Music Quotes | Beyond Motive 11/60

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Music Quotes

"The hardest of all the arts to speak of is music, because music has no meaning to speak of."

"The hardest of all the arts to speak of is music, because music has no meaning to speak of."

Ned Rorem, American Composer

17

"I have to play as much of the game as I allow myself to get the music heard. But it's not unlike the rest of the world, so I'm not as up in arms about it as I could be."

"I have to play as much of the game as I allow myself to get the music heard. But it's not unlike the rest of the world, so I'm not as up in arms about it as I could be."

Kristin Hersh, American Musician

Music, Play, Rest, World

17

"We made music that wouldn't be in synch."

"We made music that wouldn't be in synch."

Wayne Coyne, American Musician

17

"When I saw the movie, I said, I wish I had heard the music. I would have ridden the horse differently."

"When I saw the movie, I said, I wish I had heard the music. I would have ridden the horse differently."

Eli Wallach, American Actor

17

"Obviously the people that I admired, like the Beatles, were really into rock'n'roll, but it was already a little past rock'n'roll when I started listening and making my own choices about music."

"Obviously the people that I admired, like the Beatles, were really into rock'n'roll, but it was already a little past rock'n'roll when I started listening and making my own choices about music."

Elvis Costello, British Musician

Music, People, Choices, Listening

17

"They told me that they are starting a classic label, and wanted me to be the first artist. So I signed, and am producing myself, and writing my own music, but I'm their first artist on their classic label. And I have creative control."

"They told me that they are starting a classic label, and wanted me to be the first artist. So I signed, and am producing myself, and writing my own music, but I'm their first artist on their classic label. And I have creative control."

Teena Marie, American Musician

Music, Control, Artist, First

17

"Music assists him in the use of harmonic and mathematical proportion."

"Music assists him in the use of harmonic and mathematical proportion."

Marcus V. Pollio, American Architect

17

"So all of the music had reference, or is inspired by something of the dharma that I've come in contact with."

"So all of the music had reference, or is inspired by something of the dharma that I've come in contact with."

Joseph Jarman, American Musician

17

"Gospel music rhythms are not African in origin, although I know that's what the jazz experts say."

"Gospel music rhythms are not African in origin, although I know that's what the jazz experts say."

Mahalia Jackson, American Musician

Music, African, Experts, Jazz

17

"I think music sharing of any kind is great."

"I think music sharing of any kind is great."

Talib Kweli, American Musician

17

"I listen to gospel music."

"I listen to gospel music."

Mary J. Blige, American Musician

17

"There was always a lot of American music in England until, obviously when the Beatles came around, then there was a shift towards English music, but before then American music was the main thing."

"There was always a lot of American music in England until, obviously when the Beatles came around, then there was a shift towards English music, but before then American music was the main thing."

John Deacon, British Musician

Music, American, EnglEnglish

17

"I'm sometimes critical about other artists who come out with something different until maybe I hear the music. If the music is there, then they did their job, and I'll enjoy the CD."

"I'm sometimes critical about other artists who come out with something different until maybe I hear the music. If the music is there, then they did their job, and I'll enjoy the CD."

Brian Austin Green, American Actor

Music, Artists, Job

17

"No two people on earth are alike, and it's got to be that way in music or it isn't music."

"No two people on earth are alike, and it's got to be that way in music or it isn't music."

Billie Holiday, American Musician

Music, People, Earth

17

"This kind of music was just hitting England, so we were getting this following in clubs in Birmingham just cause we were trying to do something different."

"This kind of music was just hitting England, so we were getting this following in clubs in Birmingham just cause we were trying to do something different."

Jim Capaldi, British Musician

Music, Cause, England, Trying

17

"Well, first of all, they're all about the music and all I care about in my professional career is the music."

"Well, first of all, they're all about the music and all I care about in my professional career is the music."

Ronnie Spector, American Musician

Music, Care, Career, First

17

"Mozart has written opera, symphony, sacred and chamber music - not to mention his piano and violin concerti."

"Mozart has written opera, symphony, sacred and chamber music - not to mention his piano and violin concerti."

Neville Marriner, English Musician

17

"People often called us perfectionists, but we were not looking for perfection. We were looking for some kind of magic in the music."

"People often called us perfectionists, but we were not looking for perfection. We were looking for some kind of magic in the music."

Paul Simon, American Musician

Music, People, Magic, Perfection

17

"The music of the Gypsies belongs in the sphere of improvisation rather than in any other, without which it would have no power to exist."

"The music of the Gypsies belongs in the sphere of improvisation rather than in any other, without which it would have no power to exist."

Franz Liszt, Hungarian Composer

17

"We'll be presenting a broad spectrum of the music and looking at how the younger guys can carry it on."

"We'll be presenting a broad spectrum of the music and looking at how the younger guys can carry it on."

Keith Emerson, British Musician

17

"I'm always looking to create new avenues or new visions of music."

"I'm always looking to create new avenues or new visions of music."

Herbie Hancock, American Musician

17

"I mean the interesting thing I think would be if something happened like, what happened in England where all these kids that all of a sudden can't afford the ticket prices."

"I mean the interesting thing I think would be if something happened like, what happened in England where all these kids that all of a sudden can't afford the ticket prices."

Lester Bangs, American Critic

Music, England, Kids

17

"A song just doesn't come on. I've always had to tease it out, squeeze it out."

"A song just doesn't come on. I've always had to tease it out, squeeze it out."

Dorothy Fields, American Musician

17

"Miles Davis is one who writes songs when he plays."

"Miles Davis is one who writes songs when he plays."

Gerry Mulligan, American Musician

17

"A song is anything that can walk by itself."

"A song is anything that can walk by itself."

Bob Dylan, American Musician

17

"Def Leppard is obviously a different band that we are, but the music work well tighter. And the audiences seem work well together too. We are opening, but we're having a good time."

"Def Leppard is obviously a different band that we are, but the music work well tighter. And the audiences seem work well together too. We are opening, but we're having a good time."

Joan Jett, American Musician

Music, Time, Work, Audiences

17

"I was fifteen years old, and I hardly knew how to play a simple Bach prelude on the piano when I began to compose music, and at the most advanced level. I had never studied such things as harmony."

"I was fifteen years old, and I hardly knew how to play a simple Bach prelude on the piano when I began to compose music, and at the most advanced level. I had never studied such things as harmony."

Gyorgy Ligeti, Hungarian Composer

Music, Harmony, Old, Play

17

"As soon as I hear music, something in me starts to vibrate."

"As soon as I hear music, something in me starts to vibrate."

Suzanne Farrell, American Dancer

17

"Somehow in the 20th Century an idea has developed that music is an activity or skill which is not comprehensible to the man in the street. This is an arrogant assertion and not necessarily a true one."

"Somehow in the 20th Century an idea has developed that music is an activity or skill which is not comprehensible to the man in the street. This is an arrogant assertion and not necessarily a true one."

Gavin Bryars, English Composer

Music, Idea, Man, Skill

17

"I still felt we had some really good music on that record, but it's a shame that we couldn't make it better. And the tour was a total mess. We just had no life, no energy, and I felt we were going through the motions."

"I still felt we had some really good music on that record, but it's a shame that we couldn't make it better. And the tour was a total mess. We just had no life, no energy, and I felt we were going through the motions."

Matt Cameron, American Musician

Music, Life, Energy, Shame

17

"One of the great virtues, apart from the pleasure of performing these works, is that it's opened up an entirely new, expansive repertoire of American Jewish music."

"One of the great virtues, apart from the pleasure of performing these works, is that it's opened up an entirely new, expansive repertoire of American Jewish music."

Neville Marriner, English Musician

Music, American, Pleasure

17

"Metal is still the biggest music now in America."

"Metal is still the biggest music now in America."

Sebastian Bach, Canadian Musician

Music, America, Now

17

"On the other hand when you are someone who records their own songs you are basically stuck writing for one voice and for one style that can stifle you a bit. It's a real trade off."

"On the other hand when you are someone who records their own songs you are basically stuck writing for one voice and for one style that can stifle you a bit. It's a real trade off."

Cynthia Weil, American Musician

Music, Songs, Style, Trade, Voice

17

"The ability to make music is a gift that you're born with; it's not something you can learn."

"The ability to make music is a gift that you're born with; it's not something you can learn."

Robin Trower, English Musician

17

"I think it's important to really press on with the song writing and just go with it. There's no code, there's no craft... it's just let yourself shine through your music. If it's meant to be loved and heard, it'll happen."

"I think it's important to really press on with the song writing and just go with it. There's no code, there's no craft... it's just let yourself shine through your music. If it's meant to be loved and heard, it'll happen."

Chantal Kreviazuk, Canadian Musician

Music, Press, Song, Writing

17

"I don't read music or anything, so when I produce, I go basically by ear."

"I don't read music or anything, so when I produce, I go basically by ear."

Erykah Badu, American Musician

17

"Look at the darkest hit musicals - Cabaret, West Side Story, Carousel - they are exuberant experiences. They send you out of the theater filled with music."

"Look at the darkest hit musicals - Cabaret, West Side Story, Carousel - they are exuberant experiences. They send you out of the theater filled with music."

John Lithgow, American Actor

17

"Yeah when I was 7 or 8 my moms would have little parties, and I would play the music."

"Yeah when I was 7 or 8 my moms would have little parties, and I would play the music."

Kurtis Blow, American Musician

17

"There are stories that people don't want to talk about that brought this music through."

"There are stories that people don't want to talk about that brought this music through."

Ruth Brown, American Musician

Music, People, Talk, Want

17

"The music that is played on the radio all the time or written about in magazines has nothing to do with musicianship."

"The music that is played on the radio all the time or written about in magazines has nothing to do with musicianship."

Dweezil Zappa, American Musician

Music, Time, Nothing

17

"I suppose, counting back, if the Beatles had been influenced by music in the same length of time ago - you'd have to put that into better English for me, thank you - they would have been like a banjo orchestra. They would have been doing show tunes."

"I suppose, counting back, if the Beatles had been influenced by music in the same length of time ago - you'd have to put that into better English for me, thank you - they would have been like a banjo orchestra. They would have been doing show tunes."

Jonny Greenwood, English Musician

17

"People come to music to seek oblivion: is that not also a form of deception?"

"People come to music to seek oblivion: is that not also a form of deception?"

Claude Debussy, French Composer

Music, People, Deception

17

"I'm making a record that's half stripped down acoustic which is the way I perform a lot and half of it is very produced. It's really hard to keep music simple but I was trying to keep it simple and focus on one or two instruments and vocals."

"I'm making a record that's half stripped down acoustic which is the way I perform a lot and half of it is very produced. It's really hard to keep music simple but I was trying to keep it simple and focus on one or two instruments and vocals."

Lisa Loeb, American Musician

Music, Focus, Trying

17

"Elizabeth Barrett Browning could write a poem two pages long. Could she have brought it to a music publisher?"

"Elizabeth Barrett Browning could write a poem two pages long. Could she have brought it to a music publisher?"

Dorothy Fields, American Musician

17

"Music is a very integral part of the film, but it will not be as full of music as a Bollywood film."

"Music is a very integral part of the film, but it will not be as full of music as a Bollywood film."

Roland Joffe, English Director

Music, Film, Will

17

"Where I come from it was really unheard of to be at a party and someone says, 'What kind of music do you make?', and you say, 'Pop music.' You may as well have 'I'm not cool' stamped on your forehead."

"Where I come from it was really unheard of to be at a party and someone says, 'What kind of music do you make?', and you say, 'Pop music.' You may as well have 'I'm not cool' stamped on your forehead."

Lady Gaga, American Musician

Music, May, Party

17

"I think some people record songs and make records a certain way to cater to radio. If you're born to make commercial music that's cool. But if you're born to not make commercial records, maybe you're meant to cater to another market."

"I think some people record songs and make records a certain way to cater to radio. If you're born to make commercial music that's cool. But if you're born to not make commercial records, maybe you're meant to cater to another market."

Bryan White, American Musician

Music, People, Songs

17

"As far as I'm concerned, blues and jazz are the great American contributions to music."

"As far as I'm concerned, blues and jazz are the great American contributions to music."

Edgar Winter, American Musician

17

"I learned the songs and played the gigs, and then they called me about a month later. They told me they were like super stoked on me and asked me to join their band."

"I learned the songs and played the gigs, and then they called me about a month later. They told me they were like super stoked on me and asked me to join their band."

Travis Barker, American Musician

17

"My parents were music lovers and collectors. It was around."

"My parents were music lovers and collectors. It was around."

Boz Scaggs, American Musician

Music, Lovers, Parents

17

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