Home / Topics / Music Quotes

Music Quotes

Browse 6488 quotes about Music.

Music Quotes

“The great conductor is always a despot by temperament and intractable in his ways. ... The artist is obliged to keep his laughter and tears to himself. If they want to emerge, in spite of himself, then he must hide them or unleash them in someone else.”

Ifs Way Want Artist Music Tears Laughter Spite Temperament Obliged Conductor Despots

Author:Nadia Boulanger

“[On being asked how it felt to be the first female conductor of the Boston Symphony:] I've been a woman for a little more than fifty years, and I've gotten over my original astonishment.”

Years Firsts Littles Felt Women Music Female Originals Fifty Boston Symphony Conductor Astonishment

Author:Nadia Boulanger

“If a composer could say what he had to say in words he would not bother trying to say it in music.”

Ifs Trying Funny Music Expression Words Bother Piano Composer Classical Music Music Love Playing Music Composing Conductor Inspirational Music Classic Music Composing Music

Author:Gustav Mahler

“The English may not like music, but they absolutely love the noise it makes.”

Love May Funny Music Humorous Noise Conductor English Music

Author:Thomas Beecham

“There are two golden rules for an orchestra: start together and finish together. The public doesn't give a damn what goes on in between.”

“Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.”

Names Consciousness Talking Music Communication Communicate Composer Pianist Conductor Music Life Unknowing Sound And Music Life Without Music

Book:The Unanswered Question: Six Talks at Harvard

Source: The Unanswered Question: Six Talks at Harvard

“Never look at the trombones, it only encourages them.”

Looks Music Musical Composer Conductor Trombone Opera Singing

Author:Richard Wagner

“I like to create the music I hear in my interior. As a conductor, you have the ability to squeeze the sounds and interpretation you asked for from 50 to 80 people.”

People Sound Ability Music Interpretation Interiors Conductor

Author:Eberhard Weber

“I've been a woman for a little over 50 years and have gotten over my initial astonishment. As for conducting an orchestra, that's a job where I don't think sex plays much part.”

Thinking Years Littles Play Jobs Sex Women Work Music Composer Orchestra Initials Conductor Astonishment Conducting Over 50 Battle Of The Sexes

Author:Nadia Boulanger

“A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence.”

“The conductor is a peculiar person. He turns his back on his friends in the audience, shakes a stick at his players in the orchestra, and then wonders why nobody loves him.”

Persons Funny Turns Wonder Music Audience Player Humorous Sticks Shakes Peculiar Orchestra Conductor

Author:Victor Borge

“It is when music is added that a film can come to life for a director. A live orchestra, playing the score as a conductor watches the film on a huge screen, often gives a fimmaker the first real glimpse of his soon-to-be-completed work. That's where the magic is.”

Giving Firsts Real Film Music Watches Magic Huge Directors Music Is Screens Score Glimpse Orchestra Conductor Completed Work

Author:Robert Paul Wolff

“Conductors must give unmistakable and suggestive signals to the orchestra, not choreography to the audience.”

Giving Music Audience Signals Orchestra Jazz Music Conductor Choreography Classic Music Jazz And Life

Author:George Szell