By Karl Henning, composer of The Young Lady Holding a Phone in her Teeth, Op. 130 performed recently in Bedford by the Kammerwerke Double Wind Quintet
I thank you Kammerwerke Orchestra most heartily for, in a word, everything: for taking the risk of having a composer previously unknown to you write a substantial piece (that is not an immodest thing to say, I don’t think…we all had something to sink our teeth into); for committing to a performance (there are many instances of a composer being asked to write a piece, and then, various things happen…so I greatly appreciate your musical resolve); for inviting me to rehearse and conduct you in the piece; for all your patience and hard work in preparing; and for giving the piece such a musically accomplished first outing!
Our performance was (not only from my impression at the helm, but from the audience as I afterwards spoke to them) exciting, beautiful, sure-of-step, and beguiling.
One chap after the concert told me that he heard a soundtrack suitable to a book he was then reading — music is in many ways the most mysterious and subtle of the arts, and gets in amongst us almost at unawares…I am not saying that my piece is about that book (which I do not believe I have read), but the caliber and finesse of your realization of the score touched everyone in the audience, and opened up new worlds and connections for them.
Congratulations and thanks to you all! I look forward to our second performance, someday.
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