A great piece of music is beautiful regardless of how it is performed. Any prelude or fugue of Bach can be played at any tempo, with or without rhythmic nuances, and it will still be great music. That's how music should be written, so that no-one, no matter how philistine, can ruin it.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Great music withstands poor performance and amateur interpretation. It is inherently robust.
- In plain terms
- Real great music survives even bad playing.
- What can you take from it?
- Aim for compositions that endure despite execution.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes music endure?
- Should music be easy or hard to play?
Another view
Some subtle works require precise performance to shine.
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