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There was no control except the " mood of his power... and…

“There was no control except the " mood of his power... and it is for this reason it is good you never heard him play someplace where the weather for instance could change the next series of notes-- then you should never have heard him at all. He was never recorded. He stayed away while others…” quote by Michael Ondaatje
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““There was no control except the " mood of his power... and it is for this reason it is good you never heard him play someplace where the weather for instance could change the next series of notes-- then you should never have heard him at all. He was never recorded. He stayed away while others moved into wax history, electronic history, those who said later that Boldon broke the path. It was just as important to watch him stretch and wheel around the last notes or to watch nerves jumping under the sweat of his head.””

Michael Ondaatje

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The passage reflects on an elusive musician whose art resists recording, emphasizing the fleeting, live nature of performance.

In simple terms: Music can be too fleeting to capture.

Key Takeaway

Value live experiences over recordings.

Themes

art ephemerality authenticity

Mood

reflective nostalgic

Type

critical observational

When to use this quote

  • concert attendance
  • live improvisation
  • audio preservation
  • archival research

Key Concepts

music memory performance history

Questions to Reflect On

  • What is lost when art is not recorded?
  • How do we preserve fleeting moments?
A Different Perspective

Live art may be inaccessible to many.

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