--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Compositionally I always wanted to be…" description: "\"Compositionally I always wanted to be like Fred Astaire.\" — Morton Feldman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/morton-feldman-20186_astaire_compositionally-i-always-wanted-to-be-li_3186677.png" --- # Compositionally I always wanted to be like Fred Astaire. ![“Compositionally I always wanted to be like Fred Astaire.” quote by Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/morton-feldman-20186_astaire_compositionally-i-always-wanted-to-be-li_3186677.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/morton-feldman-20186_astaire_compositionally-i-always-wanted-to-be-li_3186677.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/morton-feldman-20186_astaire_compositionally-i-always-wanted-to-be-li_3186677.png) > “Compositionally I always wanted to be like Fred Astaire.” [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He aspires to emulate Fred Astaire’s effortless grace and precision in his musical works. **In simple terms:** He wants his music to be as smooth and elegant as Astaire’s dancing. Key Takeaway Strive for elegance and fluidity in creative output. Themes artistic aspiration influence grace precision Mood inspired reflective Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - performing live - recording - teaching composition - collaborating with dancers Key Concepts music composition dance inspiration artistic mentorship Questions to Reflect On - How can one balance influence with personal voice? - What does “like Fred Astaire” mean in music? A Different Perspective Emulating another’s style may limit personal originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astaire/) [Compositionally Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compositionally-wanted-5861553/) [Fred astaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fred-astaire/) [Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kelly/) [Like Fred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-fred-1729740/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-like/) ## Related quotes > [I think if I was like Fred Astaire out there or like break dance fighting and doing crazy splits and stuff like that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrus/i-think-if-i-was-like-fred-astaire-out-there-or-like-break-dance/) [Tyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrus/) > [I started dancing when I saw Fred Astaire in 'Flying Down to Rio,' at approximately nine years old. Fred Astaire influenced me, more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-donen/i-started-dancing-when-i-saw-fred-astaire-in-flying-down-to-rio-at/) [Stanley Donen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-donen/) > [I loved Fred Astaire's way of dancing. He led you into the dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/i-loved-fred-astaire-s-way-of-dancing-he-led-you-into-the-dance/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [What I got, unconsciously, from admiring Fred Astaire was that he didn't want what he was doing to look difficult. What was difficult, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-donen/what-i-got-unconsciously-from-admiring-fred-astaire-was-that-he-didn/) [Stanley Donen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-donen/) > [Over the years, myths were built up about my relationship with Fred Astaire. The general public thought he was a Svengali, who snapped his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginger-rogers/over-the-years-myths-were-built-up-about-my-relationship-with-fred/) [Ginger Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginger-rogers/) > [Fred Astaire is my hero. I love him because he was willing to kill himself to make his art look effortless. And because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-willis/fred-astaire-is-my-hero-i-love-him-because-he-was-willing-to-kill/) [Connie Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-willis/) > [Fred Astaire is the Carioca, the Continental, the very Piccolino of romance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fred-astaire-is-the-carioca-the-continental-the-very-piccolino-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor - those were my idols. All I ever wanted to be was a motion picture song-and-dance man. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-berry/fred-astaire-gene-kelly-donald-o-connor-those-were-my-idols-all-i/) [Ken Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-berry/) > [Did any artist ever bring more pure joy to more people than Fred Astaire?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kroll/did-any-artist-ever-bring-more-pure-joy-to-more-people-than-fred/) [Jack Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kroll/) > [I thought Fred Astaire was the most chic man. I loved the way he dressed. Never mind his dancing, which was beyond - he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-allen-mellen/i-thought-fred-astaire-was-the-most-chic-man-i-loved-the-way-he/) [Polly Allen Mellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-allen-mellen/) > [Fred Astaire was my dream dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/fred-astaire-was-my-dream-dancer/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [I wish I was born in that era: dancing with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, going to work at the studio dressed in beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-wish-i-was-born-in-that-era-dancing-with-fred-astaire-and-gene/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [If Fred Astaire is the Cary Grant of dance, I'm the Marlon Brando.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/if-fred-astaire-is-the-cary-grant-of-dance-i-m-the-marlon-brando/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [Obviously, Fred Astaire was a legend. I've tried to copy some of his movements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-moir/obviously-fred-astaire-was-a-legend-i-ve-tried-to-copy-some-of-his/) [Scott Moir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-moir/) > [As a dancer, obviously, we are all inspired by Michael Jackson, and I always looked up to Gene Kelly. He was a bigger version…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maksim-chmerkovskiy/as-a-dancer-obviously-we-are-all-inspired-by-michael-jackson-and-i/) [Maksim Chmerkovskiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maksim-chmerkovskiy/) ## More by Morton Feldman > [The most interesting aspect for me, composing exclusively with patterns, is that there is not one organizational procedure more advantageous than another, perhaps because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/the-most-interesting-aspect-for-me-composing-exclusively-with/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [Art in relation to life is nothing more than a glove turned inside out. It seems to have the same shapes and contours, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/art-in-relation-to-life-is-nothing-more-than-a-glove-turned-inside/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [Since music has never had a Rembrandt, we have remained nothing more than musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/since-music-has-never-had-a-rembrandt-we-have-remained-nothing-more/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [Any professional knows that the flute and the piano is a boring combination. All you've got to arrive at is a kind of typical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/any-professional-knows-that-the-flute-and-the-piano-is-a-boring/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [For me it's the instrument. If I want to think of a flute and the state of the arts I hear a vibrato; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/for-me-it-s-the-instrument-if-i-want-to-think-of-a-flute-and-the/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [For years I said if I could only find a comfortable chair I would rival Mozart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/for-years-i-said-if-i-could-only-find-a-comfortable-chair-i-would/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [Most music is metaphor, but Wolff is not. I am not metaphor either. Parable, maybe. Cage is sermon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/most-music-is-metaphor-but-wolff-is-not-i-am-not-metaphor-either/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [I'm not suspicious, I'm just careful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/i-m-not-suspicious-i-m-just-careful/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [I want to give my compliments to Australia. Ever since your government paid a few million dollars for a Jackson Pollack painting, I figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/i-want-to-give-my-compliments-to-australia-ever-since-your-government/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [I never feel that my music is sparse or minimalist; the way fat people never really think they're fat. I certainly don't consider myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/i-never-feel-that-my-music-is-sparse-or-minimalist-the-way-fat-people/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [If you think you might have secret information listening to me, you're lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/if-you-think-you-might-have-secret-information-listening-to-me-you-re/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [I've been living with the minor second all my life and I finally found a way to handle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/i-ve-been-living-with-the-minor-second-all-my-life-and-i-finally/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [No one has the Houdini school of composition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/no-one-has-the-houdini-school-of-composition/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [The tragedy of music is that it begins with perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/the-tragedy-of-music-is-that-it-begins-with-perfection/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) > [It appears to me that the subject of music, from Machaut to Boulez, has always been its construction. Melodies of 12-tone rows just don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/it-appears-to-me-that-the-subject-of-music-from-machaut-to-boulez-has/) [Morton Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) [Explore all 31 Morton Feldman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/) ## More Astaire quotes > [I think, however, that Astaire's coordination is better than Kelly's... his sense of rhythm is uncanny. Kelly, on the other hand, is the stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/i-think-however-that-astaire-s-coordination-is-better-than-kelly-s/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [As a dancer, obviously, we are all inspired by Michael Jackson, and I always looked up to Gene Kelly. He was a bigger version…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maksim-chmerkovskiy/as-a-dancer-obviously-we-are-all-inspired-by-michael-jackson-and-i/) [Maksim Chmerkovskiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maksim-chmerkovskiy/) > [Obviously, Fred Astaire was a legend. I've tried to copy some of his movements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-moir/obviously-fred-astaire-was-a-legend-i-ve-tried-to-copy-some-of-his/) [Scott Moir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-moir/) > [ “Sure, \[Fred Astaire\] was great, but don't forget that Ginger Rogers did everything that he did… backwards and in high heels.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-thaves/sure-fred-astaire-was-great-but-don-t-forget-that-ginger-rogers-did/) [Robert Thaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-thaves/) > [I felt Michael Jackson was inspired a little bit more from the elegance of a Fred Astaire. Michael loved Sammy Davis, Jr. and James…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-ortega/i-felt-michael-jackson-was-inspired-a-little-bit-more-from-the/) [Kenny Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-ortega/) > [I guess the only jewels of my life were the pictures I made with Fred Astaire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-hayworth/i-guess-the-only-jewels-of-my-life-were-the-pictures-i-made-with-fred/) [Rita Hayworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-hayworth/) > [If Fred Astaire is the Cary Grant of dance, I'm the Marlon Brando.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/if-fred-astaire-is-the-cary-grant-of-dance-i-m-the-marlon-brando/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [I wish I was born in that era: dancing with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, going to work at the studio dressed in beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-wish-i-was-born-in-that-era-dancing-with-fred-astaire-and-gene/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [There comes a day when people begin to say, 'Why doesn't that old duffer retire?' I want to get out while they're still saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-astaire/there-comes-a-day-when-people-begin-to-say-why-doesn-t-that-old/) [Fred Astaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-astaire/) > [Fred Astaire was my dream dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/fred-astaire-was-my-dream-dancer/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [I thought Fred Astaire was the most chic man. I loved the way he dressed. Never mind his dancing, which was beyond - he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polly-allen-mellen/i-thought-fred-astaire-was-the-most-chic-man-i-loved-the-way-he/) [Polly Allen Mellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polly-allen-mellen/) > [Did any artist ever bring more pure joy to more people than Fred Astaire?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kroll/did-any-artist-ever-bring-more-pure-joy-to-more-people-than-fred/) [Jack Kroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kroll/) > [Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-whittlesey/remember-ginger-rogers-did-everything-fred-astaire-did-but-backwards/) [Faith Whittlesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-whittlesey/) > [Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor - those were my idols. All I ever wanted to be was a motion picture song-and-dance man. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-berry/fred-astaire-gene-kelly-donald-o-connor-those-were-my-idols-all-i/) [Ken Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-berry/) > [“She'd always imagined an autumn wedding: russet leaves and black velvets and dancing to Fred Astaire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-gaynor/she-d-always-imagined-an-autumn-wedding-russet-leaves-and-black/) [Hazel Gaynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-gaynor/) [Browse all 85 Astaire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astaire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Compositionally I always wanted to be like Fred Astaire.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Morton Feldman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/compositionally-i-always-wanted-to-be-like-fred-astaire/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Astaire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/compositionally-i-always-wanted-to-be-like-fred-astaire/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/morton-feldman-20186_astaire_compositionally-i-always-wanted-to-be-li_3186677.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/morton-feldman-20186_astaire_compositionally-i-always-wanted-to-be-li_3186677.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/morton-feldman-20186_astaire_compositionally-i-always-wanted-to-be-li_3186677.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Compositionally I always wanted to be like Fred Astaire.” — Morton Feldman", "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": "Morton Feldman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-feldman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Compositionally I always wanted to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/compositionally-i-always-wanted-to-be-like-fred-astaire/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-feldman/compositionally-i-always-wanted-to-be-like-fred-astaire/#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 } } ] } ```