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music is the worst of them - roiling and boiling - overly…

“music is the worst of them - roiling and boiling - overly emotionalized on the one hand, overly intellectuallized on the other. Bach and Mozart indeed! Bach inevitably makes me think of fish in a barrel! round and round and round they go and nothing ever happens. Nothing ! Tum -de-dum-dum. Tum…” quote by Timothy Findley
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““music is the worst of them - roiling and boiling - overly emotionalized on the one hand, overly intellectuallized on the other. Bach and Mozart indeed! Bach inevitably makes me think of fish in a barrel! round and round and round they go and nothing ever happens. Nothing ! Tum -de-dum-dum. Tum -de-dum-dum and that's all! Tum -de-dum-de-bloody-dum-dum! As for Mozart, his emotions did not mature beyond the age of twelve. never achieved adolescence, let alone puberty. his music merely combines a popular talent for slapstick and a commercial talent for tears. No - not tears. For sobs. Beethoven, pompous. Chopin - sickly sweet and given to tantrums - Tum -de-dum-dum- Bang! and Wagner - a self -centred bore. and Stravinsky - discordant, rude and blows his music through his nose””

Timothy Findley

About This Quote

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

The speaker criticizes classical music as overly emotional or intellectual, lacking depth and originality, and compares composers to childish or pretentious figures.

In simple terms: Classical music is seen as shallow and pretentious.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions about artistic value.

Themes

art criticism music aesthetics

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

opinion analysis

When to use this quote

  • listening to classical concerts
  • music education
  • art criticism writing

Key Concepts

subjectivity cultural bias

Questions to Reflect On

  • Do you agree that music can be both emotional and intellectual?
  • How does personal taste shape our judgments of art?
A Different Perspective

The view is highly subjective and dismisses many listeners' genuine emotional connections to the music.

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