--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What remains of Beethoven? A frown, an…" description: "\"“What remains of Beethoven? A frown, an improbable mane, and a somber voice intoning \"Es muss seine!\" ….And so n and so forth. Before we are forgotten,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/142/milan-kundera-120_kitsch_what-remains-of-beethoven-a-frown-an-imp_3104436.jpg" --- # What remains of Beethoven? A frown, an improbable mane… ![“What remains of Beethoven? A frown, an improbable mane, and a somber voice intoning "Es muss seine!" ….And so n and so forth. Before we are forgotten, we will be turned into Kitsch. Kitsch is the stopover between being and oblivion.” quote by Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/142/milan-kundera-120_kitsch_what-remains-of-beethoven-a-frown-an-imp_3104436.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/142/milan-kundera-120_kitsch_what-remains-of-beethoven-a-frown-an-imp_3104436.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/142/milan-kundera-120_kitsch_what-remains-of-beethoven-a-frown-an-imp_3104436.jpg) > ““What remains of Beethoven? A frown, an improbable mane, and a somber voice intoning "Es muss seine!" ….And so n and so forth. Before we are forgotten, we will be turned into Kitsch. Kitsch is the stopover between being and oblivion.”” [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art eventually becomes kitsch, a superficial veneer that masks deeper meaning before it is forgotten. **In simple terms:** Art can turn into shallow imitation over time. Key Takeaway Seek depth beyond surface appearances. Themes art philosophy memory kitsch Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical literary critique When to use this quote - museum curation - educational curricula - personal reflection on art Key Concepts existentialism cultural decay Questions to Reflect On - How do we preserve authenticity in art? - When does appreciation become kitsch? A Different Perspective Kitsch may arise from genuine appreciation that loses nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beethoven Frown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beethoven-frown-5394623/) [Kitsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kitsch/) [Kitsch Kitsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kitsch-kitsch-4427179/) [Somber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somber/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Turned Kitsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turned-kitsch-5394624/) ## Related quotes > [Before we are forgotten, we will be turned into kitsch. Kitsch is the stopover between being and oblivion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/before-we-are-forgotten-we-will-be-turned-into-kitsch-kitsch-is-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Kitsch causes two tears to flow in quick succession. The first tear says: How nice to see children running on the grass! The second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/kitsch-causes-two-tears-to-flow-in-quick-succession-the-first-tear-2/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Her kitsch was the image of home, all peace, quiet, and harmony, and ruled by a loving mother and a wise father. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/her-kitsch-was-the-image-of-home-all-peace-quiet-and-harmony-and/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [In the realm of totalitarian kitsch, all answers are given in advance and preclude any questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/in-the-realm-of-totalitarian-kitsch-all-answers-are-given-in-advance/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Kitsch is the inability to admit that shit exists”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/kitsch-is-the-inability-to-admit-that-shit-exists/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The senator had only one argument in his favour: his feeling. When the heart speaks, the mind finds it indecent to object. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-senator-had-only-one-argument-in-his-favour-his-feeling-when-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [No matter how much we scorn it, kitsch is an integral part of the human condition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/no-matter-how-much-we-scorn-it-kitsch-is-an-integral-part-of-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“In the kingdom of kitsch you would be a monster”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/in-the-kingdom-of-kitsch-you-would-be-a-monster/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“It follows, then, that the aesthetic ideal of the categorical agreement with being is a world in which shit is denied and everyone acts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/it-follows-then-that-the-aesthetic-ideal-of-the-categorical-agreement/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Kitsch excludes everything from its purview which is essentially unacceptable in human existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/kitsch-excludes-everything-from-its-purview-which-is-essentially/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Kitsch causes two tears to flow in quick succession. The first tear says: How nice to see children running on the grass! The second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/kitsch-causes-two-tears-to-flow-in-quick-succession-the-first-tear/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Kitsch is the stopover between being and oblivion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/kitsch-is-the-stopover-between-being-and-oblivion/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Kitsch" is a German word born in the middle of the sentimental nineteenth century, and from German is entered all Western languages. Repeated use,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/kitsch-is-a-german-word-born-in-the-middle-of-the-sentimental/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The constant struggle in mature life, I think, is to accept the necessity of tragedy and conflict, and not to try to escape to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-think-is-to-accept-the/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) [Frank H. T. Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-h-t-rhodes/) ## More by Milan Kundera > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“From that time on they both looked forward to sleeping together. I might even say that the goal of their lovemaking was not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/from-that-time-on-they-both-looked-forward-to-sleeping-together-i/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Beauty in the European sense has always had a premeditated quality to it. We've always had an aesthetic intention and a long-range plan. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/beauty-in-the-european-sense-has-always-had-a-premeditated-quality-to/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The beauty of New York is unintentional; it arose independent of human design, like a stalagmite cavern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-beauty-of-new-york-is-unintentional-it-arose-independent-of-human/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Children, Never look Back!" and this meant that we must never allow the future to be weighed down by memory . for children have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/children-never-look-back-and-this-meant-that-we-must-never-allow-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Our lives may be separate, but they run in the same direction, like parallel lines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/our-lives-may-be-separate-but-they-run-in-the-same-direction-like/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Having a child is to show an absolute accord with mankind. If I have a child, it's as though I'm saying: I was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/having-a-child-is-to-show-an-absolute-accord-with-mankind-if-i-have-a/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“He remained annoyed with himself until he realized that not knowing what he wanted was actually quite natural. We can never know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/he-remained-annoyed-with-himself-until-he-realized-that-not-knowing/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [When we ignore the body, we are more easily victimized by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/when-we-ignore-the-body-we-are-more-easily-victimized-by-it/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Do stories, apart from happening, being, have something to say? For all my skepticism, some trace of irrational superstition did survive in me, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/do-stories-apart-from-happening-being-have-something-to-say-for-all/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Os extremos delimitam a fronteira para além da qual a vida termina, e a paixão pelo extremismo, tanto em arte como em política, é…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/os-extremos-delimitam-a-fronteira-para-al-m-da-qual-a-vida-termina-e/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The characters in my novels are my own unrealized possibilities. That is why I am equally fond of them all and equally horrified by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-characters-in-my-novels-are-my-own-unrealized-possibilities-that/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Anyone whose goal is 'something higher' must expect someday to suffer vertigo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/anyone-whose-goal-is-something-higher-must-expect-someday-to-suffer/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) [Explore all 952 Milan Kundera quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ## More Kitsch quotes > [Kitsch of course only comes into existence when we recognize how and why it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bayley/kitsch-of-course-only-comes-into-existence-when-we-recognize-how-and/) [John Bayley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bayley/) > [Salvador Dali has been called kitsch, but, although some of this work may be grotesque, its brazenly self-conscious bad taste saves it from being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-dutton/salvador-dali-has-been-called-kitsch-but-although-some-of-this-work/) [Denis Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-dutton/) > [If you can't take the kitsch, get out of the kitchen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-jencks/if-you-can-t-take-the-kitsch-get-out-of-the-kitchen/) [Charles Jencks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-jencks/) > [Architectural kitsch is most common in the commercial pop vernacular - typified by the Big Duck of 1931 in Flanders, New York, a Long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-filler/architectural-kitsch-is-most-common-in-the-commercial-pop-vernacular/) [Martin Filler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-filler/) > [Her kitsch was the image of home, all peace, quiet, and harmony, and ruled by a loving mother and a wise father. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/her-kitsch-was-the-image-of-home-all-peace-quiet-and-harmony-and/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Those who were still able to write beautiful melodies were kitsch composers like Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky approaches true art not in his numerous beautiful melodies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/those-who-were-still-able-to-write-beautiful-melodies-were-kitsch/) [Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/) > [If you speak of beauty, you are at once suspected of...kitsch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/balthus/if-you-speak-of-beauty-you-are-at-once-suspected-of-kitsch/) [Balthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/balthus/) > [The peasant finds no "natural" urgency within himself that will drive him toward Picasso in spite of all difficulties. In the end the peasant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-greenberg/the-peasant-finds-no-natural-urgency-within-himself-that-will-drive/) [Clement Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-greenberg/) > [I did my homework and didn't go out much, and had a very highly developed kitsch fantasy life where I dreamed of being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-did-my-homework-and-didn-t-go-out-much-and-had-a-very-highly/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [Modern art was born from a desire to destroy kitsch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/modern-art-was-born-from-a-desire-to-destroy-kitsch/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Kitsch is very important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oneohtrix-point-never/kitsch-is-very-important-to-me/) [Oneohtrix Point Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oneohtrix-point-never/) > [A kitsch novel describes the world not as it really is, but as it is hoped and feared to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-broch/a-kitsch-novel-describes-the-world-not-as-it-really-is-but-as-it-is/) [Hermann Broch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-broch/) > [A real Rembrandt hung in a millionaire's home elevator would undoubtedly make for kitsch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matei-calinescu/a-real-rembrandt-hung-in-a-millionaire-s-home-elevator-would/) [Matei Calinescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matei-calinescu/) > [“A taste for kitsch among the well-to-do is a sign of spiritual impoverishment; but among the poor, it represents a striving for beauty, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dalrymple/a-taste-for-kitsch-among-the-well-to-do-is-a-sign-of-spiritual/) [Theodore Dalrymple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dalrymple/) > [Kitsch is the daily art of our time, as the vase or the hymn was for earlier generations. For the sensibility it has that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-rosenberg/kitsch-is-the-daily-art-of-our-time-as-the-vase-or-the-hymn-was-for/) [Harold Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-rosenberg/) [Browse all 144 Kitsch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kitsch/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What remains of Beethoven? A frown, an improbable mane, and a somber voice intoning \"Es muss seine!\" ….And so n and so forth. Before we are forgotten, we will be turned into Kitsch. 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