--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There existed very long saxophones from…" description: "\"“There existed very long saxophones from years ago. The player sat on their chair like a cellist; that same sort of feeling to it as well - unlike for ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0a/james-kelman-33577_harp_there-existed-very-long-saxophones-from_2473485.jpg" --- # There existed very long saxophones from years ago. The… ![“There existed very long saxophones from years ago. The player sat on their chair like a cellist; that same sort of feeling to it as well - unlike for example the way a harpist would be: the whole act differing in a very fundamental sense. Although harpists are fine. There is nothing to be said…” quote by James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0a/james-kelman-33577_harp_there-existed-very-long-saxophones-from_2473485.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0a/james-kelman-33577_harp_there-existed-very-long-saxophones-from_2473485.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0a/james-kelman-33577_harp_there-existed-very-long-saxophones-from_2473485.jpg) > ““There existed very long saxophones from years ago. The player sat on their chair like a cellist; that same sort of feeling to it as well - unlike for example the way a harpist would be: the whole act differing in a very fundamental sense. Although harpists are fine. There is nothing to be said against harpists by any means whatsoever.”” [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts the physical posture and emotional feel of playing saxophone with that of a harpist, highlighting differences in performance style and perception. **In simple terms:** Saxophone playing feels different from harp playing. Key Takeaway Recognize unique qualities of each art form. Themes music performance comparison perception Mood reflective analytical neutral Type observational comparative When to use this quote - jazz performance - classical recital - music education - instrument selection Key Concepts instrument technique embodiment artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - How does posture affect musical expression? - What can we learn from comparing disparate instruments? A Different Perspective Different instruments demand distinct physical and emotional approaches, limiting direct comparison. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Harp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harp/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I had a big group of harpists from Japan in October of 1973 ready to tour the country and the Yom Kippur War took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haim-saban/i-had-a-big-group-of-harpists-from-japan-in-october-of-1973-ready-to/) [Haim Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haim-saban/) > [Harpists spend 90 percent of their lives tuning their harps and 10 percent playing out of tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-stravinsky/harpists-spend-90-percent-of-their-lives-tuning-their-harps-and-10/) [Igor Stravinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-stravinsky/) > [I decided to play the saxophone because it was the most obvious instrument in my family. There were a lot of saxophone players in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flying-lotus/i-decided-to-play-the-saxophone-because-it-was-the-most-obvious/) [Flying Lotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flying-lotus/) > [When I began listening to saxophones, I was first attracted to Coleman Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-mulligan/when-i-began-listening-to-saxophones-i-was-first-attracted-to-coleman/) [Gerry Mulligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-mulligan/) > [Actually, when I was very young, first starting to play, I think I probably listened more to clarinet players than to saxophones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-mulligan/actually-when-i-was-very-young-first-starting-to-play-i-think-i/) [Gerry Mulligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-mulligan/) > [I would think, of all the saxophones, the baritone would be the most logical instrument if anybody was adding a voice to the symphony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-mulligan/i-would-think-of-all-the-saxophones-the-baritone-would-be-the-most/) [Gerry Mulligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-mulligan/) > [Saxophones are awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-ervin-beam/saxophones-are-awesome/) [Samuel Ervin Beam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-ervin-beam/) > [The other saxophones, except as solo instruments, really don't have much point in the orchestra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-mulligan/the-other-saxophones-except-as-solo-instruments-really-don-t-have/) [Gerry Mulligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-mulligan/) > [That was the political reality of 1987: Saxophones made you cool. That's real! That really happened in our society!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-miller/that-was-the-political-reality-of-1987-saxophones-made-you-cool-that/) [Christopher Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-miller/) > [Drum on your drums, batter on your banjos, sob on the long cool winding saxophones. Go to it, O jazzmen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/drum-on-your-drums-batter-on-your-banjos-sob-on-the-long-cool-winding/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [I have played Yamaha instruments since I was young, specifically their alto saxophones, and I have always appreciated their top-notch quality when it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-olusola/i-have-played-yamaha-instruments-since-i-was-young-specifically-their/) [Kevin Olusola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-olusola/) > [Sometimes a sound gets overused. There is such a thing as a good saxophone, but it's like those fields in agriculture - they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mars/sometimes-a-sound-gets-overused-there-is-such-a-thing-as-a-good/) [Thomas Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mars/) > [Nature is an aeolian harp, a musical instrument whose tones are the re-echo of higher strings within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novalis/nature-is-an-aeolian-harp-a-musical-instrument-whose-tones-are-the-re/) [Novalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novalis/) > [We've got a great team sport, but we harp on about individuals. It's a bit contradictory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/we-ve-got-a-great-team-sport-but-we-harp-on-about-individuals-it-s-a/) [Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/) > [(As a boy) I was listening to Sonny Boy Williamson's (I) records and I would close my eyes and I could visualize myself playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-wells/as-a-boy-i-was-listening-to-sonny-boy-williamson-s-i-records-and-i/) Junior Wells ## More by James Kelman > [“Funny how ye tell people a story to make a point and ye fail, ye fail, a total disaster. Not only do ye no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/funny-how-ye-tell-people-a-story-to-make-a-point-and-ye-fail-ye-fail/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [“Obviously as a writer you have to reflect on why your work is provoking such hostility, because all you want to do is write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/obviously-as-a-writer-you-have-to-reflect-on-why-your-work-is/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [Ninety-nine per cent of traditional English literature concerns people who never have to worry about money at all. We always seem to be watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/ninety-nine-per-cent-of-traditional-english-literature-concerns/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [“...I used to think there was something up with any female that liked me, I mean, if she didni get bored with my company,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/i-used-to-think-there-was-something-up-with-any-female-that-liked-me/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [The beauty of prose fiction that I see is simply that in order to create something you need only pay attention to personal exigency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/the-beauty-of-prose-fiction-that-i-see-is-simply-that-in-order-to/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [In prose fiction the freedom to work honestly exists, although you may have to fight for it. In those other areas of literature, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/in-prose-fiction-the-freedom-to-work-honestly-exists-although-you-may/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [“Nay point in hoping for the best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/nay-point-in-hoping-for-the-best/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [“But lassies are trained for it, in a manner of speaking; it's part of the growing-up process for them, young females. It doesn't happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/but-lassies-are-trained-for-it-in-a-manner-of-speaking-it-s-part-of/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [Creativity is not passive, I don't see the creation of art as passive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/creativity-is-not-passive-i-don-t-see-the-creation-of-art-as-passive/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [Theoretical webs, dirty webs, fusty webs, old and shrivelling away into nothingness, a fine dust.Who needs that kind of stuff. Far far better getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/theoretical-webs-dirty-webs-fusty-webs-old-and-shrivelling-away-into/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [“Ye wake in a corner and stay there hoping yer body will disappear, the thoughts smothering ye; these thoughts; but ye want to remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/ye-wake-in-a-corner-and-stay-there-hoping-yer-body-will-disappear-the/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [“Folk take a battering but, they do; they get born and they get brought up and they get fuckt. That's the story; the cot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/folk-take-a-battering-but-they-do-they-get-born-and-they-get-brought/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) > [My culture and my language have the right to exist, and no one has the authority to dismiss that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kelman/my-culture-and-my-language-have-the-right-to-exist-and-no-one-has-the/) [James Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) [Explore all 14 James Kelman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kelman/) ## More Harp quotes > [(As a boy) I was listening to Sonny Boy Williamson's (I) records and I would close my eyes and I could visualize myself playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-wells/as-a-boy-i-was-listening-to-sonny-boy-williamson-s-i-records-and-i/) Junior Wells > [We've got a great team sport, but we harp on about individuals. It's a bit contradictory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/we-ve-got-a-great-team-sport-but-we-harp-on-about-individuals-it-s-a/) [Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/) > [Nature is an aeolian harp, a musical instrument whose tones are the re-echo of higher strings within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novalis/nature-is-an-aeolian-harp-a-musical-instrument-whose-tones-are-the-re/) [Novalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novalis/) > [I am producing sounds that people are not used to hearing from the harp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-newsom/i-am-producing-sounds-that-people-are-not-used-to-hearing-from-the/) [Joanna Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-newsom/) > [During the reign of Rameses III (the Twentieth Dynasty) Egypt saw a flowering of its civilization and the harp became the royal instrument of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-heline/during-the-reign-of-rameses-iii-the-twentieth-dynasty-egypt-saw-a/) [Corinne Heline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-heline/) > [Two touch the string, The harp is dumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/two-touch-the-string-the-harp-is-dumb/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Strike, with hand of fire, O weird musician, thy harp strung with Apollo's golden hair; fill the vast cathedral aisles with symphonies sweet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/strike-with-hand-of-fire-o-weird-musician-thy-harp-strung-with-apollo/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“My music teacher offered twittering madrigals and something about how, in Italy, in Italy, the oranges hang on the tree. He treated me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-rose-o-reilley/my-music-teacher-offered-twittering-madrigals-and-something-about-how/) [Mary Rose O'Reilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-rose-o-reilley/) > [I didn't sing for years and years, but I started playing harp when I was maybe 9 or 10. I had actually wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-newsom/i-didn-t-sing-for-years-and-years-but-i-started-playing-harp-when-i/) [Joanna Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-newsom/) > [It's defeatist to harp on what might have been, and yet, it's hard to resist considering what might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/it-s-defeatist-to-harp-on-what-might-have-been-and-yet-it-s-hard-to/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [“He finally took his harp out of the cobwebs, walked out the door, and admitted who he was: the Unforgiven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-a-mckillip/he-finally-took-his-harp-out-of-the-cobwebs-walked-out-the-door-and/) [Patricia A. McKillip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-a-mckillip/) > [There's something fundamental to the harp that has retained its appeal my whole life. It's an instrument I am just in love with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-newsom/there-s-something-fundamental-to-the-harp-that-has-retained-its/) [Joanna Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-newsom/) > [“It’s a shameful indictment of the shabby way we live nowadays, but we have to face the fact that most of you won’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/it-s-a-shameful-indictment-of-the-shabby-way-we-live-nowadays-but-we/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) > [Go ye, who rest so placidly upon the sacred Bard who had been young, and when he strung his harp was old, and had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/go-ye-who-rest-so-placidly-upon-the-sacred-bard-who-had-been-young/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The harp sounds at each passing breeze, but that does not mean the tune is masterfully played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-carey/the-harp-sounds-at-each-passing-breeze-but-that-does-not-mean-the/) [Jacqueline Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-carey/) [Browse all 95 Harp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harp/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There existed very long saxophones from years ago. 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