a hack in a trance

Been listening to a lot of Shostokovich lately. Mainly catching up with I used to listen to in the Before Time (Before Music School circa 1994). It is interesting coming back to all this music that assiduously avoided all these years. I came back to classical music very casually, very slowly, via minimalism, mainly John Adams. Back in the Before Time I loved Shostokovich, mainly symphony no. 5. But also the bombast of 11 and 15. I'm not so in love with his stuff now--but there are certain moments in his pieces which are very beautiful, and definitely prefigure Spiritual Minimalism. It's good to listen to when you're sick as a dog and you can't sleep and you're reading a very depressing book (Atwood's Handmaid's Tale.)

Things could be worse. Things have been worse. It's hard to put things in perspective.