--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Britten or Berg, there's a tension…" description: "\"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, the happy and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/stephen-hough-6372_anything_in-britten-or-berg-there-s-a-tension-bet_22211.jpg" --- # In Britten or Berg, there's a tension between the sweet… ![“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, the happy and the sad. That, to me, is what all western art is about - that tension. It's why we want to say anything at all.” quote by Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/stephen-hough-6372_anything_in-britten-or-berg-there-s-a-tension-bet_22211.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/stephen-hough-6372_anything_in-britten-or-berg-there-s-a-tension-bet_22211.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c9/stephen-hough-6372_anything_in-britten-or-berg-there-s-a-tension-bet_22211.jpg) > “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, the happy and the sad. That, to me, is what all western art is about - that tension. It's why we want to say anything at all.” [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. The quote observes that Western art thrives on the juxtaposition of opposing elements—sweet versus sour, familiar versus unfamiliar, tonal versus atonal, joy versus sorrow—creating a dynamic tension that drives expression. **In simple terms:** Western art is defined by opposing forces. Key Takeaway Tension fuels artistic meaning. Themes Contrast Duality Emotion Structure Innovation Mood Reflective Introspective Type Philosophical Analytical When to use this quote - Composing music - Analyzing visual art - Teaching art history - Writing criticism Key Concepts Music theory Aesthetic philosophy Cultural narrative Practical Applications - Creating emotionally resonant works - Designing curricula that highlight contrast Questions to Reflect On - How does tension shape your creative process? - What opposites do you find most compelling? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) ## Related quotes > [All art is the tension, expressed between the uncontainable and its one perfect inevitable form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-morgan/all-art-is-the-tension-expressed-between-the-uncontainable-and-its/) [Robin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-morgan/) > [My mother sent me to dance and drama classes when I was young, and then I got a stage role in 'Set To Partners'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-eaton/my-mother-sent-me-to-dance-and-drama-classes-when-i-was-young-and/) [Shirley Eaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-eaton/) > [When I was doing 'Beau Travail,' I listened a lot to Benjamin Britten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-denis/when-i-was-doing-beau-travail-i-listened-a-lot-to-benjamin-britten/) [Claire Denis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-denis/) > [I'm not sure any narrative model has been more important for me than Benjamin Britten's chamber operas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-greenwell/i-m-not-sure-any-narrative-model-has-been-more-important-for-me-than/) [Garth Greenwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-greenwell/) > [Britten's opera tends to see things in simpler terms. It portrays an Aschenbach who wants a richer form of sexual fulfillment, and who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kitcher/britten-s-opera-tends-to-see-things-in-simpler-terms-it-portrays-an/) [Philip Kitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kitcher/) > [First, my frame of reference for the Britten opera shifted. I'd always thought of Britten's approach in Death in Venice as another exploration of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kitcher/first-my-frame-of-reference-for-the-britten-opera-shifted-i-d-always/) [Philip Kitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kitcher/) > [I've been kind of listening to the composer Britten and his rendition of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' The opening track is a choral section…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dev-hynes/i-ve-been-kind-of-listening-to-the-composer-britten-and-his-rendition/) [Dev Hynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dev-hynes/) > [From time to time I look at the picture when I am very sad. 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Only wins who wipes the tears, gather strength and move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-branco/you-have-a-right-to-be-sad-and-a-duty-to-move-on-only-wins-who-wipes/) [Augusto Branco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-branco/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. 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