Quotes by Composers

I want to say at once that I frankly believe that Irving Berlin is the greatest songwriter that has ever lived.... His songs are exquisite cameos of perfection, and each one of them is as beautiful as its neighbor. Irving Berlin remains, I think, America's Schubert. George Gershwin
Beautiful Believe Think Once Say Neighbor Berlin Frankly Remains Songs Songwriter Perfection Schubert Greatest His America Want Them Each Lived Each One Ever Exquisite
Writing music is not so much inspiration as hard work. George Gershwin
Work Music Hard Work Writing Inspiration Much Hard
The extraordinary thing about my mother, she's so modest about me. George Gershwin
Me Mother Extraordinary About She Modest Thing
In music one must think with the heart and feel with the brain. George Szell
Music Heart Think Must Feel Brain
What a beautiful art, but what a wretched profession. Georges Bizet
Beautiful Art Wretched Beautiful Art Profession
I want to do nothing chic, I want to have ideas before beginning a piece. Georges Bizet
Before Beginning Nothing Ideas Piece Chic Want
There is no room in the world, as you say, for second rate work. Gerald Finzi
Work You World Second-Rate Say Rate Room Second
But no work from a first rate mind is ever really second rate. Gerald Finzi
Work Mind First Second-Rate Rate No Work First-Rate Really Ever Second
Preserve my artistic creativity and ennoble my artistic fame. Giacomo Meyerbeer
Creativity Fame Artistic Ennoble Preserve
I have always felt that art, especially music, is but a demonstration of God. Gian Carlo Menotti
Music Art God Felt Always Demonstration
For better or for worse, in 'The Last Savage,' I have dared to do away completely with fashionable dissonance, and in a modest way, I have endeavored to rediscover the nobility of gracefulness and the pleasure of sweetness. Gian Carlo Menotti
Savage Better Way Worse Pleasure Dared Nobility Rediscover Modest Sweetness Fashionable Away Last
The only thing that interests me in music is to be able to reach into the, let's call it, 'collective unconscious' of what is noblest in the human spirit, the way you find in the music of Mozart and Beethoven and Verdi that wonderful quality that not a note can be changed. Gian Carlo Menotti
Music Me You Quality Wonderful Collective Changed Way Find Able Spirit Only Unconscious Noblest Reach Call Beethoven Human The Only Thing Note Mozart Interests Human Spirit Thing
Any subject is good for opera if the composer feels it so intently he must sing it out. Gian Carlo Menotti
Good Out Must Composer He Feels Opera Sing Subject Any
People ask me whether I'm religious. Well, in a certain way, I am. Gian Carlo Menotti
Me People Way Religious Well Am Whether Ask Certain Certain Way
One lived in the impression that nobody could ever compete with the 'Nutcracker' or 'A Christmas Carol.' Gian Carlo Menotti
Christmas Carol Could Nobody Impression Lived Ever Compete
Writing beautiful melodies is not fashionable because it is very difficult to do. Gian Carlo Menotti
Beautiful Writing Difficult Melodies Because Very Fashionable
God gives you the gift of melody or He doesn't - it's as simple as that. Gian Carlo Menotti
God You Gift Simple Melody Gives He
I have the feeling that everybody was waiting for me to die so they could rediscover me. Then they found out I'm not dead yet, so they are rediscovering me while I'm still alive. Gian Carlo Menotti
Me Waiting Feeling Everybody Alive Out Could Dead Rediscover Still Die While Then Found
Fate has blessed me. Gian Carlo Menotti
Me Fate Blessed
It was my contention that opera can not only pay for itself if it is well given, but it can also command a much wider audience if given like a play with lots of rehearsals and wonderful singers that fit the role. Gian Carlo Menotti
Wonderful Pay Given Only Like Opera Also Singers Well Contention Audience Command Fit Lots Itself Role Much Rehearsals Play Wider Wider Audience
I have a heart problem, so I have to simplify my life and be content with memories and friends and music. Gian Carlo Menotti
Life Music Memories Heart Problem My Life Simplify Content Friends
I can sit on a chair with a score and give myself a wonderful performance. Gian Carlo Menotti
Myself Wonderful Sit Give Performance Score Chair
I guess I am running the risk of becoming the Hans Christian Andersen of opera. Gian Carlo Menotti
Christian Guess Running Risk Opera Becoming Am
There are three reasons why I live in Scotland. First, I like silence, and you have to be a millionaire to buy silence in Italy. Second, I like cold weather. Third, in Italy I have too many relatives and know too many people, so I never get a quiet time. Gian Carlo Menotti
Buy Time Silence You People Millionaire Too Many People Relatives Weather Three First Live Too Cold Cold Weather Never Like Know Italy Scotland Quiet Quiet Time Get Reasons Many Why Second Third
The creation of Spoleto was a social experiment. Because I've always suffered guilt from being a Catholic, when I was in my fifties I felt a need of being needed. Gian Carlo Menotti
Guilt Experiment Creation Catholic Because Felt Always Being Social Fifties Suffered Need Needed
Wagner has lovely moments but awful quarters of an hour. Gioachino Rossini
Hour Quarters Wagner Lovely Moments Awful
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