---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As far as the execution is concerned…"
description: "\"As far as the execution is concerned ... the most frequent and most serious mistake is to follow the music instead of preceding it.\" — Nadia Boulanger"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/nadia-boulanger-17786_concerned_as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the_503068.png"
---

#  As far as the execution is concerned ... the most frequent…

![“As far as the execution is concerned ... the most frequent and most serious mistake is to follow the music instead of preceding it.” quote by Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/nadia-boulanger-17786_concerned_as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the_503068.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/nadia-boulanger-17786_concerned_as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the_503068.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/nadia-boulanger-17786_concerned_as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the_503068.png)

> “As far as the execution is concerned ... the most frequent and most serious mistake is to follow the music instead of preceding it.”

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Musicians often err by reacting to music rather than shaping it, limiting creativity and leadership.

**In simple terms:** Follow the music instead of leading it.

Key Takeaway

Lead, don’t just follow.

Themes

creativity leadership musicianship

Mood

determined inspired

Type

advice musical

When to use this quote

- conducting rehearsals
- composing
- improvisation
- teaching music

Key Concepts

agency anticipation musical structure

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you anticipate musical direction before it unfolds?
- What risks arise when you try to lead rather than follow?

A Different Perspective

Leading requires confidence and risk; not all will accept new direction.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned/) [Execution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/execution/) [Execution Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/execution-concerned-4280094/) [Frequent Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frequent-mistake-4280093/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistake Follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-follow-1145838/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Serious mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious-mistakes/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/)

## Related quotes

> [“It is better to make mistake and own it. Than to follow what people think is right and then you fail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ojingiri-hannah/it-is-better-to-make-mistake-and-own-it-than-to-follow-what-people/)

[Ojingiri Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ojingiri-hannah/)

> [Too much pessimism has led too many men into making serious mistakes. And perhaps part of our pessimism comes because we are too close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/too-much-pessimism-has-led-too-many-men-into-making-serious-mistakes/)

[Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/)

> [Very serious mistakes were made by previous governments, and Greece was ready to be abandoned by its partners and to leave the eurozone, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonis-samaras/very-serious-mistakes-were-made-by-previous-governments-and-greece/)

[Antonis Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonis-samaras/)

> [Living a life of service, rather than one of expression, is a serious mistake, because expressing who we really are is the greatest service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-hanks/living-a-life-of-service-rather-than-one-of-expression-is-a-serious/)

[Kurt Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-hanks/)

> [Fanaticism in many lands has surfaced as the greatest threat to the world. Indifference to its consequences would be a serious mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/fanaticism-in-many-lands-has-surfaced-as-the-greatest-threat-to-the/)

[Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/)

> [It is a serious mistake to judge God within the narrow limits of our own understanding and abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/it-is-a-serious-mistake-to-judge-god-within-the-narrow-limits-of-our/)

[Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/)

> [Today is a new day. You will get out of it just what you put into it...If you have made mistakes, even serious mistakes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pickford/today-is-a-new-day-you-will-get-out-of-it-just-what-you-put-into-it/)

[Mary Pickford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pickford/)

> [I would not use American ground forces in Syria. I think that would be a very serious mistake. I don't think American troops should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-would-not-use-american-ground-forces-in-syria-i-think-that-would-be/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [When we follow our hearts, we follow the path of lessons we were meant to take and gain knowledge from. Sometimes the heart conquers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/when-we-follow-our-hearts-we-follow-the-path-of-lessons-we-were-meant/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [The defensive (or passive) investor will place chief emphasis on the avoidance of serious mistakes or losses. His second aim will be freedom from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-defensive-or-passive-investor-will-place-chief-emphasis-on-the/)

[Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/)

> [Investing is not nearly as difficult as it looks. Successful investing involves doing a few things right and avoiding serious mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/investing-is-not-nearly-as-difficult-as-it-looks-successful-investing/)

[John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/)

> [Non-co-operators will make a serious mistake if they seek to convert people to their creed by violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/non-co-operators-will-make-a-serious-mistake-if-they-seek-to-convert/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [German history is full of serious mistakes pertaining to premature personnel decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horst-seehofer/german-history-is-full-of-serious-mistakes-pertaining-to-premature/)

[Horst Seehofer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horst-seehofer/)

> [We rarely recognize how wonderful it is that a person can traverse an entire lifetime without making a single really serious mistake — like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-minsky/we-rarely-recognize-how-wonderful-it-is-that-a-person-can-traverse-an/)

[Marvin Minsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-minsky/)

> [It would be a serious mistake to replace a seasoned statesman with a tempermental tycoon who has no respect for the constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/it-would-be-a-serious-mistake-to-replace-a-seasoned-statesman-with-a/)

[Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/)

## More by Nadia Boulanger

> [Nothing is better than music; when it takes us out of time, it has done more for us than we have the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/nothing-is-better-than-music-when-it-takes-us-out-of-time-it-has-done/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [Do nothing for effect. Do it for truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/do-nothing-for-effect-do-it-for-truth/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [A great work of art is made out of a combination of obedience and liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/a-great-work-of-art-is-made-out-of-a-combination-of-obedience-and/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [Do not take up music unless you would rather die than not do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/do-not-take-up-music-unless-you-would-rather-die-than-not-do-so/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [It is one thing to be gifted and quite another thing to be worthy of one's own gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/it-is-one-thing-to-be-gifted-and-quite-another-thing-to-be-worthy-of/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [I adore tradition. I cannot stand habit. Simply to repeat is nothing, also to destroy is nothing. Tradition is never interrupted, we are always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/i-adore-tradition-i-cannot-stand-habit-simply-to-repeat-is-nothing/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [The history of harmony is the history of the development of the human ear, which has gradually assimilated, in their natural order, the successive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/the-history-of-harmony-is-the-history-of-the-development-of-the-human/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [In music everything is prolonged, everything is edified, and when the enchantment has ceased, we are still bathed in its clarity; solitude is accompanied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/in-music-everything-is-prolonged-everything-is-edified-and-when-the/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [To study music, we must learn the rules. To create music, we must break them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/to-study-music-we-must-learn-the-rules-to-create-music-we-must-break/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [A great work is made out of a combination of obedience and liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/a-great-work-is-made-out-of-a-combination-of-obedience-and-liberty/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [You should never listen to someone practice. That is their work and theirs alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/you-should-never-listen-to-someone-practice-that-is-their-work-and/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [Great art likes chains. The greatest artists have created art within bounds. Or else they have created their own chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/great-art-likes-chains-the-greatest-artists-have-created-art-within/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [Life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning windows or trying to write a masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/life-is-denied-by-lack-of-attention-whether-it-be-to-cleaning-windows/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [Art is not emotion. Art is the medium in which emotion is expressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/art-is-not-emotion-art-is-the-medium-in-which-emotion-is-expressed/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

> [Without order there can be no inner satisfaction. Without inner satisfaction there can be no freedom. Without freedom there is no joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/without-order-there-can-be-no-inner-satisfaction-without-inner/)

[Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

[Explore all 36 Nadia Boulanger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/)

## More Concerned quotes

> [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/)

[Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/)

> [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/)

[Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/)

> [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/)

[Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/)

> [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/)

[Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/)

> [What I was concerned about when I wrote the 'Downward Spiral' record was being a self-centred destructive force. The point was tearing down everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/what-i-was-concerned-about-when-i-wrote-the-downward-spiral-record/)

[Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/)

> [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/)

[Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/)

> [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-japan-is-concerned-i-want-to-help-all-of-our-allies-but-we/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [The time has come when the whole world must be concerned about me. From now on, American Christianity must follow me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-myung-moon/the-time-has-come-when-the-whole-world-must-be-concerned-about-me/)

[Sun Myung Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-myung-moon/)

> [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/)

[Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/)

> [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/)

[Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/)

> [I feel like I won the Lotto, as far as that show's concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gallagher/i-feel-like-i-won-the-lotto-as-far-as-that-show-s-concerned/)

[Peter Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gallagher/)

> [I was strictly after hits when it came down to the Jackson 5. That's all I was concerned with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deke-richards/i-was-strictly-after-hits-when-it-came-down-to-the-jackson-5-that-s/)

[Deke Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deke-richards/)

> [“Is something bothering you, Sam?” Nixon asked with a deep furrow between his concerned chocolate eyes. “You mean besides the dead body lying in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-t-dyllin/is-something-bothering-you-sam-nixon-asked-with-a-deep-furrow-between/)

[D.T. Dyllin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-t-dyllin/)

> [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/)

[Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/)

[Browse all 3,551 Concerned quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "As far as the execution is concerned ... the most frequent and most serious mistake is to follow the music instead of preceding it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nadia Boulanger"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the-most-frequent-and-most/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Concerned"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the-most-frequent-and-most/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/nadia-boulanger-17786_concerned_as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the_503068.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/nadia-boulanger-17786_concerned_as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the_503068.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/418/nadia-boulanger-17786_concerned_as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the_503068.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“As far as the execution is concerned ... the most frequent and most serious mistake is to follow the music…” — Nadia Boulanger",
                "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": "Nadia Boulanger",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "As far as the execution is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the-most-frequent-and-most/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the-most-frequent-and-most/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
