I've spent the weekend listening to Yanni. Yes, I like Yanni. A lot. My favorite piece by him is called "Reflections of Passion" and it really fits the title. What I love about it is the way the music starts out andante, so soft, tremulous and tentative -- there is, at first, no indication of what it is to come -- and then slowly builds into a sweeping crescendo, but all the while, keeping the overall musical theme, with no one instrument overpowering the piano; for once, the orchestra is perfectly complementary. The music slowly builds itself down and it's light, delicate, not at all heavy-handed. In the background, there's the languid bassoon, rather a respite from the previous grandeur. This is why this song works for me, because its structure is so perfect -- building up slowly, pulling the listener in more and more as the music 'gains' momentum, and then the gradual introduction of other elements until you have the full-fledged sweep. It's really, really beautiful, and if you can get your hands on this particular piece, I recommend it.

In Stupid!Seema news, I was at the grocery store this weekend. I really, really should have stopped in the pharmacy aisle. I hear drugs are a good thing when one is hacking up a lung.