---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can play Bach on the piano, a…"
description: "\"You can play Bach on the piano, a symphony orchestra or a quartet of saxophones, but let's stop this silly, childish business of knit your own musicolo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/paul-mccreesh-268736_business_you-can-play-bach-on-the-piano-a-symphon_1375529.jpg"
---

#  You can play Bach on the piano, a symphony orchestra or a…

![“You can play Bach on the piano, a symphony orchestra or a quartet of saxophones, but let's stop this silly, childish business of knit your own musicology” quote by Paul McCreesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/paul-mccreesh-268736_business_you-can-play-bach-on-the-piano-a-symphon_1375529.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/paul-mccreesh-268736_business_you-can-play-bach-on-the-piano-a-symphon_1375529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/paul-mccreesh-268736_business_you-can-play-bach-on-the-piano-a-symphon_1375529.jpg)

> “You can play Bach on the piano, a symphony orchestra or a quartet of saxophones, but let's stop this silly, childish business of knit your own musicology”

Paul McCreesh

## About This Quote

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

Artistic integrity should not be commercialized or reduced to childish business

**In simple terms:** Avoid trivializing music as a commodity

Key Takeaway

Respect artistic value over profit motives

Themes

art music integrity commercialism

Mood

critical reflective

Type

essay musical

When to use this quote

- music education
- performance planning
- industry critique

Key Concepts

creative authenticity cultural value ethical business

Questions to Reflect On

- How can artists stay true to their vision?
- What balance exists between art and profit?

A Different Perspective

Commercial pressures can compromise artistic quality

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Orchestra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orchestra/) [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Quartets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quartets/) [Saxophone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saxophone/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Symphony orchestras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symphony-orchestras/)

## Related quotes

> [The music business is the most childish business in the world. Nobody knows what they're selling or why, but they sell it if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-buckley/the-music-business-is-the-most-childish-business-in-the-world-nobody/)

[Jeff Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-buckley/)

> [“As a class they are lazy, irresponsible, immature. They are incapable of producing contemporary fiction because they know nothing about life, cannot reflect life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/as-a-class-they-are-lazy-irresponsible-immature-they-are-incapable-of/)

[Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/)

> [To you a pious young girl who goes to mass and communion, seems pretty silly and childish; you take us for innocents... Well, let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bernanos/to-you-a-pious-young-girl-who-goes-to-mass-and-communion-seems-pretty/)

[Georges Bernanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bernanos/)

> [I always want to have fun and be silly and be childish. I'm very childish. I am at my happiest when I am a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-perkins/i-always-want-to-have-fun-and-be-silly-and-be-childish-i-m-very/)

[Sue Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-perkins/)

> [When a man says it's a silly childish game, it's probably something his wife can beat him at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-epperson/when-a-man-says-it-s-a-silly-childish-game-it-s-probably-something/)

Don Epperson

> [It's just science fiction so it's allowed to be silly, and childish, and stupid. It's just science fiction, so it doesn't have to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/it-s-just-science-fiction-so-it-s-allowed-to-be-silly-and-childish/)

[Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/)

> [I was a harpsichordist in my teens, and there was a bunch of us in Liverpool who got together every week to play Bach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-rattle/i-was-a-harpsichordist-in-my-teens-and-there-was-a-bunch-of-us-in/)

[Simon Rattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rattle/)

> [The worst constructed play is a Bach fugue when compared to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hayes/the-worst-constructed-play-is-a-bach-fugue-when-compared-to-life/)

[Helen Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hayes/)

> [You play Bach your way, and I’ll play him his way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-landowska/you-play-bach-your-way-and-i-ll-play-him-his-way/)

[Wanda Landowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-landowska/)

> [If you play Bach every day, you are not so alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/if-you-play-bach-every-day-you-are-not-so-alone/)

[Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/)

> [Whether the angels play only Bach praising God, I am not quite sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/whether-the-angels-play-only-bach-praising-god-i-am-not-quite-sure/)

[Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/)

> [When you play Bach like Chopin, and Chopin like Bach, something good happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/when-you-play-bach-like-chopin-and-chopin-like-bach-something-good/)

[Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/)

> [If you learn classical guitar, you play Bach, and then John Dowland. He's the greatest. He's interesting for many, many reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/if-you-learn-classical-guitar-you-play-bach-and-then-john-dowland-he/)

[Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/)

> [It may be that when the angels go about their task praising God, they play only Bach. I am sure, however, that when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/it-may-be-that-when-the-angels-go-about-their-task-praising-god-they/)

[Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/)

> [Playing Shakespeare requires technique. You don't play a Bach toccata by getting in the mood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kline/playing-shakespeare-requires-technique-you-don-t-play-a-bach-toccata/)

[Kevin Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kline/)

## More Business quotes

> [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/)

[Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/)

> [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/)

[Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/)

> [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/)

[Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/)

> [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/)

[Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/)

[Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/)

> [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/)

[Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You can play Bach on the piano, a symphony orchestra or a quartet of saxophones, but let's stop this silly, childish business of knit your own musicology",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Paul McCreesh"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccreesh/you-can-play-bach-on-the-piano-a-symphony-orchestra-or-a-quartet-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Business"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccreesh/you-can-play-bach-on-the-piano-a-symphony-orchestra-or-a-quartet-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/paul-mccreesh-268736_business_you-can-play-bach-on-the-piano-a-symphon_1375529.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/paul-mccreesh-268736_business_you-can-play-bach-on-the-piano-a-symphon_1375529.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc9/paul-mccreesh-268736_business_you-can-play-bach-on-the-piano-a-symphon_1375529.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You can play Bach on the piano, a symphony orchestra or a quartet of saxophones, but let's stop this silly…” — Paul McCreesh",
                "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": "Paul McCreesh",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccreesh/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You can play Bach on the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccreesh/you-can-play-bach-on-the-piano-a-symphony-orchestra-or-a-quartet-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccreesh/you-can-play-bach-on-the-piano-a-symphony-orchestra-or-a-quartet-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
