Best 85 quotes in «classical music quotes» category

Modern man is full of platitudes about living life to its fullest, with catchy keychain phrases and little plaques for kitchen walls. But if you've never retreated to the solitude of a dark room and listened to Beethoven's Ninth from start to finish, you know nothing. For music is a transcendental exploration of human emotion and experience, the very fabric of life in its purest form. And the Ninth our greatest musical achievement.

Listening to classical music is like reading philosophy books, not everybody has to do it. Music is not for everybody.

Rachmaninoff. The 18th Variation of a Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

One imagines that he might have understood the supreme value of Bach's vocal works - not primarily as objects or artefacts, but as individual visions of life and as priceless forms of communication with his fellow man. For this is what is so distinctive when we compare Bach's legacy to that of his forerunners and successors. Monteverdi gives us the full gamut of human passions in music, the first composer to do so; Beethoven tells us what a terrible struggle it is to transcend human frailties and to aspire to the Godhead; and Mozart shows the kind of music we might hope to hear in heaven. But it is Bach, making music in the Castle of Heaven, who gives us the voice of God - in human form.

Regardless of the age of the people in the audience, they are clapping, screaming with joy and enjoying each and every note. I used to think classical music was boring. But that was because I never really gave it a chance. When I first saw 2CELLOS' cover of Smooth Criminal, I was mesmerized by their talent and instantly intrigued. With just two instruments, they created a sound so powerful and incredible, a sound I had never known could come from a cello.

Robert Kapilow is a born teacher, an enthusiast who can think on his feet, a 110 percent believer in the project at hand ... It’s a cheering thought that this kind of missionary enterprise did not pass from this earth with Leonard Bernstein. Robert Kapilow is awfully good at what he does. We need him.

Sometimes, when inspiration runs dry, I drink classical music until my words spill out.

Now that rock is turning 50, it's become classical itself. It's interesting to see that development.

Sometimes in the great soundtrack of our lives there are no words, there are only emotions; I believe this is why God gave us classical music.

There was that sound again--snap, then a footfall. She tried to whirl around as a dark form--Dear God--sprang with a splash from the darkness--grabbed her from behind, shoved her under the water.

The classics constitute an almost infallible process for awakening the soul to its full stature. In coming to know a classic, one has made a friend for life. It can be recalled to the mind and 'read' all over again in the imagination. And actually perusing the text anew provides a joy that increases with time. These marvelous works stand many rereadings without losing their force. In fact, they almost demand rereading, as a Beethoven symphony demands replaying. We never say of a music masterpiece, 'Oh I've heard that!' Instead, we hunger to hear it again to take in once more, with new feeling and insight, its long-familiar strains.

We are the conductors of the beauty of the orchestra of our inner lives. Keep a Händel on it and don't hold Bach!

The power of classical music turns my words into fire.

Violinists wear the imprint on their necks with pride For they are the players of harmony. Pilgrims, too, wear the imprint on their foreheads with pride For they are the conductors of unity. And Lovers? Why, they are made humble by the imprint on their hearts For they are merely the instruments of rhapsody.

Whenever i find myself losing faith in humanity, i come back to the classical music. They are a great reminder that we are also able to produce beautiful things made out of strong and barely controllable emotions.

Would you think of somebody who you adore, who’s no longer there? A beloved grandmother, a lover — somebody in your life who you love with all your heart, but that person is no longer with you. Bring that person into your mind, and at the same time follow the line all the way from B to E, and you’ll hear everything that Chopin had to say.

Whatever comes, I'll take the good--and send the rest to hell.

What is classical music if not the epitome of sensuality, passion and understated erotica that popular music, even with all its energy and life, cannot even begin to touch?

Another classical music teacher from Performing Arts that I've stayed in contact with is Jonathan Strasser.

A musicologist is a man who can read music but cannot hear it.

Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky were not classical musicians while they were alive and active, they were the rock stars of their day.

A good deal of classical music is, today, the opium of the good citizen.

Being a classical musician I'm fascinated with how my colleagues, not just singers, but every musician finds ways to express something else or something new or the same ol', same ol' in classical music. I'm always in dialogue with other musicians at least orally, if I can't be with them and a lot of dead musicians as well. I've learned a lot from dead people on recordings.

Classical music has been based on works people love and come back to for aural comfort.

Classical music is a genre of music. It's no more complex or less complex than pop music or R&B. The elitism is weird.

Classical musicians go to the conservatories, rock´n roll musicians go to the garages.

Classical music's ability to translate emotional themes is fantastic.

Classical music is one of the best things that ever happened to mankind. If you get introduced to it in the right way, it becomes your friend for life.

Classical music requires an immense amount of concentration, and I don't know if I would've been that committed to that particular life.

Classical music was my starting point. My mum would expose me to a lot of music and take me to really weird concerts when I was possibly too young.

For me, personally, the most interesting music comes from the popular sector - from film and pop music - since contemporary classical music got stuck and went into directions where it lost a lot of the public by over-intellectualizing.

Don't be a perfectionist... leave that to the classical musicians.

I'd been trained as a classical musician, but also as a pop musician. My teacher made sure that everything was available.

I also like Western classical music and jazz.

I became a set designer for opera. I'm a great opera buff, I love classical music, and I needed a time-out.

I grew up with classical music, and to a lesser extent electronic music, and that's where I belong, so to speak.

I got involved with classical music when I was in high school and it's followed me throughout my entire life and probably had a profound effect on my life.

I had to listen to the classical music because it calms me down, calms my nerves down.

I had great inspiration from a Japanese composer named Toru Takemitsu. He wrote over 90 film scores and a lot of concert music, a lot of classical music, and he gave me a lot of inspiration, as well as composers from other countries.

I listen to classical music at home probably more than pop music.

I love classical music and often listen to symphonies or opera in the morning.

I love gentle, gorgeous classical music such as Mozart.

I got obsessed with classical music, I got obsessed with Chopin, with playing the piano.

I'm not really involved with politics... I'm living in my cocoon with my classical music around.

I got so much love for classical music and I hear so much incredible music.You should know a bunch of music and have respect for all sorts of genres and styles of music.

I'm everything I'm made of. So a part of me is made of classical music. I'm grateful for it.

I started off with classical music, and I got into jazz when I was about 14 years old. And I've been playing jazz ever since.

It [piano lessons] wasn't a priority, but it was an interest and through that I became acquainted with classical music, which was a main interest at the time.

I started making music with my band in the 80s, so I am more product of post punk than classical music, and I have always carried on this way.

I play only classical music. My pianos are my only big indulgence, but they're a necessity. When I'm playing the piano is literally the only time I can be completely abstract and disconnected from the regular world and yet be connected - to my music.