--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have this ideal listener, as John Cage…" description: "\"I have this ideal listener, as John Cage did. This listener doesn't bring expectations that my music will fit into some part of music history, or that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/missy-mazzoli-30163_cages_i-have-this-ideal-listener-as-john-cage_1270492.jpg" --- # I have this ideal listener, as John Cage did. This… ![“I have this ideal listener, as John Cage did. This listener doesn't bring expectations that my music will fit into some part of music history, or that it will do any particular thing. This listener is just open to listening.” quote by Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/missy-mazzoli-30163_cages_i-have-this-ideal-listener-as-john-cage_1270492.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/missy-mazzoli-30163_cages_i-have-this-ideal-listener-as-john-cage_1270492.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58b/missy-mazzoli-30163_cages_i-have-this-ideal-listener-as-john-cage_1270492.jpg) > “I have this ideal listener, as John Cage did. This listener doesn't bring expectations that my music will fit into some part of music history, or that it will do any particular thing. This listener is just open to listening.” [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The ideal listener receives music without expectations or judgments. **In simple terms:** Listening without preconceptions opens true appreciation. Key Takeaway Practice open, non‑judgmental listening. Themes listening openness art appreciation Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - concerts - studio sessions - personal reflection Key Concepts aesthetics mindfulness creativity Questions to Reflect On - What expectations do you bring to new art? - How can you cultivate openness? A Different Perspective Expectations can limit creative experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ## Related quotes > [Being a good listener is more than just being quiet. It's reflecting back on what you're hearing. It's processing the information to formulate a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-moore-capito/being-a-good-listener-is-more-than-just-being-quiet-it-s-reflecting/) [Shelley Moore Capito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-moore-capito/) > [I do listen to more jazz and gospel than anything else, but my ears are still very much open and listening to stuff that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-do-listen-to-more-jazz-and-gospel-than-anything-else-but-my-ears/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [Not many people understand that, but if you open yourself to listening - you don't even have to exercise - you get better with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/not-many-people-understand-that-but-if-you-open-yourself-to-listening/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [Any show should be open to listening to constructive criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-bream/any-show-should-be-open-to-listening-to-constructive-criticism/) [Shannon Bream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-bream/) > [I'm open to listening to proposals, options, it doesn't hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-vela/i-m-open-to-listening-to-proposals-options-it-doesn-t-hurt/) [Carlos Vela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-vela/) > [All really great artists, Jackson Pollack, John Cage, Beckett or Joyce - you are never indifferent to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/all-really-great-artists-jackson-pollack-john-cage-beckett-or-joyce/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I did a twenty foot print and John Cage is involved in that because he was the only person I knew in New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/i-did-a-twenty-foot-print-and-john-cage-is-involved-in-that-because/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [I always like to cite John Cage's mantra, "If you can stand it for two-minutes, try it for four." In fact, when I look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-rainer/i-always-like-to-cite-john-cage-s-mantra-if-you-can-stand-it-for-two/) Yvonne Rainer > [We used to have endless discussions with journalists about that: 'Why are you calling it noise? It's not noise, it's music,' and make references…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/we-used-to-have-endless-discussions-with-journalists-about-that-why/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [Parallels between classical and pop are not new. The whole San Francisco movement of John Cage and Terry Riley went hand in glove with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hazlewood/parallels-between-classical-and-pop-are-not-new-the-whole-san/) [Charles Hazlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hazlewood/) > [“Marietta, I do not believe in ghosts, astrology, palmistry, graphology, John Cage, love or God. I do believe in the moment, in the pleasures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/marietta-i-do-not-believe-in-ghosts-astrology-palmistry-graphology/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [I grew up mostly in Champaign, Illinois. My dad was at the University of East Illinois, so I was always around the music. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-hamm/i-grew-up-mostly-in-champaign-illinois-my-dad-was-at-the-university/) Stuart Hamm > [“Ideas are one thing and what happens is another.’ (John Cage)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sheppard/ideas-are-one-thing-and-what-happens-is-another-john-cage/) David Sheppard > [I recall improvisational drummer and composer Michael Evans telling me a story of someone who had the opportunity to meet Cage and give him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grubbs/i-recall-improvisational-drummer-and-composer-michael-evans-telling/) [David Grubbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grubbs/) > ['Untitled' is a time machine that can transport you to 1992, an edgy moment when the art world was crumbling, money was scarce, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/untitled-is-a-time-machine-that-can-transport-you-to-1992-an-edgy/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) ## More by Missy Mazzoli > [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/) > [If the music is good, and if it makes sense as a strong structure and as a drama, and things happen as a result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/if-the-music-is-good-and-if-it-makes-sense-as-a-strong-structure-and/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [Of course I love when people are quiet, but I also love when people are comfortable. I love when people emote. The flip side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/of-course-i-love-when-people-are-quiet-but-i-also-love-when-people/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [I don't think anyone listening to my music needs any special knowledge. They don't need to have a background in contemporary music. They don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/i-don-t-think-anyone-listening-to-my-music-needs-any-special/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [The goal is that people will find something of themselves in it. But you don't need to know what a hexachord is! You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/the-goal-is-that-people-will-find-something-of-themselves-in-it-but/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [Sometimes you feel some artists are doing the same thing that you're doing but in a different field. But they have the same approach.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/sometimes-you-feel-some-artists-are-doing-the-same-thing-that-you-re/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [There are some superficial things that connect me to the stream. There's instrumentation, there's timbre, use of electronics, the way that samples are used,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/there-are-some-superficial-things-that-connect-me-to-the-stream-there/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [There's some ambient music that doesn't do anything. I wouldn't say that that's narrative. It is narrative in that it creates a sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/there-s-some-ambient-music-that-doesn-t-do-anything-i-wouldn-t-say/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [I feel like there's not this black-and-white division between concert hall music and music that bands play in a bar. I don't know if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/i-feel-like-there-s-not-this-black-and-white-division-between-concert/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [I write my music with the idea that it will appeal to all of those people, and I want them to go in with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/i-write-my-music-with-the-idea-that-it-will-appeal-to-all-of-those/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [It's only when it's smoothed out by history and we try to make sense of it - this incredibly complicated period when everyone's doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/it-s-only-when-it-s-smoothed-out-by-history-and-we-try-to-make-sense/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [I'm not religious, but I've always been attracted to the rituals of religion; as a kid, Sunday church was the closest thing I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/i-m-not-religious-but-i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-the-rituals-of/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [ I don't think that those things \[so called common practice\] ever truly existed in the way that we like to believe that they do,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/i-don-t-think-that-those-things-so-called-common-practice-ever-truly/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [I want my music to be something that people use in order to access parts of themselves. So in that sense, every piece I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/i-want-my-music-to-be-something-that-people-use-in-order-to-access/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) > [I really think of my motives, my melodies, my harmonies, as being these things that are very much alive. They have these little lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-mazzoli/i-really-think-of-my-motives-my-melodies-my-harmonies-as-being-these/) [Missy Mazzoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) [Explore all 17 Missy Mazzoli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missy-mazzoli/) ## More Cages quotes > [My heart jumps out of its cage to see what the fuss is about. Damn thing. Always so hopeful, but my voice hides it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wylie/my-heart-jumps-out-of-its-cage-to-see-what-the-fuss-is-about-damn/) [Sarah Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wylie/) > [When a captive lion steps out of his cage, he comes into a wider world than the lion who has known only the wilds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/when-a-captive-lion-steps-out-of-his-cage-he-comes-into-a-wider-world/) [Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/) > [Peace in the struggle to find peace.. comfort on the way to comfort. And if I shed a tear I won't cage it I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/peace-in-the-struggle-to-find-peace-comfort-on-the-way-to-comfort-and/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [If we are ready to tear down the walls that confine us, break the cage that imprisons us, we will discover what our wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-elmore-meegan/if-we-are-ready-to-tear-down-the-walls-that-confine-us-break-the-cage/) Michael Elmore-Meegan > [“And then a strange thing happened. Out of the diseased and deteriorated pool os tired thoughts came life. A simple and poisoned life, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-mckean/and-then-a-strange-thing-happened-out-of-the-diseased-and/) [Dave McKean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-mckean/) > [There are certain times you rattle the press's cages, and other times you don't, and you have to be discerning about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-fleischer/there-are-certain-times-you-rattle-the-press-s-cages-and-other-times/) [Ari Fleischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-fleischer/) > [Let yourselves be led by the Holy Spirit, with freedom and, please, do not cage the Holy Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/let-yourselves-be-led-by-the-holy-spirit-with-freedom-and-please-do/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [What do you fear, lady?' he asked. 'A cage,' she said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-do-you-fear-lady-he-asked-a-cage-she-said/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > ['Untitled' is a time machine that can transport you to 1992, an edgy moment when the art world was crumbling, money was scarce, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/untitled-is-a-time-machine-that-can-transport-you-to-1992-an-edgy/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [When I went to Australia, I went shark diving. It was crazy. It was called 'extreme' shark diving because even though we were in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-lautner/when-i-went-to-australia-i-went-shark-diving-it-was-crazy-it-was/) [Taylor Lautner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-lautner/) > [Being in love, you know... it's not like having a canary, in a cage. When you lose one sweetheart, you can't just go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-waters/being-in-love-you-know-it-s-not-like-having-a-canary-in-a-cage-when/) [Sarah Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-waters/) > [I have been there, and I have seen these totally formed babies as early as ten weeks...with the leg missing, or with their head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-priya-henry/i-have-been-there-and-i-have-seen-these-totally-formed-babies-as/) Deborah Priya Henry > [The sight of a cage is only frightening to the bird that has once been caught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-field/the-sight-of-a-cage-is-only-frightening-to-the-bird-that-has-once/) [Rachel Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-field/) > [The world rolls under the long thrust of his heel. Over the cage floor the horizons come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-hughes/the-world-rolls-under-the-long-thrust-of-his-heel-over-the-cage-floor/) [Ted Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-hughes/) > [“I think of animals in cages, pressed close against each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-christopher-baer/i-think-of-animals-in-cages-pressed-close-against-each-other/) [Will Christopher Baer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-christopher-baer/) Browse all 561 Cages quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have this ideal listener, as John Cage did. This listener doesn't bring expectations that my music will fit into some part of music history, or that it will do any particular thing. 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