What is the use of composing if it is to confine the…
““What is the use of composing if it is to confine the product within the precinct of the concert or the solitude of listening to the radio? To compose, at least by propensity, is to give to do, not to give to hear but to give to write. The modern location for music is not the concert hall, but the stage on which the musicians pass, in what is often a dazzling display, from one source of sound to another. It is we who are playing, though still it is true by proxy; but one can imagine the concert - later on? - as exclusively a workshop, from which nothing spills over - no dream, no imaginary, no short, no 'soul' and where all the musical art is absorbed in a praxis with no remainder.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Composition should be about creation, not confinement; music lives in dynamic interaction, not static listening.
In simple terms: Music is about creating, not just listening.
Key Takeaway
Embrace active, collaborative creation.
Themes
art
music
creativity
performance
Mood
inspirational
thoughtful
Type
artistic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- concert design
- musical education
- creative workshops
Key Concepts
aesthetics
participatory art
Questions to Reflect On
- How can audiences become co‑creators?
- What spaces foster collaborative art?
A Different Perspective
Focusing solely on performance may limit artistic freedom.