--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always felt that the performance of…" description: "\"“I've always felt that the performance of a raag resembles a novel - or at least the kind of novel I'm attempting to write. You know,' he continued, ex..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/vikram-seth-4208_books_i-ve-always-felt-that-the-performance-of_2119700.jpg" --- # I've always felt that the performance of a raag resembles… ![“I've always felt that the performance of a raag resembles a novel - or at least the kind of novel I'm attempting to write. You know,' he continued, extemporizing as he went along, 'first you take one note and explore it for a while, then another to discover its possibilities, then perhaps you get…” quote by Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/vikram-seth-4208_books_i-ve-always-felt-that-the-performance-of_2119700.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/vikram-seth-4208_books_i-ve-always-felt-that-the-performance-of_2119700.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/vikram-seth-4208_books_i-ve-always-felt-that-the-performance-of_2119700.jpg) > ““I've always felt that the performance of a raag resembles a novel - or at least the kind of novel I'm attempting to write. You know,' he continued, extemporizing as he went along, 'first you take one note and explore it for a while, then another to discover its possibilities, then perhaps you get to the dominant, and pause for a bit, and it's only gradually that the phrases begin to form and the tabla joins in with the beat...and then the more brilliant improvisations and diversions begin, with the main theme returning from time to time, and finally it all speeds up, and the excitement increases to a climax.”” [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music improvisation can be likened to storytelling, where each note is a word that builds a narrative, leading to a climax. **In simple terms:** Improvisation is like a story unfolding note by note. Key Takeaway Treat each musical idea as a narrative thread. Themes cre improvisation storytelling structure climax Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - concert performance - composition - teaching music - personal practice - live jam sessions Key Concepts Raga musical form creative process Questions to Reflect On - How does each note contribute to the overall story? - What techniques keep improvisation coherent? A Different Perspective Improvisation may become chaotic without disciplined listening and timing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Improvisations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvisations-1142224/) [Improvisations Diversions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvisations-diversions-4317792/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Performance Raag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance-raag-4317791/) [Raag Resembles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raag-resembles-4317790/) [Resembles Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resembles-novel-3638898/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Life resembles a novel more often than novels resemble life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sand/life-resembles-a-novel-more-often-than-novels-resemble-life/) [George Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sand/) > [Even if you're improvising, the fact that beforehand you know certain things will work helps you make those improvisations successful. It really helps to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cale/even-if-you-re-improvising-the-fact-that-beforehand-you-know-certain/) [John Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cale/) > [In a certain sense, aspects of my solo playing were developed in order to test the theory about how long particular elements could be,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-parker/in-a-certain-sense-aspects-of-my-solo-playing-were-developed-in-order/) [Evan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-parker/) > [Karthi is such a wonderful human being. He is always focused towards improvisations and keeps working on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhimanyu-singh/karthi-is-such-a-wonderful-human-being-he-is-always-focused-towards/) [Abhimanyu Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhimanyu-singh/) > [Jazz music is all about performance, right? At least, to me, it's about the freedom of performance, the different inflections you do in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/jazz-music-is-all-about-performance-right-at-least-to-me-it-s-about/) [Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/) > [Sometimes some of the best moments are contributed by the actors being creative, with their own improvisations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/sometimes-some-of-the-best-moments-are-contributed-by-the-actors/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [I really enjoyed working on 'Dumb & Dumberer' with Cheri Oteri, maybe because we are both into improvisations. We were meant to act together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-levy/i-really-enjoyed-working-on-dumb-dumberer-with-cheri-oteri-maybe/) [Eugene Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-levy/) > [My paintings and comedy have a lot in common. They are both improvisations based on observation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-winters/my-paintings-and-comedy-have-a-lot-in-common-they-are-both/) [Jonathan Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-winters/) > [General improvisations often give actors an insight beyond their words by helping them to 'see the word' and achieve a reality for the scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-spolin/general-improvisations-often-give-actors-an-insight-beyond-their/) [Viola Spolin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-spolin/) > [My solo playing utilizes the deployment of suggestive psychic rhythms. I'll state these throughout a given piece and play thematic improvisations on top of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadada-leo-smith/my-solo-playing-utilizes-the-deployment-of-suggestive-psychic-rhythms/) [Wadada Leo Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadada-leo-smith/) > [Even when I was studying piano, I always preferred to play around with my own improvisations rather than do my studies. So I've always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-johannsson/even-when-i-was-studying-piano-i-always-preferred-to-play-around-with/) [Johann Johannsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-johannsson/) > [During improvisations, I'll hear people bringing back up details from something I heard about at breakfast or something somebody was saying that they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-swanberg/during-improvisations-i-ll-hear-people-bringing-back-up-details-from/) [Joe Swanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-swanberg/) > [Improvisation was the blood and bone of jazz, and in the classic, New Orleans jazz it was collective improvisation in which each performer, seemingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-lynes/improvisation-was-the-blood-and-bone-of-jazz-and-in-the-classic-new/) [Russell Lynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-lynes/) > [In acting, one should look at the film in totality. Improvisations should only be made keeping in mind the limits of a character. Always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aparshakti-khurana/in-acting-one-should-look-at-the-film-in-totality-improvisations/) [Aparshakti Khurana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aparshakti-khurana/) > [What I want to happen is to be really creative, and to play something new in the improvisations, every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-brubeck/what-i-want-to-happen-is-to-be-really-creative-and-to-play-something/) [Dave Brubeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-brubeck/) ## More by Vikram Seth > [Realism hasn't fallen out of favor with most people, who are interested in people's lives rather than gymnastics of style or literary trends. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/realism-hasn-t-fallen-out-of-favor-with-most-people-who-are/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [I don't think anyone should be banned. If you don't like a book, set it aside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-don-t-think-anyone-should-be-banned-if-you-don-t-like-a-book-set-it/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [It's not the gods But our own hearts We need to fear. The evil starts Against all odds Not there but here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/it-s-not-the-gods-but-our-own-hearts-we-need-to-fear-the-evil-starts/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“But what should I do?' Varun was saying. 'I'm not good for anything.' 'Write a book! Pull a rickshaw! Live! Don't make excuses,' said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/but-what-should-i-do-varun-was-saying-i-m-not-good-for-anything-write/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“In a clear brook With joyful haste The whimsical trout Shot past me like an arrow I play the line of the song, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/in-a-clear-brook-with-joyful-haste-the-whimsical-trout-shot-past-me/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Boredom provides a stronger inclination to write than anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/boredom-provides-a-stronger-inclination-to-write-than-anything/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [I don't think people give Indian society enough credit. We may not like to talk much about things but we do, basically, want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-don-t-think-people-give-indian-society-enough-credit-we-may-not/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [The problem with too beautiful a view is that it's alright for the mulling stage. But for the writing stage, you want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-problem-with-too-beautiful-a-view-is-that-it-s-alright-for-the/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Romantic retrospect aside, the night spent in the truck is distinctly unpleasant. We are cramped and cold. The much-vaunted heating of the truck is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/romantic-retrospect-aside-the-night-spent-in-the-truck-is-distinctly/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Is it not love that knows how to make smooth things rough and rough things smooth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/is-it-not-love-that-knows-how-to-make-smooth-things-rough-and-rough/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Well, what do you think? Avanti?" "Avanti," cries everyone, and, after a few quick re-tunings of our instruments, and re-initialisings of our hearts, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/well-what-do-you-think-avanti-avanti-cries-everyone-and-after-a-few/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Behind every door on every ordinary street, in every hut in every ordinary village in this middling planet of a trivial star, such riches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/behind-every-door-on-every-ordinary-street-in-every-hut-in-every/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Perhaps it is true that for all the evidence of the mirror, one pictures oneself in some deep niche of the mind as forever 18.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/perhaps-it-is-true-that-for-all-the-evidence-of-the-mirror-one/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [What is the difference between my life and my love? One gets me low, the other lets me go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/what-is-the-difference-between-my-life-and-my-love-one-gets-me-low/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“The past is the past, and he can't make amends, only hope that the gain will outlast the damage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-amends-only-hope-that-the-gain/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) [Explore all 113 Vikram Seth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“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/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I've always felt that the performance of a raag resembles a novel - or at least the kind of novel I'm attempting to write. You know,' he continued, extemporizing as he went along, 'first you take one note and explore it for a while, then another to discover its possibilities, then perhaps you get to the dominant, and pause for a bit, and it's only gradually that the phrases begin to form and the tabla joins in with the beat...and then the more brilliant improvisations and diversions begin, with the main theme returning from time to time, and finally it all speeds up, and the excitement increases to a climax.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vikram Seth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-ve-always-felt-that-the-performance-of-a-raag-resembles-a-novel-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-ve-always-felt-that-the-performance-of-a-raag-resembles-a-novel-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/vikram-seth-4208_books_i-ve-always-felt-that-the-performance-of_2119700.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/vikram-seth-4208_books_i-ve-always-felt-that-the-performance-of_2119700.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/vikram-seth-4208_books_i-ve-always-felt-that-the-performance-of_2119700.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always felt that the performance of a raag resembles a novel - or at least the kind of novel I'm…” — Vikram Seth", "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": "Vikram Seth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I've always felt that the performance...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-ve-always-felt-that-the-performance-of-a-raag-resembles-a-novel-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-ve-always-felt-that-the-performance-of-a-raag-resembles-a-novel-or/#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 } } ] } ```