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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.

— Walter Raymond Spalding Music: An Art and a Language (1920)

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More quotes by Walter Raymond Spalding

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)

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The emphasis of study upon a particular aspect of music is in itself ideological because it contains implications about the music's value.

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Music is well said to be the speech of angels.

Thomas Carlyle Critical and Miscellaneous Essays (1827)

Music has no subject beyond the combinations of notes we hear, for music speaks not only by means of sounds, it speaks nothing but sound.

Eduard Hanslick

Above the pitch, out of tune, and off the hinges.

François Rabelais Gargantua and Pantagruel (1532)

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Walter Raymond Spalding (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.