Stacy Horn

I hate when this happens. I think I even posted about trying to think of all the people I should try to talk to before they die. Most of the composers I’m writing about are already dead. LONG dead. Yesterday it occurred to me—and it’s amazing that this is only just occurring to me—that I should find some living composers to ask them to answer the questions I’ve been pondering. (I’m pretty sure that’s the first time I’ve ever used the word “pondering” in a sentence.)

I made a short list and started looking for them and within seconds found out one of them, the polish composer Henryk Górecki, died just three months ago on November 12. I was that close. If only I had thought of this sooner. Although, it’s not like any of these people are going to agree to answer my questions, but you never know.

My choir performed Gorecki’s Totus Tuus and I just loved it. I see he wrote something called the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs. A man after my own heart. Sigh. Doesn’t he look like a wonderful person? And now my chance to speak to him is lost forever. Damnit. Well, here’s the rest of my short list. Please don’t die composers. (And please agree to speak to me.)

Morten Johannes Lauridsen
Jan Sandstrom
Steven Sametz
Eric Whitacre
John Tavener

This is Buddy’s favorite resting position. He’ll curl up on my lap and then he wraps his neck and head around my arm and puts his head down, making me have to type with as little movement as possible so as not to disturb his tiny, furry, purring head. Come on, look at him. Plus he has cancer. What choice do I have??

Today is my last day at my temp job. Gotta go. Gotta get ready and out of here. I like to walk there and it’s a 40 minute walk if I don’t hit all red lights and get behind too many people sauntering along while texting. (I got mad just typing that! I just hate how they abdicate all responsibility for looking where they’re going making everyone else have to look out for them.)

I stumbled on a wonderful movie yesterday called Paperhouse. It was strange, fantasy-dream-like, but dark, and I googled it afterwards. First, I didn’t realize it was as old as it is, it was made in 1988. Then I read that one of the two kids who starred in it never acted again, and the other committed suicide when he was 20. It was a particularly upsetting thing to hear after having just watched the ending of the movie.

The Wikipedia entry about what he was suffered from was vague. I’m guessing from this line that it was schizophrenia: “an acquired psychological illness in his late teens precluded him from continuing his acting career.” It’s just so sad.

UPDATE: I may have guessed wrong. From the Wikipedia entry for his second and last movie, Taxandria: “In the interim, Elliott Spiers, who portrayed Aimé Perel in the film, became gravely ill from the side-effects of an anti-Malaria inoculation, which caused a decline in his mental health. As a result, he was unable to complete the voice-dubbing required for his character and, consequently, the voice of Aimé Perel is that of another actor. On Saturday 15 January 1994, while a patient of the psychiatric department of the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, North London, Elliott Spiers took his own life[2]. It remains unknown whether his death was a premeditated act on his part, or a consequence of involuntary actions brought on by his mental ill-health[3].”

You have to look up to get the best architectural details. This is across the street from my temp job.

I had the worst seat in the house last night at the Loser’s Lounge! I was at the back right corner of the stage, so I was behind all the performers. AND, a piano blocked my view so I could only see the bottom half of everyone. I was basically staring at people’s butts all night. It was the best Loser’s Lounge though, everyone was at the top of their game, it was amazing. I don’t know if there’s a show tonight, but if there is and if there are tickets, GO.

This is the view I had. Insane, right?? I watched Joe McGinty play piano. He did this hand over hand thing which I always loved doing when I played piano. Actually the only time I did it was when playing Beethoven’s Sonata Pathetique, my absolute favorite piece to play (tied with Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag).

If you go here the guy is doing it at minute 2:15. It’s fun! It feels a little like you’re dancing at the keyboard.

I swear to God, every library book I need is stored offsite. I have to request them and then wait until they’re brought to the library. I’m not complaining, I’m glad they have them, plus they come with your choice of blueberry muffins or fries.

I’m writing about this hauntingly beautiful piece of music by a Spanish composer named Tomas Luis de Victoria. It was written in the 16th century, and I want to try comparing my life to the seminary students in Rome who first sang it.

By the way, I’ve meant to say that I love the quotes they choose to use at the end of every Criminal Minds episode. From this week. “There’s no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.” – Ella Wheeler Wilcox. It’s not really true, chance circumstances can squash a determined soul like a bug, but I agree that it’s mostly true. Or kinda true. Or sometimes true.

Another shot of those cops on horseback.