--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the reader were so rash as to purchase…" description: "\"If the reader were so rash as to purchase any of Bela Bartok's compositions, he would find that they each and all consist of unmeaning bunches of notes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/094/frederick-corder-238330_bartok_if-the-reader-were-so-rash-as-to-purchas_2625047.jpg" --- # If the reader were so rash as to purchase any of Bela… ![“If the reader were so rash as to purchase any of Bela Bartok's compositions, he would find that they each and all consist of unmeaning bunches of notes, apparently representing the composer promenading the keyboard in his boots. Some can be played better with the elbows, others with the flat of…” quote by Frederick Corder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/094/frederick-corder-238330_bartok_if-the-reader-were-so-rash-as-to-purchas_2625047.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/094/frederick-corder-238330_bartok_if-the-reader-were-so-rash-as-to-purchas_2625047.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/094/frederick-corder-238330_bartok_if-the-reader-were-so-rash-as-to-purchas_2625047.jpg) > “If the reader were so rash as to purchase any of Bela Bartok's compositions, he would find that they each and all consist of unmeaning bunches of notes, apparently representing the composer promenading the keyboard in his boots. Some can be played better with the elbows, others with the flat of the hand. None require fingers to perform or ears to listen too.” Frederick Corder ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bartók’s pieces sound chaotic, as if the composer plays without finesse, sometimes requiring elbows rather than fingers. **In simple terms:** Bartók’s music seems messy and unrefined. Key Takeaway Listen critically; assess musical structure before dismissing. Themes Music criticism Aesthetic judgment Performance technique Modernism Perception Mood critical analytical Type review historical When to use this quote - Concert listening - Music education - Composition analysis - Performance practice Key Concepts Musicology Aesthetics Cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What defines “meaningful” music? - Can unconventional technique be artistic? A Different Perspective Subjective taste may bias assessment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Composer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composer/) ## Related quotes > [As Bartok put it so succinctly: "Competitions are for horses." Nothing could be more barbaric that the practice or ranking artists as though they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-sherman/as-bartok-put-it-so-succinctly-competitions-are-for-horses-nothing/) [Russell Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-sherman/) > [Many people believe that composing 'Concerto for Orchestra' kept Bartok alive through his final years of a battle with leukemia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-larry-granger/many-people-believe-that-composing-concerto-for-orchestra-kept-bartok/) John Larry Granger > [ \[Phil wood\] put on some \[Igor\] Stravinsky and say to follow the score, tell me to play me the opening to the Rite of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/phil-wood-put-on-some-igor-stravinsky-and-say-to-follow-the-score/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [ \[Miranda Hentoff\] was teaching once at Lincoln Center, and the hall was full of other professionals - musicians, professors, teachers. And she was explaining… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/miranda-hentoff-was-teaching-once-at-lincoln-center-and-the-hall-was/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [My mom was my English teacher in high school. So to be able to bend the rules and be the class clown and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rust/my-mom-was-my-english-teacher-in-high-school-so-to-be-able-to-bend/) [Paul Rust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rust/) > [You've always lived here, right?" Sarah asked. "Except for the years I went to college." "Didn't you ever want to move away? To experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-ve-always-lived-here-right-sarah-asked-except-for-the-years-i/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [The trouble with women? Elbows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/the-trouble-with-women-elbows/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [There was the pedestrian who wedged himself into the crowd, but there was also the flneur who demanded elbow room and was unwilling to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/there-was-the-pedestrian-who-wedged-himself-into-the-crowd-but-there/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [I'm not supposed to date you, Jenny." "That's what you said before." He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "I didn't think this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chandler/i-m-not-supposed-to-date-you-jenny-that-s-what-you-said-before-he/) [Elizabeth Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chandler/) > [And in "Elbow Room" the cast sings the glories of westward expansion in the United States, which involved the murder of native peoples and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/and-in-elbow-room-the-cast-sings-the-glories-of-westward-expansion-in/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [“Never throw away squeezed lemon, but keep them for the day by the sink. Then you can use them to remove fish, onion or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-paterson/never-throw-away-squeezed-lemon-but-keep-them-for-the-day-by-the-sink/) Jennifer Paterson > [I, in my brand new body, which was not a woman's yet, told the stars my questions and thought God could really see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/i-in-my-brand-new-body-which-was-not-a-woman-s-yet-told-the-stars-my/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [The lesion is in the area of my brain that is responsible for motor function, so I have continual chronic pain in my left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-duffy/the-lesion-is-in-the-area-of-my-brain-that-is-responsible-for-motor/) [Karen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-duffy/) > [I've been afraid of being Cansrel,' she said aloud to her reflection. 'But I'm not Cansrel.' At her elbow, Musa said blandly, 'Any one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/i-ve-been-afraid-of-being-cansrel-she-said-aloud-to-her-reflection/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [Who says I'm not Superman?" You were looking at me with one eye closed against the sun. I shrugged "You would have recued me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-christopher/who-says-i-m-not-superman-you-were-looking-at-me-with-one-eye-closed/) [Lucy Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-christopher/) ## More Bartok quotes > [ \[Miranda Hentoff\] was teaching once at Lincoln Center, and the hall was full of other professionals - musicians, professors, teachers. And she was explaining… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/miranda-hentoff-was-teaching-once-at-lincoln-center-and-the-hall-was/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [ \[Phil wood\] put on some \[Igor\] Stravinsky and say to follow the score, tell me to play me the opening to the Rite of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/phil-wood-put-on-some-igor-stravinsky-and-say-to-follow-the-score/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [Many people believe that composing 'Concerto for Orchestra' kept Bartok alive through his final years of a battle with leukemia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-larry-granger/many-people-believe-that-composing-concerto-for-orchestra-kept-bartok/) John Larry Granger > [As Bartok put it so succinctly: "Competitions are for horses." Nothing could be more barbaric that the practice or ranking artists as though they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-sherman/as-bartok-put-it-so-succinctly-competitions-are-for-horses-nothing/) [Russell Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-sherman/) Browse all 5 Bartok quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If the reader were so rash as to purchase any of Bela Bartok's compositions, he would find that they each and all consist of unmeaning bunches of notes, apparently representing the composer promenading the keyboard in his boots. Some can be played better with the elbows, others with the flat of the hand. 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