No Cabbages at King's

The inadequacies of aquatic indices.

– Postcards From Red Squirrel Trail

Trump, whose reading of constitutional law has convinced him that Article II, properly construed, means “I have the right to do whatever I want as president,” has now taken to speaking reverently about “law and order.” “Nothing,” wrote George Orwell, “is gained by teaching a parrot a new word.”

— Geo. Will

After a hiatus which I can now safely describe as brief, the Henning Ensemble played a concert at King’s Chapel in Boston this past Tuesday, 16 April. The concert initiated two members new to the endeavor: multi-instrumentalist Dan Zupan (also a member of the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra) and double-bassist Dave Zox (also a core member of the Modernistics. The concert was a great success.

The program was:
The Argument for Harmony
Music of Karl Henning
Fuchsia Minor, Op. 179a (première)
I Dreamt of Reconciliation and Harmony, Op. 171 (Boston première)
Waiting on the Italian Paperwork (Throwing Vermicelli at the Wall), Op. 177 (première)
Nun of the Above, Op. 144e (première)
Peter H. Bloom and Carol Epple, flutes
Dan Zupan, alto saxophone
Dave Zox, contrabass

The title, Waiting on the Italian Paperwork, came from a conversation with fellow composer Chas Turner, who is (still) in the process of repatriating to Italy. New Ensemble member Dan Zupan has a grandmother who still lives in her natal village in Italia. Dan has been in the process of establishing Italian citizenship, and has thus himself been waiting on Italian paperwork. That spooky coincidence was one lure which won Dan over into preparing the piece. The morning after the concert, Dan wrote:

I have to share this....
Playing the breakaway hit waiting on my italian paperwork yesterday was heard by the muses......!!! I received my certification paperwork this morning allowing me to get my italian passport!!!!
The vermicelli stuck this time !!!
Thank you Karl and all for the musical alchemy!!!!

Hoy, there!

Saxons go where Angles fear to tread. (The Jutes just sit by and watch.)

–Postcards From Red Squirrel Trail

The intensity of his perfectionism on this movie, made the movie. This is a master at his best."

— Michael Deeley, on Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner

Almost three months have passed since my last post. There has mostly been the non-news of all the non-acceptance e-mail messages received, as none of the scores which I have submitted to several calls found a home.

We have had a successful reading, and (the following week) rehearsal of the present Henning Ensemble, which will play at King’s Chapel on Tuesday, 16 April.

The program will be:

The Argument for Harmony

Music of Karl Henning

Fuchsia Minor, Op. 179a (première)

I Dreamt of Reconciliation and Harmony, Op. 171 (Boston première)

Waiting on the Italian Paperwork (Throwing Vermicelli at the Wall), Op. 177 (première)

Nun of the Above, Op. 144e (première)

Peter H. Bloom & Carol Epple, flutes

Dan Zupan, alto saxophone

Dave Zox, contrabass