--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Aaron Copland was a man that had a very…" description: "\"Aaron Copland was a man that had a very specific point of view about what music should be which was that, he felt that new music should have the compos..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb3/elliott-carter-23733_composer_aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very_525142.png" --- # Aaron Copland was a man that had a very specific point of… ![“Aaron Copland was a man that had a very specific point of view about what music should be which was that, he felt that new music should have the composer should show a personality in his music.” quote by Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb3/elliott-carter-23733_composer_aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very_525142.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb3/elliott-carter-23733_composer_aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very_525142.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb3/elliott-carter-23733_composer_aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very_525142.png) > “Aaron Copland was a man that had a very specific point of view about what music should be which was that, he felt that new music should have the composer should show a personality in his music.” [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believed composers should embed their personality into music, making it uniquely theirs. **In simple terms:** Music should reflect the composer's personal voice. Key Takeaway Encourage authentic self‑expression in creative work. Themes creativity authenticity personal voice Mood inspirational thoughtful Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - film scoring - album production - live performance Key Concepts musical composition artistic identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you convey your personality in your work? - Can music be both personal and universally relatable? A Different Perspective Audience may interpret music differently than intended. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Composer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composer/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [Arthur V. Berger commenting on the music of Aaron Copland: Here is at last an American that we may place unapologetically beside the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-copland/arthur-v-berger-commenting-on-the-music-of-aaron-copland-here-is-at/) [Aaron Copland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-copland/) > [My pieces usually are programmed on concerts in which the other works are standard repertoire. My music always sounds very different when it's on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-higdon/my-pieces-usually-are-programmed-on-concerts-in-which-the-other-works/) [Jennifer Higdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-higdon/) > [You know, they were returning to the language of the people and trying to use musical language, particularly as Copland did to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-language-of-the-people-and-trying/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [When I read Copland, I really wanted Stallone's part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-liotta/when-i-read-copland-i-really-wanted-stallone-s-part/) [Ray Liotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-liotta/) > [In any case, Ives encouraged me to go into music even though he himself had such a hard time being a composer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/in-any-case-ives-encouraged-me-to-go-into-music-even-though-he/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [When people listen to my music, I hope that they will notice that if you take a piece by a composer like Schubert, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/when-people-listen-to-my-music-i-hope-that-they-will-notice-that-if/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [Seen from the point of view of the composer, the most nonsensical practice is that of casting people in musicals who are unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gold/seen-from-the-point-of-view-of-the-composer-the-most-nonsensical/) Ernest Gold > [If a composer could state in words what being a composer means, he would no longer need to be a composer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-rorem/if-a-composer-could-state-in-words-what-being-a-composer-means-he/) [Ned Rorem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-rorem/) > [I think there's just been this "thing" that's developed, this way that we have of talking about our music that alienates people. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/i-think-there-s-just-been-this-thing-that-s-developed-this-way-that/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [The architect is very interesting because the architect is the commander, meaning the one who commands all the workers. The architect is also the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-architect-is-very-interesting-because-the-architect-is-the/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [The number of e-mails and letters that I get from choreographers, from sculptors, from composers who are being inspired by science is huge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-number-of-e-mails-and-letters-that-i-get-from-choreographers-from/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [“- Mom, can I tell them there that I'm Romanian? - Sure, why not tell them? - I was thinking that they wouldn't think...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-enescu/mom-can-i-tell-them-there-that-i-m-romanian-sure-why-not-tell-them-i/) George Enescu > [Trombone virtuoso and innovative composer, Papo combines the best of jazz and Latin music to create a genre that is unique and wild. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-brecker/trombone-virtuoso-and-innovative-composer-papo-combines-the-best-of/) Michael Brecker > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [A composer knows that music is written by human beings for human beings and that music is a continuation of life, not something separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanns-eisler/a-composer-knows-that-music-is-written-by-human-beings-for-human/) Hanns Eisler ## More by Elliott Carter > [My entire life has really revolved around music that was written about the time that I was born, 1908, to just before the First…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/my-entire-life-has-really-revolved-around-music-that-was-written/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [When people listen to my music, I hope that they will notice that if you take a piece by a composer like Schubert, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/when-people-listen-to-my-music-i-hope-that-they-will-notice-that-if/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [Then, when the Depression came, all of this changed completely. Since that time, the entire public is of a very different sort and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/then-when-the-depression-came-all-of-this-changed-completely-since/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [These wealthy people were very interested in contemporary music. They wanted to help diffuse it and get it to be known to other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/these-wealthy-people-were-very-interested-in-contemporary-music-they/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [In any case, Ives encouraged me to go into music even though he himself had such a hard time being a composer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/in-any-case-ives-encouraged-me-to-go-into-music-even-though-he/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [Well when I was young, when I was very young, when I was a little boy I don't remember the music I heard, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/well-when-i-was-young-when-i-was-very-young-when-i-was-a-little-boy-i/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [The first thing that struck me about contemporary music in general had been thatthere was not much interest in rhythm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/the-first-thing-that-struck-me-about-contemporary-music-in-general/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [That was one of the big problems when I was at Harvard studying music. We had to write choral pieces in the style of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/that-was-one-of-the-big-problems-when-i-was-at-harvard-studying-music/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [Silences between movements are employed only in order to bring the opposing duo to the fore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/silences-between-movements-are-employed-only-in-order-to-bring-the/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [Since I'm allergic to various things, the army wouldn't accept me during the war, and I got into the Office of War Information, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/since-i-m-allergic-to-various-things-the-army-wouldn-t-accept-me/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [Talking about a materialistic thing, I get about 13 times more royalties from Europe than I do from America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/talking-about-a-materialistic-thing-i-get-about-13-times-more/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [Right at the end of the war I wrote a piano sonata, which was written at a time when Sam Barber used to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/right-at-the-end-of-the-war-i-wrote-a-piano-sonata-which-was-written/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [I've known those pieces ever since I was about 16 or 17; I also at that time was taken to meet Charles Ives whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/i-ve-known-those-pieces-ever-since-i-was-about-16-or-17-i-also-at/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [Why write for the orchestra? For one thing it's a very challenging problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/why-write-for-the-orchestra-for-one-thing-it-s-a-very-challenging/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [It was only later on that I became more interested in older music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/it-was-only-later-on-that-i-became-more-interested-in-older-music/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) [Explore all 25 Elliott Carter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) ## More Composer quotes > [A composer knows that music is written by human beings for human beings and that music is a continuation of life, not something separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanns-eisler/a-composer-knows-that-music-is-written-by-human-beings-for-human/) Hanns Eisler > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [Trombone virtuoso and innovative composer, Papo combines the best of jazz and Latin music to create a genre that is unique and wild. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-brecker/trombone-virtuoso-and-innovative-composer-papo-combines-the-best-of/) Michael Brecker > [“- Mom, can I tell them there that I'm Romanian? - Sure, why not tell them? - I was thinking that they wouldn't think...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-enescu/mom-can-i-tell-them-there-that-i-m-romanian-sure-why-not-tell-them-i/) George Enescu > [The number of e-mails and letters that I get from choreographers, from sculptors, from composers who are being inspired by science is huge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-number-of-e-mails-and-letters-that-i-get-from-choreographers-from/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [The architect is very interesting because the architect is the commander, meaning the one who commands all the workers. The architect is also the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-architect-is-very-interesting-because-the-architect-is-the/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [If a composer could state in words what being a composer means, he would no longer need to be a composer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-rorem/if-a-composer-could-state-in-words-what-being-a-composer-means-he/) [Ned Rorem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-rorem/) > [Seen from the point of view of the composer, the most nonsensical practice is that of casting people in musicals who are unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gold/seen-from-the-point-of-view-of-the-composer-the-most-nonsensical/) Ernest Gold > [I think there's just been this "thing" that's developed, this way that we have of talking about our music that alienates people. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/i-think-there-s-just-been-this-thing-that-s-developed-this-way-that/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [The ability to understand and deliver comedy and tragedy is extremely rare in one composer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/signe-baumane/the-ability-to-understand-and-deliver-comedy-and-tragedy-is-extremely/) [Signe Baumane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/signe-baumane/) > [When synthesizers appeared everyone was a composer suddenly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-desplat/when-synthesizers-appeared-everyone-was-a-composer-suddenly/) [Alexandre Desplat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-desplat/) > [A mission that comes from the heart to promote these things and to encourage composers to write, then of course they should do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-andre-hamelin/a-mission-that-comes-from-the-heart-to-promote-these-things-and-to/) [Marc-Andre Hamelin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-andre-hamelin/) > [The beauty and genius of a work of art may be reconceived, though its first material expression be destroyed; a vanished harmony may yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-beebe/the-beauty-and-genius-of-a-work-of-art-may-be-reconceived-though-its/) [William Beebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-beebe/) > [Every time I see a film or TV show, I think about how that composer made those choices and how that director envisioned music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lopez/every-time-i-see-a-film-or-tv-show-i-think-about-how-that-composer/) [Robert Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lopez/) > [Like any other composer of opera, I choose a subject not for polemical reasons, but because it contains vivid characters in highly charged dramatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlisle-floyd/like-any-other-composer-of-opera-i-choose-a-subject-not-for-polemical/) [Carlisle Floyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlisle-floyd/) [Browse all 885 Composer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Aaron Copland was a man that had a very specific point of view about what music should be which was that, he felt that new music should have the composer should show a personality in his music.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elliott Carter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very-specific-point-of-view-about/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Composer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very-specific-point-of-view-about/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb3/elliott-carter-23733_composer_aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very_525142.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb3/elliott-carter-23733_composer_aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very_525142.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb3/elliott-carter-23733_composer_aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very_525142.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Aaron Copland was a man that had a very specific point of view about what music should be which was that, he…” — Elliott Carter", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elliott Carter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Aaron Copland was a man that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very-specific-point-of-view-about/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very-specific-point-of-view-about/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```