--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, they were returning to the…" description: "\"You know, they were returning to the language of the people and trying to use musical language, particularly as Copland did to create a musical languag..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/michael-tilson-thomas-15268_all-americans_you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-lang_384443.jpg" --- # You know, they were returning to the language of the… ![“You know, they were returning to the language of the people and trying to use musical language, particularly as Copland did to create a musical language in which all Americans would feel that they had a stake.” quote by Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/michael-tilson-thomas-15268_all-americans_you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-lang_384443.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/michael-tilson-thomas-15268_all-americans_you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-lang_384443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/michael-tilson-thomas-15268_all-americans_you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-lang_384443.jpg) > “You know, they were returning to the language of the people and trying to use musical language, particularly as Copland did to create a musical language in which all Americans would feel that they had a stake.” [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. American composers sought a shared musical language, like Copland, to give all citizens a sense of ownership and identity. **In simple terms:** Music can unite a nation through a common language. Key Takeaway Promote inclusive musical expression that reflects diverse voices. Themes music national identity inclusivity culture Mood proud reflective optimistic Type cultural inspirational When to use this quote - education - community concerts - media - policy Key Concepts musical language cultural unity artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - What musical elements best represent a shared American identity? - How can composers balance tradition and innovation? A Different Perspective A single musical style may not capture all cultural nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [All americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-americans/) [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [Copland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copland-814339/) [Copland Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copland-did-3480955/) [Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Language Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-americans-3048014/) [Language People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-people-1593196/) [Musical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musical/) [Particularly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particularly/) [Particularly Copland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particularly-copland-3480956/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Returning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/returning/) [Stake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stake/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [When I read Copland, I really wanted Stallone's part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-liotta/when-i-read-copland-i-really-wanted-stallone-s-part/) [Ray Liotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-liotta/) > [Honestly, I'm cool with everyone, and people pick up on that. I'd say, 'I'm not gay, but it's all good.' It's kind of like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-mcdermott/honestly-i-m-cool-with-everyone-and-people-pick-up-on-that-i-d-say-i/) [Dylan McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-mcdermott/) > [Arthur V. Berger commenting on the music of Aaron Copland: Here is at last an American that we may place unapologetically beside the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-copland/arthur-v-berger-commenting-on-the-music-of-aaron-copland-here-is-at/) [Aaron Copland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-copland/) > [At the end of the day, flirting is a pretty universal language. Americans are more direct. British people are more indirect about everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/at-the-end-of-the-day-flirting-is-a-pretty-universal-language/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [Aaron Copland was a man that had a very specific point of view about what music should be which was that, he felt that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-carter/aaron-copland-was-a-man-that-had-a-very-specific-point-of-view-about/) [Elliott Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-carter/) > [The most basic barrier was language itself, very few Americans in Iraq whether soldiers or diplomats or news paper reporters could speak more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-filkins/the-most-basic-barrier-was-language-itself-very-few-americans-in-iraq/) [Dexter Filkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-filkins/) > [There is often hypocrisy in our obsession with language. Many people use the 'right' language but still see me as a cripple, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/there-is-often-hypocrisy-in-our-obsession-with-language-many-people/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [English is the language of a people ho have probably earned their reputation for perfidy and hypocrisy because their language itself is so flexible,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scott/english-is-the-language-of-a-people-ho-have-probably-earned-their/) [Paul Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scott/) > [Even if you're a genius and you invent your own language, it doesn't become a language until there are people using it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eyvind-kang/even-if-you-re-a-genius-and-you-invent-your-own-language-it-doesn-t/) [Eyvind Kang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eyvind-kang/) > [“Spirituality has a language of it's own and some people haven't learned to speak it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/spirituality-has-a-language-of-it-s-own-and-some-people-haven-t/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/think-like-a-wise-man-but-communicate-in-the-language-of-the-people/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Every time another tribe becomes extinct and their language dies, another way of life and another way of understanding the world disappears forever. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-corry/every-time-another-tribe-becomes-extinct-and-their-language-dies/) [Stephen Corry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-corry/) > [“Silence is a language not all people understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdel-halim-boudekhana/silence-is-a-language-not-all-people-understand/) [Abdel Halim Boudekhana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdel-halim-boudekhana/) > [“The net effect of this language system was not to keep these people ignorant of what they were doing, but to prevent them from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/the-net-effect-of-this-language-system-was-not-to-keep-these-people/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“You have to watch your language. People will think you have no fucking class”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lani-diane-rich/you-have-to-watch-your-language-people-will-think-you-have-no-fucking/) [Lani Diane Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lani-diane-rich/) ## More by Michael Tilson Thomas > [If we are able to get inside the music and inhabit it convincingly enough, it will cause everyone to find each other in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/if-we-are-able-to-get-inside-the-music-and-inhabit-it-convincingly/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [Being a conductor is kind of a hybrid profession because most fundamentally, it is being someone who is a coach, a trainer, an editor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/being-a-conductor-is-kind-of-a-hybrid-profession-because-most/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [The first year I started in San Francisco, there was an American work on every program and there's been a lot of music by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/the-first-year-i-started-in-san-francisco-there-was-an-american-work/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [Conductors are performers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/conductors-are-performers/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [The world changes when there's music in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/the-world-changes-when-there-s-music-in-it/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [But those musics do not address the larger kind of architecture in time that classical music does, whatever each one of us knows that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/but-those-musics-do-not-address-the-larger-kind-of-architecture-in/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [ If you're curious, if you have a capacity for wonder, if you're alive, you know all that you need to know \[about music\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/if-you-re-curious-if-you-have-a-capacity-for-wonder-if-you-re-alive/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [Classical music is a wonderful 1200 year-old tradition that witnesses everything that it has meant and what it means right now to be human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/classical-music-is-a-wonderful-1200-year-old-tradition-that-witnesses/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [But a large symphony orchestra basically is a repertory company and it has a very enormous repertoire and it is important for the performers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/but-a-large-symphony-orchestra-basically-is-a-repertory-company-and/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [You can't have Bach, Mozart and Beethoven as your favorite composers. They simply define what music is!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/you-can-t-have-bach-mozart-and-beethoven-as-your-favorite-composers/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [Being an American musician means being adventurous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/being-an-american-musician-means-being-adventurous/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [I can't do pieces I only admire technically. I have to feel some direct contact with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/i-can-t-do-pieces-i-only-admire-technically-i-have-to-feel-some/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [But without the experience of actually singing or playing these things yourself, you don't have the same kind of involvement or understanding of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/but-without-the-experience-of-actually-singing-or-playing-these/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [This extraordinary group has absolutely captivated my imagination, knocked my socks off - what more can I say?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/this-extraordinary-group-has-absolutely-captivated-my-imagination/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) > [But some people will say you just did these programs. Well, yes, the programs are important and I'm proud of the programs, but mostly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/but-some-people-will-say-you-just-did-these-programs-well-yes-the/) [Michael Tilson Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) [Explore all 43 Michael Tilson Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/) ## More All americans quotes > [To protect our country's economic future and the health and well being of all Americans, we must find a way to rein in out-of-control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/to-protect-our-country-s-economic-future-and-the-health-and-well/) [Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/) > [Education can help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. Teaching students to make healthy decisions can improve habits now and instill healthy eating habits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cartwright/education-can-help-all-americans-live-longer-healthier-lives-teaching/) [Matt Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cartwright/) > [I will be vigilant to protect the independence and integrity of the Supreme Court, and I will work to ensure that it upholds the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/i-will-be-vigilant-to-protect-the-independence-and-integrity-of-the/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [It is clear from the reaction to our campaign so far that our message is resonating. I look forward to continuing to take this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/it-is-clear-from-the-reaction-to-our-campaign-so-far-that-our-message/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) > [Presidents and speakers for over 100 years had tried to pass affordable care for all Americans. It was challenged over and over. The Supreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/presidents-and-speakers-for-over-100-years-had-tried-to-pass/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [That tax relief can spur the economy and thereby benefit all Americans is something that Washington Democrats used to understand. President Kennedy, for example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-bouchard/that-tax-relief-can-spur-the-economy-and-thereby-benefit-all/) [Mike Bouchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-bouchard/) > [Obama promised a return to competence and confidence and asked the nation to believe again that the government could do big things well. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/obama-promised-a-return-to-competence-and-confidence-and-asked-the/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [This is our bottom line: The ways we give should and will evolve to enable us to achieve greater impact to improve the health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/risa-lavizzo-mourey/this-is-our-bottom-line-the-ways-we-give-should-and-will-evolve-to/) [Risa Lavizzo-Mourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/risa-lavizzo-mourey/) > [I'm going to try to unite all Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-m-going-to-try-to-unite-all-americans/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All Americans value the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press, and I believe this is essential for our continued way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/all-americans-value-the-freedom-of-speech-and-the-freedom-of-the-2/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [All Americans should be exempt from the atrocities of Obamacare - no exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-scott/all-americans-should-be-exempt-from-the-atrocities-of-obamacare-no/) [Austin Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-scott/) > [All Americans are either immigrants or descendants of ancestors who came from somewhere else, including Native Americans. We should all respect and admire immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-c-ting/all-americans-are-either-immigrants-or-descendants-of-ancestors-who/) [Jan C. Ting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-c-ting/) > [Like all Americans, I will never forget where I was the morning of the 9/11 attacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/like-all-americans-i-will-never-forget-where-i-was-the-morning-of-the/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [Listen, I think what's best for the economy and to create jobs is to extend all of the current tax rates - for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boehner/listen-i-think-what-s-best-for-the-economy-and-to-create-jobs-is-to/) [John Boehner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boehner/) > [The Constitution, as originally drawn, made no reference to the fact that all Americans wre considered equal members of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/the-constitution-as-originally-drawn-made-no-reference-to-the-fact/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) [Browse all 53 All americans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-americans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You know, they were returning to the language of the people and trying to use musical language, particularly as Copland did to create a musical language in which all Americans would feel that they had a stake.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Tilson Thomas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-language-of-the-people-and-trying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "All americans" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-language-of-the-people-and-trying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/michael-tilson-thomas-15268_all-americans_you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-lang_384443.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/michael-tilson-thomas-15268_all-americans_you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-lang_384443.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c05/michael-tilson-thomas-15268_all-americans_you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-lang_384443.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You know, they were returning to the language of the people and trying to use musical language, particularly…” — Michael Tilson Thomas", "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": "Michael Tilson Thomas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tilson-thomas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You know, they were returning to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-language-of-the-people-and-trying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tilson-thomas/you-know-they-were-returning-to-the-language-of-the-people-and-trying/#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 } } ] } ```