Greatness

Just finished Michael Kennedy's magisterial account of The Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams. Will be re-visiting his comments on individual pieces in future listenings. He's good on everything, but outstanding on what he obviously sees as the key works, for example, Job. I'm now wondering why I've never got round to acquiring a version of The Pilgrim's Progress, given Kennedy's very convincing enthusiasm for the opera, or, rather, the Morality, to use Dr Williams's own term, as being central to the great man's achievements. And, by the way, I doubt that any reader could close the book not regarding RVW as a very great man.

Having completed my non-fiction reading of the moment I'm wondering whether to focus completely on the fiction front, in the massively compelling form of Infinite Jest, which itself embodies a kind of perplexing greatness. The problem is that Wallace's vision is so utterly overwhelming and disturbing in its force that much as I feel the need to keep reading, sometimes the need to escape its addictive clutches becomes a necessity. I'm almost halfway through now, but that leaves epic amounts in waiting. Not sure if I can tackle this in the week's break ahead; I know it will inevitability lend that break a certain colour if I do.