--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Minimalism now is a reaction to what came…" description: "\"Minimalism now is a reaction to what came before. It's absolutely of its time. Music moved into the set theory thing, and moved out of it.\" — Harrison ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/harrison-birtwistle-21154_minimalism_minimalism-now-is-a-reaction-to-what-cam_433047.png" --- # Minimalism now is a reaction to what came before. It's… ![“Minimalism now is a reaction to what came before. It's absolutely of its time. Music moved into the set theory thing, and moved out of it.” quote by Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/harrison-birtwistle-21154_minimalism_minimalism-now-is-a-reaction-to-what-cam_433047.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/harrison-birtwistle-21154_minimalism_minimalism-now-is-a-reaction-to-what-cam_433047.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/harrison-birtwistle-21154_minimalism_minimalism-now-is-a-reaction-to-what-cam_433047.png) > “Minimalism now is a reaction to what came before. It's absolutely of its time. Music moved into the set theory thing, and moved out of it.” [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes minimalism as a timely reaction to previous styles. **In simple terms:** Minimalism reflects its era’s reaction. Key Takeaway Recognize context in artistic trends. Themes art minimalism history Mood analytical thoughtful Type critical historical When to use this quote - concert programming - art education - creative planning - media analysis Key Concepts cultural theory musicology Questions to Reflect On - Why does minimalism emerge now? - How does it differ from past movements? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex influences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Minimalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minimalism/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Simplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simplicity/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“As the boy looked at it, my thing moved and he whispered "It is splendid! Do let me try its love-making" ... And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-m-christman/as-the-boy-looked-at-it-my-thing-moved-and-he-whispered-it-is/) Henry M. Christman > [I was captured by the songs as much as the singer. They grabbed my heart. The reality of Country Music moved me. Even when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-howard/i-was-captured-by-the-songs-as-much-as-the-singer-they-grabbed-my/) [Harlan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-howard/) > [I started producing in California, and they called it mob music. When I moved to Atlanta, the sound was different. People in Atlanta didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaytoven/i-started-producing-in-california-and-they-called-it-mob-music-when-i/) [Zaytoven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaytoven/) > [Music has always moved me really deeply, and it's always been more about that than about the desire to rebel or annoy people (although,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/music-has-always-moved-me-really-deeply-and-it-s-always-been-more/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I really got deep into downloading music when I moved to the South and got a computer. So I was downloading the The Diplomats,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/i-really-got-deep-into-downloading-music-when-i-moved-to-the-south/) [JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/) > [In New York, my dad raised me to listen to everything like hip-hop, rock and country music. When I moved to Dallas, I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/post-malone/in-new-york-my-dad-raised-me-to-listen-to-everything-like-hip-hop/) [Post Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/post-malone/) > [Then I felt something inside me break and music began to pour out into the quiet. My fingers danced; intricate and quick they spun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/then-i-felt-something-inside-me-break-and-music-began-to-pour-out/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [As I listened more and more to the music that moved me, I gained more fascination with America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hozier/as-i-listened-more-and-more-to-the-music-that-moved-me-i-gained-more/) [Hozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hozier/) > [“He (Chuck Smith) was leery of music that moved the body more than the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-eskridge/he-chuck-smith-was-leery-of-music-that-moved-the-body-more-than-the/) [Larry Eskridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-eskridge/) > [You really should be able to feel the higher power of music and be moved by it, rather than listening to me waffle on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/you-really-should-be-able-to-feel-the-higher-power-of-music-and-be/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [When I was younger - and when I think music moved me the most was when I was younger - I didn't know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-g/when-i-was-younger-and-when-i-think-music-moved-me-the-most-was-when/) [Alex G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-g/) > [I was actually going for the pre-medicine track and studying for my MCATs and then I decided to follow my passion, which was music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vidya-vox/i-was-actually-going-for-the-pre-medicine-track-and-studying-for-my/) [Vidya Vox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vidya-vox/) > [I was always attracted to music that moved people. Whether it be gospel, R&B, folk, hip-hop, pop, alternative rock - whatever moved people, whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-james/i-was-always-attracted-to-music-that-moved-people-whether-it-be/) [Luke James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-james/) > [Post-minimalism implies music that's genre-less. Minimalism was very important because it came at a time when contemporary music had become so complex, so experimental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-beiser/post-minimalism-implies-music-that-s-genre-less-minimalism-was-very/) [Maya Beiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-beiser/) > [“Minimalism naturally narrows down your choices so you can arrive at quick decisions. Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-sasaki/minimalism-naturally-narrows-down-your-choices-so-you-can-arrive-at/) [Fumio Sasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-sasaki/) ## More by Harrison Birtwistle > [I don't have ideas so much as there are things which constantly evolve... there are various threads or layers, if you like, which change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-don-t-have-ideas-so-much-as-there-are-things-which-constantly/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I didn't have a record player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-didn-t-have-a-record-player/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [The thing about influence is that any composer worth anything will give you the same names.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/the-thing-about-influence-is-that-any-composer-worth-anything-will/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I always write the pieces I want to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-always-write-the-pieces-i-want-to-write/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I think there are influences that you open the door to, and influences that come under the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-think-there-are-influences-that-you-open-the-door-to-and-influences/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I wrote music as soon as I knew notation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-wrote-music-as-soon-as-i-knew-notation/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [The opera tells the story with all the built-in contradictions and from many different angles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/the-opera-tells-the-story-with-all-the-built-in-contradictions-and/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I'm not a music lover in the sense that I look for something to have on. I've never had that attitude to music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-m-not-a-music-lover-in-the-sense-that-i-look-for-something-to-have/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I think music has gone through a period of something very severe, rather radical, rather the way painting did with cubism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-think-music-has-gone-through-a-period-of-something-very-severe/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [The piece that had a large influence on me was Turangalila.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/the-piece-that-had-a-large-influence-on-me-was-turangalila/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [There are rhythmic ideas which sometimes only work up to a point. In writing there are moments when it just comes off the page,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/there-are-rhythmic-ideas-which-sometimes-only-work-up-to-a-point-in/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [The theatre only knows what it's doing next week, not like the opera, where they say: What are we going to do in five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/the-theatre-only-knows-what-it-s-doing-next-week-not-like-the-opera/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [This sounds horribly pretentious, but I like to think that if music hadn't existed, I could have invented it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/this-sounds-horribly-pretentious-but-i-like-to-think-that-if-music/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [When I was confronted with official tuition, the academic thing, I could see no relationship whatever between that and the music I'd been writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/when-i-was-confronted-with-official-tuition-the-academic-thing-i/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [You either are or you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/you-either-are-or-you-re-not/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) [Explore all 29 Harrison Birtwistle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) ## More Minimalism quotes > [“A car is one of the most interesting inventions, but driving is one of the most boring activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-car-is-one-of-the-most-interesting-inventions-but-driving-is-one-of/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“You need to belong to yourself, and let others belong to themselves too. You need to be free and detached from things and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/you-need-to-belong-to-yourself-and-let-others-belong-to-themselves/) [Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/) > [“Minimalism naturally narrows down your choices so you can arrive at quick decisions. Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-sasaki/minimalism-naturally-narrows-down-your-choices-so-you-can-arrive-at/) [Fumio Sasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-sasaki/) > [Post-minimalism implies music that's genre-less. Minimalism was very important because it came at a time when contemporary music had become so complex, so experimental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-beiser/post-minimalism-implies-music-that-s-genre-less-minimalism-was-very/) [Maya Beiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-beiser/) > [“Jobs's intensity was also evident in his ability to focus. He would set priorities, aim his laser attention on them, and filter out distractions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/jobs-s-intensity-was-also-evident-in-his-ability-to-focus-he-would/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“A minimalist does not charge you for what he did. He charges you for what he did not do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-minimalist-does-not-charge-you-for-what-he-did-he-charges-you-for/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Minimalism seems closest to the sophisticated storytelling of movies. Movies have really educated contemporary audiences to be the most intelligent, sophisticated audiences in history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/minimalism-seems-closest-to-the-sophisticated-storytelling-of-movies/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [The concept of minimalism is to relax. Like a Zen monk in training, it is something that brings equilibrium to the heart. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takashi-murakami/the-concept-of-minimalism-is-to-relax-like-a-zen-monk-in-training-it/) [Takashi Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takashi-murakami/) > [I have my own definition of minimalism, which is that which is created with a minimum of means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-monte-young/i-have-my-own-definition-of-minimalism-which-is-that-which-is-created/) [La Monte Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-monte-young/) > [Music that is considered minimalism - or post-minimalism music in general - things of that nature or that come from that tradition, or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oneohtrix-point-never/music-that-is-considered-minimalism-or-post-minimalism-music-in/) [Oneohtrix Point Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oneohtrix-point-never/) > [I have much to learn from my daughter Sofia. Her minimalism exposes my limitations: I'm too instinctive and operatic, I put too much heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/i-have-much-to-learn-from-my-daughter-sofia-her-minimalism-exposes-my/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [“For me, decluttering and downsizing has caused shifts in my thinking and my habits. I don’t have to declutter; I choose to declutter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/for-me-decluttering-and-downsizing-has-caused-shifts-in-my-thinking/) [Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/) > [“Do you think the wren ever dreams of a better house?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/do-you-think-the-wren-ever-dreams-of-a-better-house/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“If we open our eyes to simplicity, we may discover serene pleasures scattered around us, quietly waiting to be noticed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuwan-thapaliya/if-we-open-our-eyes-to-simplicity-we-may-discover-serene-pleasures/) [Bhuwan Thapaliya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuwan-thapaliya/) > [“There’s been a lot written on the topic of minimalism. But I still believe in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lilly/there-s-been-a-lot-written-on-the-topic-of-minimalism-but-i-still/) [Ryan Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lilly/) [Browse all 175 Minimalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minimalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Minimalism now is a reaction to what came before. It's absolutely of its time. 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