--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There were periods when I sometimes made…" description: "\"There were periods when I sometimes made fires in a large, open fireplace that lasted about two weeks, which was how long it took to burn my compositio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/alan-hovhaness-31135_about_there-were-periods-when-i-sometimes-made_1315456.png" --- # There were periods when I sometimes made fires in a large… ![“There were periods when I sometimes made fires in a large, open fireplace that lasted about two weeks, which was how long it took to burn my compositions. So there has been an awful lot that I have destroyed.” quote by Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/alan-hovhaness-31135_about_there-were-periods-when-i-sometimes-made_1315456.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/alan-hovhaness-31135_about_there-were-periods-when-i-sometimes-made_1315456.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/alan-hovhaness-31135_about_there-were-periods-when-i-sometimes-made_1315456.png) > “There were periods when I sometimes made fires in a large, open fireplace that lasted about two weeks, which was how long it took to burn my compositions. So there has been an awful lot that I have destroyed.” [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The composer reflects on his habit of burning his own compositions, indicating a destructive creative process. **In simple terms:** He repeatedly destroyed his own music. Key Takeaway Embrace imperfection and learn from loss. Themes creativity destruction art self‑criticism Mood melancholic introspective Type artistic personal When to use this quote - writing music - mental health - artistic development - self‑reflection Key Concepts creative cycles psychology of artists Questions to Reflect On - What drives an artist to destroy their work? - How can one channel destructive urges productively? A Different Perspective It may romanticize self‑sabotage rather than encouraging preservation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Awful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awful/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Burn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burn/) [Burn Compositions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burn-compositions-4366389/) [Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroyed/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Fireplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fireplace/) [Fireplace Lasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fireplace-lasted-4366386/) [Fires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fires/) [Fires Large](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fires-large-4366388/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Large](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large/) [Lasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasted/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Open](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open/) [Periods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods/) [Periods Fires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/periods-fires-4366387/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-weeks/) [Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weeks/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) ## Related quotes > [“Every professor worth his PhD should have a fireplace in his study.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/every-professor-worth-his-phd-should-have-a-fireplace-in-his-study/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [A house with no fireplace is a house without a heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-taber/a-house-with-no-fireplace-is-a-house-without-a-heart/) [Gladys Taber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-taber/) > [“The sound of a crackling fire going in the fireplace, a nice warm blanket and a good book is just about heaven for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-leighanne-grimm-weever/the-sound-of-a-crackling-fire-going-in-the-fireplace-a-nice-warm/) [E. Leighanne Grimm-Weever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-leighanne-grimm-weever/) > [He who wants to warm himself in old age must build a fireplace in his youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/german-proverb/he-who-wants-to-warm-himself-in-old-age-must-build-a-fireplace-in-his/) [German Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/german-proverb/) > [“ You may be trying to claim the woman, his eyes said, but make no mistake, she and the fucking fireplace are mine. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/you-may-be-trying-to-claim-the-woman-his-eyes-said-but-make-no/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“the design actually makes him look more like a fireplace elf. 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Men and dogs love an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-draper/i-don-t-believe-anything-can-do-as-much-for-a-room-as-a-glowing-fire/) [Dorothy Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-draper/) > [I consider the television set as the American fireplace, around which the whole family will gather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-skelton/i-consider-the-television-set-as-the-american-fireplace-around-which/) [Red Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-skelton/) > [Moet by the fireplace, this is how desire taste and Im bout to buy a case.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/2-chainz/moet-by-the-fireplace-this-is-how-desire-taste-and-im-bout-to-buy-a/) [2 Chainz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/2-chainz/) > [“one step at a time he inched her toward the flickering fireplace, stopping at the bear rug in front of the stone hearth. She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mann/one-step-at-a-time-he-inched-her-toward-the-flickering-fireplace/) [Catherine Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mann/) > [“She stood by the fireplace talking in that beautiful voice which made everything she said sound like a caress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-stood-by-the-fireplace-talking-in-that-beautiful-voice-which-made/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I have a microwave fireplace in my house. The other night I laid down in front of the fire for the evening in two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-wright/i-have-a-microwave-fireplace-in-my-house-the-other-night-i-laid-down/) [Stephen Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-wright/) > [“and the wood smoke will roll out of the fireplace on to the carpet we paid too much for on that rainy afternoon in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/and-the-wood-smoke-will-roll-out-of-the-fireplace-on-to-the-carpet-we/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“couple of small suites, all nicely furnished. There was a small sitting area with a gas fireplace, lush carpeting and deep leather chairs. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-meadows/couple-of-small-suites-all-nicely-furnished-there-was-a-small-sitting/) [Ana Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-meadows/) > [I have a fireplace in my kitchen that I light every night, no matter what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/i-have-a-fireplace-in-my-kitchen-that-i-light-every-night-no-matter/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) ## More by Alan Hovhaness > [I think that of my 21 symphonies, each has its own place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/i-think-that-of-my-21-symphonies-each-has-its-own-place/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [I found a greater identity with my own emotions in the Armenian culture as I grew older, as well as from the beginning, although…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/i-found-a-greater-identity-with-my-own-emotions-in-the-armenian/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [I was born in Somerville, but I don't remember very much about it because we moved from there to Arlington when I was five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/i-was-born-in-somerville-but-i-don-t-remember-very-much-about-it/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [No, no, I didn't know him. He lost his mind around 1917 because of the tragedy of the Armenians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/no-no-i-didn-t-know-him-he-lost-his-mind-around-1917-because-of-the/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [There is nothing like practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/there-is-nothing-like-practice/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [I've always regarded nature as the clothing of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/i-ve-always-regarded-nature-as-the-clothing-of-god/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [The composer...joins Heaven and Earth with threads of sounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/the-composer-joins-heaven-and-earth-with-threads-of-sounds/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [My purpose is to create music not for snobs, but for all people, music which is beautiful and healing. To attempt what old Chinese…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/my-purpose-is-to-create-music-not-for-snobs-but-for-all-people-music/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [This is not to say that the Scots are not fine people, but they were all sort of... well, my grandfather was a minister…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/this-is-not-to-say-that-the-scots-are-not-fine-people-but-they-were/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [I did all kinds of things in order to earn a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/i-did-all-kinds-of-things-in-order-to-earn-a-living/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [It's hard for me to think of others because I'm not particularly in sympathy with the music of this century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/it-s-hard-for-me-to-think-of-others-because-i-m-not-particularly-in/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [I was much more interested in the orchestra than the piano, but I did become fairly proficient as a pianist and my teachers felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/i-was-much-more-interested-in-the-orchestra-than-the-piano-but-i-did/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) > [My mother's background was Scottish. 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The planets have the sun, the earth, the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hovhaness/to-me-atonality-is-against-nature-there-is-a-center-to-everything/) [Alan Hovhaness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) [Explore all 16 Alan Hovhaness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hovhaness/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There were periods when I sometimes made fires in a large, open fireplace that lasted about two weeks, which was how long it took to burn my compositions. 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