Il y a deux musiques: une petite, mesquine, de second ordre, partout semblable a elle-meme, qui repose sur une centaine de phrases que chaque musicien s'approprie, et qui constitue un bavardage plus ou moins agreable avec lequel vivent la plupart des compositeurs.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- There are two kinds of music: a small, petty, second‑order one, repetitive and similar everywhere, composed of a hundred phrases each musician appropriates, a chatter that most composers live with.
- In plain terms
- Much music is repetitive and mediocre, a background chatter for composers.
- What can you take from it?
- Avoid settling for formulaic, trivial music.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What defines 'high' versus 'low' music?
- Can simplicity be artistic?
Another view
Some audiences enjoy familiar, simple music.
More from Honore de Balzac
Le courant des affaires devant toujours s'expedier, il surnage une certaine quantite de commis qui se sait indispensable quoique congeable a merci et qui veut …
Permalink to quote #10 Qu'est-ce que l'Art, monsieur? C'est la Nature concentree.
Permalink to quote #12 Vous savez quelles sont mes religions. Je ne suis point orthodoxe et ne crois pas a l'Eglise romaine. Je trouve que s'il ya quelque plan digne du sien, ce sont…
Permalink to quote #9
Related quotes
To be a catalyst is one of my life's objectives. I've been inspired by many people who in turn have been catalysts. It's very interesting to see the waves of i…
Loreena McKennittLoreena McKennitt quote #1 They think they can say those words and take ownership of hip-hop. You can't. It's a lifestyle. It's a culture. It's not just music.
Kanye WestKanye West quote #2 Music has taken a bad turn; these young people have no idea how to write a melody, they just give us shavings, which they dress up to look like a lion's mane a…
Richard WagnerRichard Wagner quote #2