Virgil Thomson Quotes

18 quotes in 225 categories

• I never learned to verbalize an abstract musical concept. No thank you. The whole point of being a serious musician is to avoid verbalization whenever…
• Let your mind alone, and see what happens.
• The way to write American music is simple. All you have to do is be an American and then write any kind of music you…
• Reviewing music or reviewing anything is a writing job. It's nice if you are experienced in the field you are writing about, but writing is…
• I've never known a musician who regretted being one. Music itself is not going to let you down.
• Every composer's music reflects in its subject-matter and in its style the source of the money the composer is living on while writing the music.
• I don't go around regretting things that don't happen.
• You explain how it went, and as far as you can figure out how it got that way.
• I don't care what other critics say, I only hope to be played.
• I seem to write an opera about every 20 years; if you live long enough you can write four operas. I finished my third in…
• I said to my friends that if I was going to starve, I might as well starve where the food is good.
• Musicians own music because music owns them.
• In Paris, you learn wit, in London you learn to crush your social rivals, and in Florence you learn poise.
• Try a thing you haven't done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And…
• I look at you and I write down what I hear.
• I've never known a musician who regretted being one. Whatever deceptions life may have in store for you, music itself is not going to let…
• I don't have to worry No matter what they do to it, it works.
• I let her alone and when she got that finished she left me alone. We trusted each other.

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