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Music Quotes

Shakespeare has the most entries, as usual, with Claude Debussy and Wordsworth well up the list. The best-sourced line is Nietzsche’s in Twilight of the Idols (1889), that without music life would be a mistake, and Emerson’s image of the silent organ chanting loudest (Poems, 1847) is the sort of thing that rewards a second read.

The three entries with flags are all ones people like to share. “Wagner’s music is better than it sounds” is credited to Mark Twain and flagged misattributed. “You grow with music, or the music outgrows you” is credited to John Lennon, and the note says no verifiable source has been found. The line about music being the best means we have of digesting time is credited to W. H. Auden and is flagged misattributed as well.

Random quote on Music

Most quoted on music:

So she poured out the liquid music of her voice to quench the thirst of his spirit.

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Music historians have learned that the language and approach of musical theory in the Middle Ages were borrowed directly from medieval grammar and rhetoric.

Thomas Binkley Companion to Medieval & Renaissance Music (1997)

... And this is the origin of pop music: it's a professional music which draws upon both folk music and fine arts music as well.

Pete Seeger

There was no moment in my life when I ever thought of quitting music. I would rather just take a break, calm myself down, take a deep breath and go again.

Ayo Maff

There was no moment in my life when I ever thought of quitting music. I would rather just take a break, calm myself down, take a deep breath and go again.

Famous Pluto

Except for music, everything is a lie, even solitude, even ecstasy. Music, in fact, is the one and the other, only better.

Emil Cioran Anathemas and Admirations (1987)

I am out of humanity's reach.
I must finish my journey alone,
Never hear the sweet music of speech;
I start at the sound of my own.

William Cowper Verses supposed to be written by Alexander Selkirk (1782)

All good music resembles something. Good music stirs by its mysterious resemblance to the objects and feelings which motivated it.

Jean Cocteau Le Coq et l’Arlequin (1918)

Music was my way of keeping people from looking through and around me. I wanted the heavies to know I was around.

Bruce Springsteen

For myself I know that, as long as I can summarize my experience in words, I would certainly not make any music about it.

Gustav Mahler

I think the music business will eventually crush me, but I [smiles]... I'm ready.

Elliott Smith Strange Parallel (1998)

I have suffered for my music. Now it's your turn.

Neil Innes

He, Tik…hated clashing, atonal music. He was basically…taking the piss, showing how…easy it was to write…how difficult to…listen to.

Iain Banks The Hydrogen Sonata (2013)

In the next world, I shan't be doing music, with all the striving and disappointments. I shall be being it.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

I might like to be an actor, but there are loads of other things I'm interested in as well, like music and writing and sports. I want to keep my options open.

Daniel Radcliffe

'Life? or Theater?' - A Play with Music - C.S.

Charlotte Salomon

My music is based on touching you in a certain way. I don't have a wall, that's my brand.

Ami Faku

I am not in any way associated with the devil. I want to be different, and music is one stage where I seek peace with myself.

ATI

My ambition is to try to get big enough to hear my music in other people's cars in traffic.

Yorxe

I call my music the healing music … It makes the blind feel that they can see, the lame feel that they can walk, the deaf and dumb that they can hear and talk.

Little Richard

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