--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: George Rochberg once said that 'to be a…" description: "\"George Rochberg once said that 'to be a composer, you need to have fire in the belly, fire in the brain, but most importantly, an iron stomach.' I feel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ca/michael-hersch-19433_belly_george-rochberg-once-said-that-to-be-a-c_1742881.jpg" --- # George Rochberg once said that 'to be a composer, you need… ![“George Rochberg once said that 'to be a composer, you need to have fire in the belly, fire in the brain, but most importantly, an iron stomach.' I feel this is for the most part true, and hope I might convey something of it to younger composers.” quote by Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ca/michael-hersch-19433_belly_george-rochberg-once-said-that-to-be-a-c_1742881.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ca/michael-hersch-19433_belly_george-rochberg-once-said-that-to-be-a-c_1742881.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ca/michael-hersch-19433_belly_george-rochberg-once-said-that-to-be-a-c_1742881.jpg) > “George Rochberg once said that 'to be a composer, you need to have fire in the belly, fire in the brain, but most importantly, an iron stomach.' I feel this is for the most part true, and hope I might convey something of it to younger composers.” [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A composer needs passion, intellect, and resilience; the “iron stomach” represents endurance against criticism and failure. **In simple terms:** Creativity demands fire and stamina. Key Takeaway Cultivate both passion and resilience. Themes creativity resilience artistry Mood inspirational determined Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - composition - performance - teaching Key Concepts psychology of art discipline Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance fire and stamina in your work? - What practices build an “iron stomach”? A Different Perspective Resilience alone may not guarantee success without skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Composer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composer/) [Composers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/composers/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) ## Related quotes > [Pandit Pran Nath has given much of his later life to America and Europe and has influenced many of our younger composers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-holland/pandit-pran-nath-has-given-much-of-his-later-life-to-america-and/) Bernard Holland > [I think as a composer, you need to have enough of a reputation so that people know if they give you the budget you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-mccreary/i-think-as-a-composer-you-need-to-have-enough-of-a-reputation-so-that/) [Bear McCreary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-mccreary/) > [“(These younger composers were generally male, but then composers were almost exclusively male. Even the female composers were almost exclusively male.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-stace/these-younger-composers-were-generally-male-but-then-composers-were/) [Wesley Stace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-stace/) > [A lot of composers I know hate temp scores because people get attached to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-price/a-lot-of-composers-i-know-hate-temp-scores-because-people-get/) [Steven Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-price/) > [It may well be that some composers do not believe in God. All of them, however, believe in Bach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-bartok/it-may-well-be-that-some-composers-do-not-believe-in-god-all-of-them/) [Bela Bartok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-bartok/) > [Many composers today don't know what the human throat is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-schwarzkopf/many-composers-today-don-t-know-what-the-human-throat-is/) Elisabeth Schwarzkopf > [God created music as a common language for all men. It inspires the poets, the composers and the architects. It lures us to search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/god-created-music-as-a-common-language-for-all-men-it-inspires-the/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [In Hollywood, the rainbow hits the ground for composers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoagy-carmichael/in-hollywood-the-rainbow-hits-the-ground-for-composers/) [Hoagy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoagy-carmichael/) > [The more dollars the studio producers put in, the less freedom we have. If the budget hits $100m, they get scared - they'll take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/the-more-dollars-the-studio-producers-put-in-the-less-freedom-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [There's still a lot I need to do as a player, as a musician, as a sound creator. I have commissioned 170 pieces: that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-glennie/there-s-still-a-lot-i-need-to-do-as-a-player-as-a-musician-as-a-sound/) [Evelyn Glennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-glennie/) > [Men have been in the forefront of music for centuries, and they have written glorious music, loved and appreciated by many. In some ways,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-harbach/men-have-been-in-the-forefront-of-music-for-centuries-and-they-have/) [Barbara Harbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-harbach/) > [As far as rock groups, I really like Stone Temple Pilots. As for classical composers, it's Bach. I love Paganini, too, the Italian composer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-schulze/as-far-as-rock-groups-i-really-like-stone-temple-pilots-as-for/) [Matt Schulze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-schulze/) > [Not many composers have ideas. Far more of them know how to use strange instruments which do not require ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gershwin/not-many-composers-have-ideas-far-more-of-them-know-how-to-use/) [George Gershwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gershwin/) > [Nobody can give a good performance unless the authors and composers have written a good part, a fact which is often overlooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-holliday/nobody-can-give-a-good-performance-unless-the-authors-and-composers/) [Judy Holliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-holliday/) > [There are no black film composers doing the likes of Star Wars, doing the likes of E.T., doing the likes of Jurassic Park. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-johnson/there-are-no-black-film-composers-doing-the-likes-of-star-wars-doing/) [J. J. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-johnson/) ## More by Michael Hersch > [The American new music scene is remarkably vibrant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/the-american-new-music-scene-is-remarkably-vibrant/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [I enjoy the challenge of taking something which was not meant for the piano, distilling its essence and writing or improvising it for/at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/i-enjoy-the-challenge-of-taking-something-which-was-not-meant-for-the/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [If people want insights, if they want to swim in the currents of their own time and share the experiences of their time, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/if-people-want-insights-if-they-want-to-swim-in-the-currents-of-their/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [I write because the act of writing itself is what drives me. It's a private communication within myself - nothing more or less. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/i-write-because-the-act-of-writing-itself-is-what-drives-me-it-s-a/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [I was fortunate to work with Corigliano for a few years in the mid nineties. Meeting and working with him during those formative years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/i-was-fortunate-to-work-with-corigliano-for-a-few-years-in-the-mid/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [My own goals center around writing the best music that I can, and only I can determine whether or not I've succeeded in accomplishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/my-own-goals-center-around-writing-the-best-music-that-i-can-and-only/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [The visual and literary arts are of perennial interest to me, and these art forms have become more and more a part of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/the-visual-and-literary-arts-are-of-perennial-interest-to-me-and/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [Many critics have become de facto teachers. That is a lot of responsibility, and I think it should be wielded with care. Most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/many-critics-have-become-de-facto-teachers-that-is-a-lot-of/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [I don't think performance out of duty yields very much. Coercion is never the way to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/i-don-t-think-performance-out-of-duty-yields-very-much-coercion-is/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [As a young composer I had a particular fondness for Liszt's Beethoven Symphony arrangements for the piano, and to this day I enjoy playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/as-a-young-composer-i-had-a-particular-fondness-for-liszt-s-beethoven/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [The best results come when people believe in and feel strongly about the music they are playing. Just as composers write for certain types…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/the-best-results-come-when-people-believe-in-and-feel-strongly-about/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [I don't think the role of the critic has changed very much. In the most positive sense, the music critic is one who helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/i-don-t-think-the-role-of-the-critic-has-changed-very-much-in-the/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [As I see it, the major requirements for a strong and able rendering are an understanding of a work's structure, voicing, and trajectory; an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/as-i-see-it-the-major-requirements-for-a-strong-and-able-rendering/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [The musical culture in the United States has no doubt suffered severe setbacks, especially in funding, since the early 2000's. However, I've been amazed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/the-musical-culture-in-the-united-states-has-no-doubt-suffered-severe/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) > [A critic can serve as guide. I think there's an understanding amongst the public that critics have their own preferences and dislikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hersch/a-critic-can-serve-as-guide-i-think-there-s-an-understanding-amongst/) [Michael Hersch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) [Explore all 32 Michael Hersch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hersch/) ## More Belly quotes > [I'm bigger than you! I'm higher on the food chain - get in my belly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/i-m-bigger-than-you-i-m-higher-on-the-food-chain-get-in-my-belly/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [I was the first to win a major with a belly putter, and I've spent hours practicing that way, so I hope they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-bradley/i-was-the-first-to-win-a-major-with-a-belly-putter-and-i-ve-spent/) [Keegan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-bradley/) > [That devilish Iron Horse, whose ear-rending neigh is heard throughout the town, has muddied the Boiling Spring with his foot, and he it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-devilish-iron-horse-whose-ear-rending-neigh-is-heard-throughout/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I liked the taste of beer, its live, white lather, its brass-bright depths, the sudden world through the wet-brown walls of the glass, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/i-liked-the-taste-of-beer-its-live-white-lather-its-brass-bright/) [Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/) > [“Somewhere squidgy. Your belly, maybe?” “I can’t believe you called my belly ‘squidgy.’ It’s not squidgy, it’s pillowy. And sexy!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-peeler/somewhere-squidgy-your-belly-maybe-i-can-t-believe-you-called-my/) [Nicole Peeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-peeler/) > [“That man’s so low he has to reach up to rub the belly of a snake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/that-man-s-so-low-he-has-to-reach-up-to-rub-the-belly-of-a-snake/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [We sat there, not talking, for a few minutes. He ate the Moon Pie; only skinny people can scarf down junk food like that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/we-sat-there-not-talking-for-a-few-minutes-he-ate-the-moon-pie-only/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I get so nervous, I get belly pains before I go on stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ora/i-get-so-nervous-i-get-belly-pains-before-i-go-on-stage/) [Rita Ora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ora/) > [I can reason down or deny everything, except this perpetual Belly: feed he must and will, and I cannot make him respectable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-can-reason-down-or-deny-everything-except-this-perpetual-belly-feed/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I've learned ballet for seven years and Kathak and belly dancing for some time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nidhhi-agerwal/i-ve-learned-ballet-for-seven-years-and-kathak-and-belly-dancing-for/) [Nidhhi Agerwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nidhhi-agerwal/) > [It's very important to not repeat yourself. After 'Delhi Belly,' I was offered 40 'Delhi Belly's and you can't do that! So 'Revolver Rani'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vir-das/it-s-very-important-to-not-repeat-yourself-after-delhi-belly-i-was/) [Vir Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vir-das/) > [I asked these Indians: "Do men ever make Chicha?" My question was met with gales of laughter. The women howled. Bent over in hilarity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-d-eames/i-asked-these-indians-do-men-ever-make-chicha-my-question-was-met/) [Alan D. Eames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-d-eames/) > [Wit, like the Belly, if it be not fed, Will starve the Members, and distract the Head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/wit-like-the-belly-if-it-be-not-fed-will-starve-the-members-and/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [After three years down here, I've not learned too much. But one thing I do know is that our bellies aren't big enough for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-three-years-down-here-i-ve-not-learned-too-much-but-one-thing-i/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [The City of New York is like an enormous citadel, a modern Carcassonne. Walking between the magnificent skyscrapers one feels the presence on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-city-of-new-york-is-like-an-enormous-citadel-a-modern-carcassonne/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) Browse all 662 Belly quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "George Rochberg once said that 'to be a composer, you need to have fire in the belly, fire in the brain, but most importantly, an iron stomach.' 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