--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're a good composer, you steal good…" description: "\"If you're a good composer, you steal good steals.\" — Leonard Bernstein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/leonard-bernstein-10475_composer_if-you-re-a-good-composer-you-steal-good_1487999.jpg" --- # If you're a good composer, you steal good steals. ![“If you're a good composer, you steal good steals.” quote by Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/leonard-bernstein-10475_composer_if-you-re-a-good-composer-you-steal-good_1487999.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/leonard-bernstein-10475_composer_if-you-re-a-good-composer-you-steal-good_1487999.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/leonard-bernstein-10475_composer_if-you-re-a-good-composer-you-steal-good_1487999.jpg) > “If you're a good composer, you steal good steals.” [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great composers borrow ideas, transforming them into original works. **In simple terms:** Stealing ideas leads to creativity. Key Takeaway Learn from existing works to innovate. Themes creativity art influence originality music Mood inspirational reflective encouraging Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - songwriting - film scoring - teaching composition Key Concepts intertextuality artistic borrowing Questions to Reflect On - What makes a borrowed idea uniquely yours? - How do you balance influence and originality? A Different Perspective Over-reliance on copying can stifle personal voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Composer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composer/) [Composer Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composer-steal-5436312/) [Good Composer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-composer-867220/) [Good Steals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-steals-5436313/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Steal Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steal-good-656113/) [Stealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stealing/) [Steals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steals/) ## Related quotes > [A good composer does not imitate; he steals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-stravinsky/a-good-composer-does-not-imitate-he-steals/) [Igor Stravinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-stravinsky/) > [A good composer is slowly discovered and a bad composer is slowly found out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-newman/a-good-composer-is-slowly-discovered-and-a-bad-composer-is-slowly/) [Ernest Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-newman/) > [I think it's good for the composer to teach because you always have new students and you have to begin at the beginning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corigliano/i-think-it-s-good-for-the-composer-to-teach-because-you-always-have/) [John Corigliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corigliano/) > [“Ruth's mouth dropped open, her delicate face contorting in outrage. 'Steal? How dare you! I don't steal!' 'That's good,' I went on, smirking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/ruth-s-mouth-dropped-open-her-delicate-face-contorting-in-outrage/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [When you work with a good composer, you don't tell him what to write. If he knows your playing, he will do what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/when-you-work-with-a-good-composer-you-don-t-tell-him-what-to-write/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [The fact that certain composers have been able to create first-class music within the medium of film proves that film music can be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-goldsmith/the-fact-that-certain-composers-have-been-able-to-create-first-class/) [Jerry Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-goldsmith/) > [One day I'll be able to relax a bit, and try and become a good composer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-britten/one-day-i-ll-be-able-to-relax-a-bit-and-try-and-become-a-good-composer/) [Benjamin Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-britten/) > [“Steal? How dare you? I don't steal!" "That's good" I went on, smirking at her. "Because, sometimes I kill things in my sleep. Particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/steal-how-dare-you-i-don-t-steal-that-s-good-i-went-on-smirking-at/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [Never use your own money. Steal a good idea and say it's your own. Do anything to get publicity. Remember that everybody can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-breslin/never-use-your-own-money-steal-a-good-idea-and-say-it-s-your-own-do/) [Jimmy Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-breslin/) > [“Go ahead Steal! Steal a good thought. Dec 9, World Anti Corruption Day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vineet-raj-kapoor/go-ahead-steal-steal-a-good-thought-dec-9-world-anti-corruption-day/) [Vineet Raj Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vineet-raj-kapoor/) > [Never hesitate to steal a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-neuharth/never-hesitate-to-steal-a-good-idea/) [Al Neuharth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-neuharth/) > [About the most originality that any writer can hope to achieve honestly is to steal with good judgment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/about-the-most-originality-that-any-writer-can-hope-to-achieve/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Most writers steal a good thing when they can, and when 'Tis safely got 'Tis worth the winning. The worst of 't is we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-procter/most-writers-steal-a-good-thing-when-they-can-and-when-tis-safely-got/) [Bryan Procter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-procter/) > [ \[Salvation\] is a curious process of divine burglary. The first thing to be wrested from one by a God who said 'Thou shalt not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-goudge/salvation-is-a-curious-process-of-divine-burglary-the-first-thing-to/) [Elizabeth Goudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-goudge/) > [You've got to be an editor in order to be a good composer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mancini/you-ve-got-to-be-an-editor-in-order-to-be-a-good-composer/) [Henry Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mancini/) ## More by Leonard Bernstein > [A liberal is a man or a woman or a child who looks forward to a better day, a more tranquil night, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/a-liberal-is-a-man-or-a-woman-or-a-child-who-looks-forward-to-a/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [I think it is time we learned the lesson of our century: that the progress of the human spirit must keep pace with technological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/i-think-it-is-time-we-learned-the-lesson-of-our-century-that-the/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [Conducting is like making love to a hundred people at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/conducting-is-like-making-love-to-a-hundred-people-at-the-same-time/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [I'm no longer quite sure what the question is, but I do know that the answer is Yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/i-m-no-longer-quite-sure-what-the-question-is-but-i-do-know-that-the/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [Our most emotionally active life is lived in our dreams, and our cells renew themselves most industriously in sleep. We reach highest in meditation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/our-most-emotionally-active-life-is-lived-in-our-dreams-and-our-cells/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/music-can-name-the-unnameable-and-communicate-the-unknowable/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [Any asshole can write a tone-row. It takes a composer to write a tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/any-asshole-can-write-a-tone-row-it-takes-a-composer-to-write-a-tune/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [From New Year's on the outlook brightens; good humor lost in a mood of failure returns. I resolve to stop complaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/from-new-year-s-on-the-outlook-brightens-good-humor-lost-in-a-mood-of/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [Music, because of its specific and far-reaching metaphorical powers, can name the unnamable and communicate the unknowable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/music-because-of-its-specific-and-far-reaching-metaphorical-powers/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [Einstein said that the most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. So why do so many of us try to explain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/einstein-said-that-the-most-beautiful-experience-we-can-have-is-the/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [When the thunder rumbles, Now the age of gold is dead. When the dreams we've clung to Trying to stay young, Have left us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/when-the-thunder-rumbles-now-the-age-of-gold-is-dead-when-the-dreams/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time... The wait is simply too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/inspiration-is-wonderful-when-it-happens-but-the-writer-must-develop/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [...we can all shut-up and go back to our caves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/we-can-all-shut-up-and-go-back-to-our-caves/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [“We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good We'll do the best we know. We'll build our house and chop our wood And make our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-ll-do-the-best-we-know-we-ll/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [I have two answers to everything and one answer to nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/i-have-two-answers-to-everything-and-one-answer-to-nothing/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) [Explore all 65 Leonard Bernstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "If you're a good composer, you steal good steals.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonard Bernstein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/if-you-re-a-good-composer-you-steal-good-steals/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Composer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/if-you-re-a-good-composer-you-steal-good-steals/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/leonard-bernstein-10475_composer_if-you-re-a-good-composer-you-steal-good_1487999.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/leonard-bernstein-10475_composer_if-you-re-a-good-composer-you-steal-good_1487999.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4d/leonard-bernstein-10475_composer_if-you-re-a-good-composer-you-steal-good_1487999.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you're a good composer, you steal good steals.” — Leonard Bernstein", "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": "Leonard Bernstein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you're a good composer, you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/if-you-re-a-good-composer-you-steal-good-steals/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/if-you-re-a-good-composer-you-steal-good-steals/#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 } } ] } ```