Formalism is music that people don't understand at first hearing.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The statement likens formalist music to a style that listeners may not grasp immediately.
- In plain terms
- Formal music sounds confusing at first listening.
- What can you take from it?
- People often need time to understand formalist compositions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How can educators bridge the gap for formalist music?
- What role does exposure play in appreciation?
Another view
Not all listeners find formalist music difficult; taste varies.
More from Sergei Prokofiev
My chief virtue (or if you like, defect) has been a tireless lifelong search for an original, individual musical idiom. I detest imitation, I detest hackneyed …
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