Music

Explore 35 quotes about Music

Without music, life would be a mistake.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Twilight of the Idols

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Topic

Power of music Music

Author

Friedrich Nietzsche

Source

Twilight of the Idols

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

German

Time

1889 1880s 19th century

Authentication Score 0

Original Citation

Nietzsche, Frederick. Götzen-Dämmerung, oder, Wie man mit dem Hammer philosophiert [Twilight of the Idols or How to Philosophize with a Hammer]. Leipzig: Verlag von C. G. Naumann, 1889.

Current Citation

Nietzsche, Frederick. Twilight of the Idols and the Anti-Christ: or How to Philosophize with a Hammer, translated by Walter Kaufman and R. J. Hollingdale. Penguin Classics, 1990.

Melody is the essence of music. I compare a good melodist to a fine racer, and counterpoints to hack post-horses.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

More information about this quote

Topic

Music

Speaker

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Genre

Biography

Language

German

Time

1786 1780s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Remark to Michael Kelly. c. 1786.

Current Citation

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Quoted in Reminiscences of Michael Kelly of the King's Theatre and Theatre Royal Drury Lane, written by Michael Kelly. Vol. 1, Cambridge University Press, 2011.

I am happier when I have something to compose, for that, after all, is my sole delight and passion.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

More information about this quote

Topic

Creativity Music

Author

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Medium

Letter

Language

German

Time

1777 1770s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Letter to his father. 11 Oct. 1777.

Current Citation

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. "Letter to his father in Salzburg. Munich, October 11, 1777." Mozart's Letters, Mozart's Life, translated and edited by Robert Spaethling. W. W. Norton & Company, 2005.

Jazz music is to be played sweet, soft, plenty rhythm.

Jelly Roll Morton

More information about this quote

Topic

Jazz Music

Author

Jelly Roll Morton

Source

Mister Jelly Roll

Language

English

Time

1950 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Morton, Jelly Roll. Quoted in Mister Jelly Roll: The Fortunes of Jelly Roll Morton, New Orleans Creole and "Inventor of Jazz", written by Alan Lomax. Grosset & Dunlap, 1950.

Music, you know, true music, not just rock n roll, it chooses you.

Almost Famous

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More information about this quote

Topic

Power of music Music

Speaker

Lester Bangs

Actor

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Source

Almost Famous

Medium

Film

Genre

Comedy drama (film) Comedy drama

Language

English

Time

2000 2000s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Almost Famous. Directed by Cameron Crowe. Columbia Pictures/ DreamWorks Pictures/Vinyl Films, 2000.

The oldest, truest, most beautiful organ of music, the origin to which alone our music owes its being, is the human voice.

Richard Wagner

More information about this quote

Topic

Human voice Singing Music

Author

Richard Wagner

Source

Opera and Drama

Medium

Essay

Language

German

Time

1851 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Wagner, Richard. Oper und Drama [Opera and Drama]. Leipzig: J. J. Weber, 1852.

Current Citation

Wagner, Richard. Opera and Drama, translated by William Ashton Ellis. University of Nebraska Press, 1995.

Musique is the thing of the world that I love most.

Samuel Pepys

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Topic

Music

Author

Samuel Pepys

Medium

Personal journal

Language

English

Time

1666 1660s 17th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Pepys, Samuel. Diary entry. 30 July 1666.

Many people apparently don't trust their reactions to art or to music unless there is a verbal explanation for it. In music the only thing that matters is whether you feel it or not.

Ornette Coleman

More information about this quote

Topic

Music

Author

Ornette Coleman

Language

English

Time

1960 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Coleman, Ornette. Change of the Century. Atlantic Records, 1960, liner notes.

For time is the medium of narration, as it is the medium of life. Both are inextricably bound up with it, as inextricably as are bodies in space. Similarly, time is the medium of music; music divides, measures, articulates time, and can shorten it, yet enhance its value, both at once.

Thomas Mann

The Magic Mountain

More information about this quote

Topic

Time Music

Author

Thomas Mann

Source

The Magic Mountain

Medium

Novel

Language

German

Time

1924 1920s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Mann, Thomas. Der Zauberberg [The Magic Mountain]. S. Fischer Verlag, 1924, ch. 7.

Current Citation

Mann, Thomas. The Magic Mountain. Everyman's Library, 2005, ch. 7.

Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.

Martin Luther

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Topic

Music

Speaker

Martin Luther

Author

Georg Rhau

Source

Symphoniae iucundae

Language

German

Time

1538 1530s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Luther, Martin. Quoted in Symphoniae Iucundae Atque Adeo Breves Quatuor Vocum, written by Georg Rhau. Wittenberg, 1538, preface.

And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

2nd Samuel 6:5

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Topic

Music

Source

2nd Samuel The Bible

Medium

Scripture

Genre

Religious literature

Language

Hebrew

Time

722 BC 720s BC 8th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 3

Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (2nd Samuel 6:5).

Truly, I think I should go mad if it weren't for music.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

More information about this quote

Topic

Music

Author

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Source

Letters of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Medium

Letter

Language

Russian

Time

1877 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Illyich. Letter to Nadezhda von Meck. c. 23 Nov. 1877.

Music has charms to soothe a savage breast.

William Congreve

More information about this quote

Topic

Power of music Music

Speaker

Almeria

Author

William Congreve

Source

The Mourning Bride

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragic play

Language

English

Time

1697 1690s 17th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Congreve, William. The Mourning Bride. 1697, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, England, UK, act 1, sc. 1.

They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art.

Charlie Parker

Quoted in Downbeat Magazine

More information about this quote

Topic

Jazz Nature of music Music

Speaker

Charlie Parker

Source

Downbeat Magazine

Medium

Interview Magazine

Language

English

Time

1949 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Parker, Charlie. Interviewed by Michael Levin and John S. Wilson. Downbeat Magazine, 9 Sept. 1949.

The symphony must be like the world; it must embrace everything.

Gustav Mahler

More information about this quote

Topic

Symphony Music

Speaker

Gustav Mahler

Source

Letters of Gustav Mahler

Medium

Letter

Language

German

Time

1907 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Mahler, Gustav. Quoted in Jean Sibelius: His Life and Personality, written by Karl Ekman. Alan Wilmer, 1936.