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Our musical alphabet is poor and illogical. Music, which should pulsate with life, needs new means of expression, and science alone can infuse it with youthful vigor.

— Edgard Varèse

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More quotes by Edgard Varèse

Contrary to general belief, an artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs. I was the first composer to explore, so to speak, musical outer space.

Gramophone (1962)

Everyone is born with genius, but most people only keep it a few minutes.

Possible musical forms are as limitless as the exterior forms of crystals.

Aspects of 20th Century Music (1975)

I was not influenced by composers as much as by natural objects and physical phenomena.

There is an idea, the basis of an internal structure, expanded and split into different shapes or groups of sound constantly changing in shape, direction, and speed, attracted and repulsed by various forces. The form of the work is a consequence of this interaction. Possible musical forms are as limitless as the exterior forms of crystals.

Aspects of 20th Century Music (1975)

All Edgard Varèse quotes →

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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.

Lucy Green

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: Edgard Varèse (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.