--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If 'ecstasy' means to stand outside…" description: "\"If 'ecstasy' means to stand outside ourselves, then what better ambition can there be as we wait in the wings of the Royal Albert Hall: to leave self-o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75e/stephen-hough-6372_ambition_if-ecstasy-means-to-stand-outside-oursel_2235365.jpg" --- # If 'ecstasy' means to stand outside ourselves, then what… ![“If 'ecstasy' means to stand outside ourselves, then what better ambition can there be as we wait in the wings of the Royal Albert Hall: to leave self-obsession behind and take the audience on a journey across the high wire of Beethoven or the flying trapeze of Liszt.” quote by Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75e/stephen-hough-6372_ambition_if-ecstasy-means-to-stand-outside-oursel_2235365.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75e/stephen-hough-6372_ambition_if-ecstasy-means-to-stand-outside-oursel_2235365.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75e/stephen-hough-6372_ambition_if-ecstasy-means-to-stand-outside-oursel_2235365.jpg) > “If 'ecstasy' means to stand outside ourselves, then what better ambition can there be as we wait in the wings of the Royal Albert Hall: to leave self-obsession behind and take the audience on a journey across the high wire of Beethoven or the flying trapeze of Liszt.” [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True artistic ambition is to transcend ego and transport audiences through extraordinary performance. **In simple terms:** Leave ego, inspire audience. Key Takeaway Prioritize the audience’s experience over self‑interest. Themes art ego audience Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - concerts - theatre - public speaking - creative collaboration Key Concepts self‑transcendence performance art Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to lose self‑obsession? - How can you balance ego and audience impact? A Different Perspective Risk of neglecting personal artistic voice while focusing on audience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Albert Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/albert-hall-641320/) [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Beethoven Flying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beethoven-flying-5044355/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Ecstasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecstasy/) [Ecstasy Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecstasy-means-4790652/) [High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Obsession Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsession-audience-5044356/) [Self obsession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-obsession/) [Wings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wings/) ## Related quotes > [To be awake and harmonious creates the possibility for ecstasy to happen. Ecstasy means the ultimate joy, inexpressible; no words are adequate to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/to-be-awake-and-harmonious-creates-the-possibility-for-ecstasy-to/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I am very thankful to the Royal Albert Hall for the opportunity to dance here; it's been a long hope of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/i-am-very-thankful-to-the-royal-albert-hall-for-the-opportunity-to/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [I first played the Royal Albert Hall when I was 14. I was a violinist with the Birmingham Schools Concert Orchestra, and we travelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-mvula/i-first-played-the-royal-albert-hall-when-i-was-14-i-was-a-violinist/) [Laura Mvula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-mvula/) > [I've played the Royal Albert Hall to 8,500 people, and there wasn't a nerve in my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandi-toksvig/i-ve-played-the-royal-albert-hall-to-8-500-people-and-there-wasn-t-a/) [Sandi Toksvig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandi-toksvig/) > [I did Albert Hall, I got to play the Hall of Fame with Prince. So I've done that kind of stuff for ages. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhani-harrison/i-did-albert-hall-i-got-to-play-the-hall-of-fame-with-prince-so-i-ve/) [Dhani Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhani-harrison/) > [I love performing in front of a live audience and just stepping out in front of ruddy Royal Albert Hall is just something, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-giedroyc/i-love-performing-in-front-of-a-live-audience-and-just-stepping-out/) [Mel Giedroyc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-giedroyc/) > [I love the building and the history. I understand not many people like me have played there. But the aim is not to conform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kano/i-love-the-building-and-the-history-i-understand-not-many-people-like/) [Kano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kano/) > [It is an honour to fight at the Royal Albert Hall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joe-saunders/it-is-an-honour-to-fight-at-the-royal-albert-hall/) [Billy Joe Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joe-saunders/) > [I went to London and performed in Eric Clapton's concert at the Royal Albert Hall. I'll work with him any time he asks me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-king/i-went-to-london-and-performed-in-eric-clapton-s-concert-at-the-royal/) [Carole King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-king/) > [I think if my eight-year-old self could see me at the Royal Albert Hall winning a prize for playing the Doctor on telly, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tennant/i-think-if-my-eight-year-old-self-could-see-me-at-the-royal-albert/) [David Tennant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tennant/) > [I really didn't understand how I got from my singing teacher's living room to the Albert Hall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-ritchie/i-really-didn-t-understand-how-i-got-from-my-singing-teacher-s-living/) [Charlotte Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-ritchie/) > [I will remember the night I won the New Comedy Awards, as I was young and unformed, so that sticks in the mind. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-conti/i-will-remember-the-night-i-won-the-new-comedy-awards-as-i-was-young/) [Nina Conti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-conti/) > [“If we don’t give back to the society, we'll die of obesity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-we-don-t-give-back-to-the-society-we-ll-die-of-obesity/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“On the other hand, you're a human--you should understand self-obsession.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/on-the-other-hand-you-re-a-human-you-should-understand-self-obsession/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I can understand that people want to feel special and important and so on, but that self-obsession seems a bit pathetic somehow. Not being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-m-banks/i-can-understand-that-people-want-to-feel-special-and-important-and/) [Iain M. Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-m-banks/) ## More by Stephen Hough > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [Unlike sport, music is not about winning or keeping fit or promoting your town or school; it's about celebrating, to a level approaching ecstasy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/unlike-sport-music-is-not-about-winning-or-keeping-fit-or-promoting/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [In Britten or Berg, there's a tension between the sweet and the sour, between the familiar and the unfamiliar, the tonal and the atonal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/in-britten-or-berg-there-s-a-tension-between-the-sweet-and-the-sour/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [The things I do outside of playing the piano are done out of an inner necessity, not just because I want to try my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/the-things-i-do-outside-of-playing-the-piano-are-done-out-of-an-inner/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [There are artists who delight listeners with their wild and daring individuality; there are others who uncover the written score with reverence. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/there-are-artists-who-delight-listeners-with-their-wild-and-daring/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [They both changed the way we hear the sound of the piano, both of them inventors of sonority: Chopin took bel canto singing lines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/they-both-changed-the-way-we-hear-the-sound-of-the-piano-both-of-them/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [Classical music thinks in centuries, not four-year terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/classical-music-thinks-in-centuries-not-four-year-terms/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I was such a lazy teenager: I didn't read or play the piano beyond the bare minimum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/i-was-such-a-lazy-teenager-i-didn-t-read-or-play-the-piano-beyond-the/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I think there are very few people that I would give the title of genius to, really, but Beethoven unquestionably is one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/i-think-there-are-very-few-people-that-i-would-give-the-title-of/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [Before the 20th century, to be a successful musician was merely to be one who was employed. A few, such as Liszt, Paderewski and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/before-the-20th-century-to-be-a-successful-musician-was-merely-to-be/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [In school, my favourite class was when we were given a subject for an essay on which we could freewheel. And poetry: I've always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/in-school-my-favourite-class-was-when-we-were-given-a-subject-for-an/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [If I'm walking along the street, ideas come. Ideas about things that I'm interested in. I've jotted them down in the past on bits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/if-i-m-walking-along-the-street-ideas-come-ideas-about-things-that-i/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I can admire music where you feel the composer has everything organized and perfectly shaped, but it doesn't touch me. I like to feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/i-can-admire-music-where-you-feel-the-composer-has-everything/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I was out of the U.K. as a care-free, fun-loving student for much of Mrs. Thatcher's time in Downing Street, and as I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/i-was-out-of-the-u-k-as-a-care-free-fun-loving-student-for-much-of/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [Before Liszt, a conductor was someone who just facilitated the performance, who would keep people together or beat the time, indicate the entries. After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/before-liszt-a-conductor-was-someone-who-just-facilitated-the/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) [Explore all 99 Stephen Hough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If 'ecstasy' means to stand outside ourselves, then what better ambition can there be as we wait in the wings of the Royal Albert Hall: to leave self-obsession behind and take the audience on a journey across the high wire of Beethoven or the flying trapeze of Liszt.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Hough" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/if-ecstasy-means-to-stand-outside-ourselves-then-what-better-ambition/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/if-ecstasy-means-to-stand-outside-ourselves-then-what-better-ambition/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75e/stephen-hough-6372_ambition_if-ecstasy-means-to-stand-outside-oursel_2235365.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75e/stephen-hough-6372_ambition_if-ecstasy-means-to-stand-outside-oursel_2235365.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75e/stephen-hough-6372_ambition_if-ecstasy-means-to-stand-outside-oursel_2235365.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If 'ecstasy' means to stand outside ourselves, then what better ambition can there be as we wait in the…” — Stephen Hough", "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": "Stephen Hough", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If 'ecstasy' means to stand outside...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/if-ecstasy-means-to-stand-outside-ourselves-then-what-better-ambition/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/if-ecstasy-means-to-stand-outside-ourselves-then-what-better-ambition/#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 } } ] } ```