Henningmusick

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Mon Apr 25, 2016 6:45 am

karlhenning wrote:Just a bit of (sonic) fun:

Source sounds: human voice, hand claps, brass ash tray, piano, wind ensemble.

(Do not be put off by the lurid title; the piece is rated G.)

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Tue May 03, 2016 8:54 am

At last, the March première of Neither do I condemn thee is up on YouTube:

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Thu May 19, 2016 5:22 am

Not Henningmusick, but . . .

This Saturday evening, I'm singing with the Cantata Singers for the first time (just off in the bass section, nothing outstanding).

http://www.cantatasingers.org/

Bach motet, Komm, Jesu, komm, BWV 229
Bach Mass in A, BWV 234
Pärt, Adam's Lament

I've known of the group forever, various friends of mine over the years have sung in the group (for example, two members of the Libella Quartet are also singing this concert). My present participation is something of an accident: fellow composer Charles Turner sings in the group, but needed to find a substitute as a conflict arose in his schedule, for the concert (he's going to Seattle to visit his son, who has recently moved out there to work).

The fact that I speak Russian made my participation in the Pärt much easier than for most of the choir.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:42 am

This Tuesday (21 June, 12:15)

k a rl h e nn i ng Ensemble and Guests

Peter H. Bloom and Carol Epple, flutes
Pamela Marshall, horn
Karl Henning, clarinet & noyz
Maria Bablyak and Irina Pisarenko visual artists

Sound and Sight – the premiere of a new work by Karl Henning

Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 12:15 pm

King’s Chapel, corner of School and Tremont Streets, Boston

Donations welcome. Information: 617-227-2155

Impelled by the premiere performance of composer Karl Henning’s latest work, Sound and Sight, Opus 140, visual artists Maria Bablyak and Irina Pisarenko will paint in the moment, interpreting the sonic images in a multi-media experience. In The Conquest of Emptiness, the two painters will engage in a visual dialogue on a shared canvas, where one asks a question and the other gives an answer. In Contemplating the Irrepressible, Bablyak and Pisarenko will create a collaborative mosaic, with the two painters adding element by element, tile by tile.

Sound & Sight, Op.140 by Karl Henning:

1. The Conquest of Emptiness
2a. Avant-subterfuge (Before the Tape)
2b. Sonic Dissemblage (Sex Tape)
3. Contemplating the Irrepressible (Happy Birthday, Carl Nielsen!)

Also: this week saw the completion of the double wind quintet piece for Kammerwerke:

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Tue Jun 21, 2016 7:20 am

Excellent rehearsal last night, together with the artists so they could grow accustomed to the arc of the show. We started with The Conquest of Emptiness. All the metrical and tempo changes in the last piece proved such a challenge that for the last few rehearsals most of the attention was focused thereon, and the sense was that, by contrast, The C. of E. was a walk in the Boston Common. Once we had the last piece well in hand, though, we went back to the first piece with a renewed sense of the challenge of a couple of places, in particular. (The chief fix in both cases was, that — as much as I may, around playing my own part — I conduct the beat whenever I can.) We played The C.of E. through; went back to fix some tuning in one passage for the two flutes (just needed a little less vibrato so that the close intervals will be clean); played it through again, perfect. Went on to Contemplating the Irrepressible, which we had well subdued at Saturday's rehearsal; and indeed, we played it through dead on.

We then reviewed the improvisatory interlude. I decided we would indeed use my first essay, which does both echo The C. of E. (especially in use of harp and some of the percussion) and share some of the jungle-cat-heavy-breathing with Sex Tape, so that between those two tracks is exactly where it belongs. It is brief, and I do some improvisation on my UVa-era discovery, the truncated clarinet. For Sex Tape, I decided that I would guide the other three players in a group improvisation; my first "verbal roadmap" for this worked all right, it was just too little . . . when we rehearsed that the first time (who knows? a week ago, maybe) I realized just how long a five-minute piece is, in the sense that I certainly needed to plan out the collective improv better. I had the expanded roadmap ready for them on Saturday, and we gave it an initial reading. We worked out the kinks at last night's rehearsal.

All the individual pieces now in a state of concert-readiness, since the plan is (for the ease of us all) to set the CD of fixed media playing, and just letting it run its course (no Pausing or Stopping/Starting), we then ran the program, the artists and musicians all together. Went like a charm, works brilliantly. It is, in Peter's word, a gas.

See you on The Other Side (of the concert).

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:45 am

Though I am the one who says it, Tuesday's concert/event was an exceptional success. The artists, doing their work on the spur of the moment, were the stars, of course; and we musicians might just have shown up. But the audience afterwards had warm words for the music, too.

I am now in earnest pursuit of the Gloria, the last number of my unaccompanied choral Mass which has wanted completing. Also, we have a Triad Repertory Committee this evening, and we are beginning to plan two seasons . . . the group did a smashing job singing the Agnus Dei (if you have not heard, but wish to, ask and I shall happily provide the link) and I want to propose the entire Mass.

—Will Triad go for the Mass idea? I don't know. I could easily foresee a divided response. They have all enjoyed singing my Agnus Dei and Nuhro, and both pieces won their highest musical respect. But it would also not surprise me if some feel that one of our composers having so large-scale a piece is somehow disproportionate. Then again, there may be a degree of feeling that, for us to perform the première of such a grand piece, is entirely part of our mission, and an opportunity to seize. Anyway, I shall pose the question, and we shall see what happens.—

I have also promised Peter a flute/viola/harp trio for Ensemble Aubade, Oxygen Footprint, for their November program. And I am keen to wrote Olivia a percussion-plus-fixed-media piece, which I think I may title Mistaken for the Sacred.

Also, to be sure, I must prepare to conduct The Young Lady Holding a Phone in Her Teeth for the 21 July reading with Kammerwerke. They will have had the parts, but how well can I count on them to have prepared for our initial encounter? I am thinking of starting, not at the beginning, but at the “haunting sarabande,” and working our way in either direction thence.

Cheers,
~.k

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 10:18 am

To start with: the audio from 21 June.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 12:55 pm

And, the show:

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Thu Jun 30, 2016 6:35 pm

A consummation devoutly to be wished!—the Gloria is now composed, which means that the Mass, Op.106 for choir SATB unaccompanied is now at least complete.

A sound file in wind tones (cannot abide the impression the MIDI export "choral voices" sound gives).

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat Jul 02, 2016 2:12 pm

karlhenning wrote:Also: this week saw the completion of the double wind quintet piece for Kammerwerke:

Kammerwerke have changed their schedule, to the advantage of our Young Lady ... I am going to conduct the première on Friday, 18 November.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Mon Aug 01, 2016 4:37 am

Today is the deadline for submissions to a call for scores by a chamber group in Providence, Verdant Vibes. When I went online to submit a slightly re-scored version of Things Like Bliss (to comply with the group's array of instruments), I learnt that I can submit up to three pieces ... so this is a MIDI demo of another piece which I submitted:

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Wed Aug 03, 2016 4:41 am

The third piece I sent to Verdant Vibes:

I am one of more than 400 composers worldwide who responded to their call, so it will be nearly a miracle if my work is selected.

Then, too, I am in it for the Long Game.

Anyway, we find out ca. 1 Sep.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sun Aug 14, 2016 6:17 pm

Live at last (though still a work-in-progress):

http://www.karlhenning.com/

Cheers,
~k.

IcedNote · Post by **IcedNote** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:43 pm

Bump for the prolific one's birthday.

-G

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sun Oct 09, 2016 1:11 pm

Thanks for the kind thought, Garrett! And many thanks for being the first person other than myself to post in this thread since August 2015.

I am celebrating, in part, by starting my First Symphony.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sun Nov 13, 2016 7:18 am

Oh, and the first movement of the symphony is done. (Has been, for a couple of weeks, actually.)

Olivia Kieffer has directed her doughty percussion ensemble at Reinhardt University in a couple of my pieces; and I have promised her a piece for solo percussionist and fixed media. One layer of the fixed media is, the composer reading a passage from fiction by Leo Schulte of Columbus, Ohio. So . . . I think the fixed media component may be done.

Carry on.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Tue Nov 15, 2016 5:19 am

karlhenning wrote:Olivia Kieffer has directed her doughty percussion ensemble at Reinhardt University in a couple of my pieces; and I have promised her a piece for solo percussionist and fixed media. One layer of the fixed media is, the composer reading a passage from fiction by Leo Schulte of Columbus, Ohio. So . . . I think the fixed media component may be done.

And so it is, indeed:

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:38 pm

On Monday, 28 November at 12:00 noon (Eastern) Gandalf ("None shall pass who have not rehearsed properly") will interview me (Karl Henning) on WJFF 90.5FM Radio in Jeffersonville, New York. The interview, which will include generous excerpts of Henningmusick, will live-stream at http://www.wjffradio.org/ . . . so there is no geographic barrier to listening in.

I affirm that no journalists have leaked any of the interview questions to me, as yet.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Mon Nov 28, 2016 4:26 pm

I had a blast; and I have been invited back (date t/b/a). For at least a short time, the show will be available as a podcast on the station website.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Wed Dec 28, 2016 9:33 am

karlhenning wrote:I had a blast; and I have been invited back (date t/b/a). For at least a short time, the show will be available as a podcast on the station website.

Perhaps no one here noticed, but there was a glitch, and no podcast was available of the 28 November show.

So, I went back to do a second interview this past Monday, and we now have podcast. So hit the archive while it lasts!

Go here and hit the Play button (not the word "play") by "Monday Afternoon Classics with Gandalf 12:00 P.M.":

Caveat: you cannot pause or rewind or skip ahead: it is a one-way trip! Just like live radio.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Fri Dec 30, 2016 9:15 pm

karlhenning wrote:Oh, and the first movement of the symphony is done. (Has been, for a couple of weeks, actually.)

I have at last resumed work on the second movement, and may finish it tomorrow.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sun Jan 01, 2017 7:35 am

It's official: I finished the second movement of the symphony yesterday afternoon.

The idea of the piece is that in scale and technique it ought to be feasible for a good community orchestra, but written in a musical language which ought to interest (say) the BSO, if they have any sense ; )

The piece will be in three movements, and the entire running time of the symphony will be ca. 25 minutes.

Finished thus far, then:

1. Allegro molto (8:30) — completed Oct 2016
2. Larghetto (12:00) — completed Dec 2016

The third movement, Vivo assai, will run some 5 minutes.

Happy new year!
~Karl

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:28 am

Made a good start on the third movement. Watch This Space.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Thu Jan 19, 2017 5:39 am

Tantalizingly close, truly.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Fri Jan 20, 2017 9:31 pm

The Symphony № 1 is done! (And I have handed the score—hard copy, in person—to a Boston-area conductor.)

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:33 am

Huge Henningmusick concert on Friday, 24 March. Watch This Space.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat Mar 04, 2017 9:55 pm

And for the 24 March concert, I have just finished Mistaken for the Sacred, for two flutes, horn in F and fixed media, Op.141a.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Tue Mar 07, 2017 5:42 am

The program for the 24 March concert:

Mistaken for the Sacred, Op.141a (première)
Carol Epple & Peter H. Bloom, flutes
Pamela Marshall, horn
(plus fixed media)

Oxygen Footprint, Op.138
Peter H. Bloom, flute
Francis Grimes, viola
Mary Jane Rupert, harp

Zen on the Wing, Op.114 № 2
Peter H. Bloom, flute
kh, clarinet

just what everyone was expecting, Op.114a
Another Think Coming (first movement of the Clarinet Sonata, Op.136, première)
kh, clarinet
Thomas Stumpf, piano

Sound + Sight, Op.140
Maria Bablyak, Irina Pisarenko, artists
Carol Epple & Peter H. Bloom, flutes
kh, clarinet
Pamela Marshall, horn
(plus fixed media)

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Wed Mar 29, 2017 4:23 am

And, audio from the concert:

https://soundcloud.com/karl-henning-756 ... 4-mar-2017

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat Apr 15, 2017 3:49 pm

Just finished the Op.144, Nun of the Above, for clarinet in A, guitar and double-bass.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 4:22 am

And the second movement of the Op.136 Clarinet Sonata is done.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat Jun 03, 2017 11:17 am

Not that anyone here other than the composer cares, but [smiley here]

Henningmusick in Worcester, Mass. this very evening: Diamonds from the Dust will sing my jazzy arrangement of I Want Jesus to Walk With Me at Trinity Lutheran, 7:30pm.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat Jun 03, 2017 11:19 am

karlhenning wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 24, 2017 4:22 am
And the second movement of the Op.136 Clarinet Sonata is done.

Although I did not report so in anything like a timely fashion, the third movement is done, as well, and the fourth about half-finished at press time.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 4:29 am

The Op.136 Clarinet Sonata is completely, entirely, thoroughly done. Now to find a pianist game to perform it with me . . . .

This, separately, is a curiosity I built up over a couple of days. I don’t know, in the Grand Scheme, how good it really is . . . but I do find that I like it. This may be an eccentricity on my part.

https://soundcloud.com/karl-henning-756 ... anack-lake

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Wed Jul 05, 2017 4:24 am

The story (part of it, anyway).

And the MIDI demo:

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Mon Jul 10, 2017 4:18 am

Work on the ballet continues; I finished Scene 9 yesterday. Will think about Scene 10 today and this evening . . . it is the last of Night the Second (and, relatively brief) so there is a good chance that the first two Acts of the ballet will be In the Can this weekend.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sun Jul 30, 2017 8:05 am

I have finished Intermezzo II of the ballet.

The MIDI demo:

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Fri Aug 04, 2017 6:57 pm

The MIDI demo of Counting Sheep (or, The Dreamy Abacus of Don Quijote), an old, old work of mine that still has not been performed:

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat Oct 28, 2017 11:28 am

I had to dig, and dig deep, to find this thread! Which of course testifies to its general lack of relevance here at CMG. I post this all the same, calm in the knowledge that the thread will be buried again, without annoying anyone. But, hey: someone might be interested!

A simple handbell choir arrangement from last Sunday:

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat Nov 11, 2017 4:34 pm

Not our grandfathers' Beethoven:

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat Nov 11, 2017 5:13 pm

The piano version of just what everyone was expecting (Op.114a) from the 24 March 2017 concert:

Cheers,
~Karl

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Mon Nov 13, 2017 5:03 am

The Gloria from Triad's "preview concert" in Beverly yesterday afternoon. Still some work to do, but we have another rehearsal this evening, and then the concerts proper this weekend coming:

Cheers,
~Karl

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Tue Nov 14, 2017 5:04 am

From Sunday's service:

Cheers,
~Karl

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Thu Nov 16, 2017 6:26 pm

I enjoyed that, thanks Karl

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Fri Nov 17, 2017 5:38 am

Cheers, Seán! It's a lovely tune, and new to me (although arguably similar in character to couple of other folksy hymntunes). One Sunday we had a guest minister, who had designated this as the opening hymn; it would have been new to the congregation, too (nothing wrong with that, to be sure); but it chanced that Sunday that out organist suffered a misadventure with her car (vandals had streaked her windshield with white paint or something), and she was unable to report for the service. The minister, choir & I felt that it would be self-defeating to try to introduce a new hymn to the congregation, without the support of the organ, so we substituted a well-familiar tune.

I fell in love with Tuolumne right away, though; and determined to introduce it to the congregation via the sneaky guise of the handbell choir arrangement.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sun Apr 15, 2018 6:06 am

Next Henningmusick is this Tuesday, 17 April: Down Along the Canal to Minerva Road, Op.149 for C flute, alto flute, clarinet & horn.

Cheers,
~k.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 8:46 pm

Hello, all.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 11:17 am

karlhenning wrote: ↑
Wed Oct 23, 2019 8:46 pm
Hello, all.

Hello, Karl.

Nice to have you back with us. Hope you're doing well! Your presence here is valued. You have been missed.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sat Nov 23, 2019 2:09 pm

Many thanks.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Wed Apr 08, 2020 11:18 am

My big news is that, 17 years later, I have at last finished my ballet, White Nights, Op.75

[url]http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/2020/ ... k.html[url]

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