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Walter Raymond Spalding Quotes

1865–1962 United States

Walter Raymond Spalding (1865–1962) graduated from Harvard College with an AB in 1887; graduated from Harvard University with an AM in 1888. He taught music at Harvard from 1895–1932 and was Chair of the Music Department from 1906–1932.

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Random Walter Raymond Spalding quote

17 quotes

The Introductory chords dissolve the dream which the music has evoked, and we are back once more in the world of reality.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

Thus a very etherial, magical quality of tone is produced, especially in the upper ranges of the instrument.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

Beginning with Beethoven, however, composers began to exhibit great freedom in the application of Sonata-Form.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

Music is of such power and glory that we should be ready to devote to its study as much time as to a foreign language.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

Schumann claimed that his object in writing music was to influence the imagination of the listeners that they could go on dreaming for themselves.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

One of the peculiar characteristics of music is that it is both the most natural and least artificial of the arts, and as well the most complicated and subtle.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

[T]he chief melody, often in the upper voice, seems to float on underlying waves of sound.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

Listz was undoubtedly encouraged in his revolutionary aims by Wagner's fiery courage.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

The Development, beginning in measure 132, is a striking example of how difficult it was—even for an exponent of freedom in musical expression like Schumann—to break loose from the shackles of arbitrary form.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

[A] knowledge of Bach is the beginning of musical wisdom.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

[T]he firmness of structure inherent in the canonic form is perfectly compatible with genuine freedom and poetry of inspiration.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

It speaks to our feelings and imaginations, as it were by suggestion; reaching for this very reason depths of our being quite beyond the power of mere words.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

[T]he rhythm of music, akin to the human heart-beat and to the ceaseless change and motion, which is the basic fact in all life, apeals at once to our own physical vitality.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

In general, Chopin's style is homophonic—wondrous lyric melodies which seem to float on waves of richly colored sound. But there is also much subtly used polyphony, i. e., delightful phrases in inner voices and imitative effects between the different parts.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

[M]usic requires active coöperation by the hearer.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

Another favorite means of arresting the attention was by modulation; not used in a constructive in different keys, but to furnish the ear with a purely sensuous delight, corresponding to that which the eye derives from the kaleidoscopic colors of a sunset.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

Chabrier (1841–1894) is noted for a bold exuberance and vividness of expression, for a sense of humor and for a power of orchestral color and brilliance which have not been duplicated. … Born in the South of France, the hot blood of that magic land seems to throb in his music.

Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Walter Raymond Spalding (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.