her beloved's jointed worms.
The structural Tristan dumbly stretched,
concrete and inert to the fragile wisps
of febrile birdsong until Isolde, unbound,
bounced featherless off the sloping steel cord,
both coolly soft, and weak.

—KH [after Halina Poswiatowska, as translated by Marek Lugowski]

Thanks for another revelation into the works of an author unknown to me: when I studied Polish for a short time, the big author was a character named Witold Gombrowicz and his satire called Ferdydurke.

Let's just say that neither the author nor his books appealed to me in any language.

Here is a bit of information on Poswiatowska:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halina_Po%C5%9Bwiatowska

[Karl Henning]

Well, it's a while since last I wrote anything for earrelevant.net ... in fact, I'm a little surprised at just how long a while: The Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk piece last February. Various reasons. Mark just called to tell me first of all that my arrangement of Danby (quite the antique, Opus 45b) sold some copies. Not just at Lux Nova, music sales have been down since the pandemic. Here's hoping that changes. We then took a look at the BSO schedule to see if there is some tasty concert I might review. The season starts out infra-unimaginatively with a rash of Beethoven. Maybe that, too, is a result of depressed sales since the pandemic, and they're looking to populate seats with rumps. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that Maestro Nelsons and the band will do a great job, but who wants to read a review of a major orchestra soft-pedaling with worn-out old Ludwig van? Seriously. Happily there is a program the first week of February with not one but two Haydn symphonies, flanking Isabelle Faust playing the Stravinsky Violin Concerto. Now that is an interesting program, eh, @Gurn Blanston ?

[Karl Henning]

A Curious Bit of Good News

[Cato]

A Curious Bit of Good News

There was something wrong with the report: the right side of the text was missing, at least on my computer!

[Karl Henning]

There was something wrong with the report: the right side of the text was missing, at least on my computer!

I have trouble with formatting. I'll fix it!

[Karl Henning]

I have trouble with formatting. I'll fix it!

This is really a nuisance with this program. Ah, well.

[Cato]

This is really a nuisance with this program. Ah, well.

It is much better now!

So the news is good, as you point out, not the best, but still good for the future!

[Kalevala]

Ah, computers.  One of the things that taxes us humans--besides the PTBs.   

K

[Karl Henning]

Ah, computers.  One of the things that taxes us humans--besides the PTBs. 

K

I prefer to compose my text in Google docs, but I haven't found a way to bring the text in, without having to nanny the margins.

[Kalevala]

I prefer to compose my text in Google docs, but I haven't found a way to bring the text in, without having to nanny the margins.

I'd offer to help you, but I haven't used Google docs, so no idea how!   

K

[Karl Henning]

I'd offer to help you, but I haven't used Google docs, so no idea how! 

K

Thanks. I think the problem is on the blog space side.

[Karl Henning]

Saw these at TJ Maxx and had to snap a pic to send to my physical therapist. Knew it would make him smile. "Extra glitter," I captioned

[Kalevala]

Saw these at TJ Maxx and had to snap a pic to send to my physical therapist. Knew it would make him smile. "Extra glitter," I captioned

Karl,

I think that you meant to either include a link or upload a photo?

K

[Karl Henning]

Karl,

I think that you meant to either include a link or upload a photo?

K

Fixed. Oops!

[Kalevala]

Saw these at TJ Maxx and had to snap a pic to send to my physical therapist. Knew it would make him smile. "Extra glitter," I captioned

Oh, boy!  Somebody was extra busy using their glue gun and sequins!    The light coming off of them is hurting my eyes!

K

[Karl Henning]

Oh, boy!  Somebody was extra busy using their glue gun and sequins!    The light coming off of them is hurting my eyes!

K

Mike laughed aloud!

[Karl Henning]

Details are in for the performance of Lord of the Things:
Saturday, February 22, at 7:00 PM at St. Augustine's Episcopal church in Tempe, AZ

[Cato]

Details are in for the performance of Lord of the Things:

Saturday, February 22, at 7:00 PM at St. Augustine's Episcopal church in Tempe, AZ

Great news!   Will somebody be able to record the concert?

[Kalevala]

Details are in for the performance of Lord of the Things:
Saturday, February 22, at 7:00 PM at St. Augustine's Episcopal church in Tempe, AZ

I *sometimes feel like I can relate to that title--though Lady of the Things would be more appropriate.

*When I look at the various things that I've acquired in life (particularly, LPs/CDs/Books).  Trying (off and on) to do some "pruning".

K