Two months ago, I started on one of the most wonderful journeys of my life and the fact that its endless, makes it all the more beautiful...I began learning the 'language of music'. The idea for this post came, when I opened up one of the music theory books, the other day. The book began with some very wise words on a 'musician' by the Pulitzer Prize (yeah...they give Pulitzer for music) winning American (has to be, if its Pulitzer) composer, Virgil Thomson. While appreciating his quote, I thought maybe I should put up some of my favourite quotes on music over here. I shall begin with the one that sparked off this post."I've never known a musician who regretted being one. Whatever deceptions life may have in store for you, music itself is not going to let you down." - Virgil Thomson
"Without music life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
"And the night shall be filled with music,
And the cares that infest the day
Shall fold their tents like the Arabs
And as silently steal away." - HW Longfellow, The Day is Done
“Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul." - Plato
"Come baby, teach me, come baby, reach me, let the music start." - Bob Dylan, Emotinally Yours
"After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley
"If music be the food of love; play on." - William Shakespeare
"I got music runnin' in my head, Makes me feel like a young bird flyin' " - Neil Diamond, Canta Libre
"Come hear Uncle John's Band playing to the tide,Come on along, or go alone,He's come to take his children home." - Robert Hunter (Grateful Dead), Uncle John's Band
"I love you as much as I love music." - Mr Bojangles
"I dont teach Harmonica, I teach music." - Rustom Karva, my music teacher
"Music is nothing separate from me. It is me...You'd have to remove the music surgically." - Ray Charles
As usual, feel free to add to the music (this list) and have a good weekend!
12 comments:
..only it wasn't taken quite this well when when I'd said it. (and that too is an understatement)
which is why its worth a mention over here.
Here are two I like:
Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the spaces between the notes and curl my back to loneliness. - Maya Angelou
Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. - Berthold Auerbach
thanks Iqbal...both are beautiful!
I realized over the weekend, that this post needs a revisiting of sorts. This time with words from some famous musicians. Here they are...
"Music is either good or bad, and it's got be learned. You got to have balance." - Louis Armstrong
"The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul."--Johann Sebastian Bach
"Music has to breathe and sweat. You have to play it live. "-- James Brown
"We need magic, and bliss, and power, myth, and celebration and religion in our lives, and music is a good way to encapsulate a lot of it. "-- Jerry Garcia
"Music helps you find the truths you must bring into the rest of your life. "-- Alanis Morissette
"Music is spiritual. The music business is not. "-- Van Morrison
"Music should be something that makes you gotta move, inside or outside. "-- Elvis Presley
"It's the music that kept us all intact, kept us from going crazy. "-- Lou Reed
"Give me a laundry list and I'll set it to music."-- Gioacchino Antonio Rossini
"The best music... is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with. "-- Bruce Springsteen
"I believe in the power of music. To me, it isn't just a fad. This is a positive thing."-- Eddie Vedder
"Music at its essence is what gives us memories. "-- Stevie Wonder
"There's a basic rule which runs through all kinds of music, kind of an unwritten rule. I don't know what it is. But I've got it."-- Ron Wood
This is not really related, but my thoughts, upon reading the quotes, drifted to this lovely poem, which I remembered reading sometime...
Song: Memory, hither come
Memory, hither come,
And tune your merry notes;
And, while upon the wind
Your music floats,
I'll pore upon the stream
Where sighing lovers dream,
And fish for fancies as they pass
Within the watery glass.
I'll drink of the clear stream,
And hear the linnet's song;
And there I'll lie and dream
The day along:
And, when night comes, I'll go
To places fit for woe,
Walking along the darken'd valley
With silent Melancholy.
--William Blake
beautiful!
And there are the music anecdotes.
Louis Armstrong was once asked what he thinks of folk music. His response was "Man, all music is folk music. Have you ever heard a horse sing?"
Funny...Armstrong was perhaps one of the most charismatic and entertaining music personality of the 20th century.
Loved the entry and feel rather lucky to have stumpled upon your blog.
thanks for the appreciation, simpu. went through some of your stuff from the many blogs that you have...interesting stuff!
As a dear friend keeps quoting Zappa;
"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid"
Frank Zappa
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