--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The description and explanation is the…" description: "\"The description and explanation is the best part of music reviewing. There is such a thing, and you know it too, as a gift for judgment. If you have it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/virgil-thomson-25552_description_the-description-and-explanation-is-the-b_2100126.jpg" --- # The description and explanation is the best part of music… ![“The description and explanation is the best part of music reviewing. There is such a thing, and you know it too, as a gift for judgment. If you have it, you can say anything you like. If you haven't got it, you don't know you haven't got it.” quote by Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/virgil-thomson-25552_description_the-description-and-explanation-is-the-b_2100126.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/virgil-thomson-25552_description_the-description-and-explanation-is-the-b_2100126.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/virgil-thomson-25552_description_the-description-and-explanation-is-the-b_2100126.jpg) > “The description and explanation is the best part of music reviewing. There is such a thing, and you know it too, as a gift for judgment. If you have it, you can say anything you like. If you haven't got it, you don't know you haven't got it.” [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that the ability to critique music hinges on an innate judgment; those lacking it cannot recognize its absence. **In simple terms:** Good critique needs a natural sense of judgment. Key Takeaway Cultivate and trust your musical instincts. Themes critique judgment music Mood analytical thoughtful Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - listening sessions - writing reviews - teaching music - curating playlists Key Concepts aesthetic evaluation subjectivity expertise Questions to Reflect On - Do you trust your own judgment in music? - How can you develop a more refined ear? A Different Perspective Risk of elitism, dismissing novice perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ## Related quotes > [Reviewing music or reviewing anything is a writing job. It's nice if you are experienced in the field you are writing about, but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/reviewing-music-or-reviewing-anything-is-a-writing-job-it-s-nice-if/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I think the job of movie reviewing can be really tough. If a film has layers that need to be thought about, it's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-joffe/i-think-the-job-of-movie-reviewing-can-be-really-tough-if-a-film-has/) [Roland Joffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-joffe/) > [I never read a book before reviewing it - it prejudices a man so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-smith/i-never-read-a-book-before-reviewing-it-it-prejudices-a-man-so/) [Sydney Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-smith/) > [Somewhere in the Commandments of Reviewing must be written, 'Thou shalt not compare Asians to non-Asians.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celeste-ng/somewhere-in-the-commandments-of-reviewing-must-be-written-thou-shalt/) [Celeste Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celeste-ng/) > [“But 'I worked hard on this' doesn’t exempt you from criticism. Those harsh reviews aren’t about anyone being out to get me. It’s not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-c-hines/but-i-worked-hard-on-this-doesn-t-exempt-you-from-criticism-those/) [Jim C. Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-c-hines/) > [“reviewing History's great idea, the one way you can make things change”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/reviewing-history-s-great-idea-the-one-way-you-can-make-things-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I was going to suggest some hard-won guidelines for responsible reviewing. For instance: First, as in Hippocrates, do no harm. Second, never stoop to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leonard/i-was-going-to-suggest-some-hard-won-guidelines-for-responsible/) [John Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leonard/) > [“I never want the art of reviewing to ever feel like a chore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-of-spades/i-never-want-the-art-of-reviewing-to-ever-feel-like-a-chore/) Queen Of Spades > [ “ \[Blog post, March 10, 2014\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-charles/blog-post-march-10-2014/) [K.J. Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-charles/) > [I did my degree in journalism, and I then went on to being a games journalist, reviewing and previewing games and writing about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhianna-pratchett/i-did-my-degree-in-journalism-and-i-then-went-on-to-being-a-games/) [Rhianna Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhianna-pratchett/) > [I still viewed myself as a reviewer when I was on radio. Was it appropriate for me? I think the answer is it's only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-lurie/i-still-viewed-myself-as-a-reviewer-when-i-was-on-radio-was-it/) [Rod Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-lurie/) > [“Only a few short years ago, the average stay-at-home mom spent her relaxation time reading Jackie Collins and staring at the pool boy. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-morin/only-a-few-short-years-ago-the-average-stay-at-home-mom-spent-her/) Pete Morin > [One of the greatest creations of the human mind is the art of reviewing books without having read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/one-of-the-greatest-creations-of-the-human-mind-is-the-art-of/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [I became a writer because I love to read, yet I never get to unless I'm reviewing a book or doing research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-became-a-writer-because-i-love-to-read-yet-i-never-get-to-unless-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I get rewarded virtually every day with something amazing to see - whether it's a new shot, a miniature sweater, someone who's figured out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/i-get-rewarded-virtually-every-day-with-something-amazing-to-see/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) ## More by Virgil Thomson > [I don't have to worry No matter what they do to it, it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-don-t-have-to-worry-no-matter-what-they-do-to-it-it-works/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I got myself into a lovely little shall we say controversy with André Breton, by pointing out that the discipline of spontaneity, which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-got-myself-into-a-lovely-little-shall-we-say-controversy-with-andr/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Every composer's music reflects in its subject-matter and in its style the source of the money the composer is living on while writing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/every-composer-s-music-reflects-in-its-subject-matter-and-in-its/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I let her alone and when she got that finished she left me alone. We trusted each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-let-her-alone-and-when-she-got-that-finished-she-left-me-alone-we/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I never learned to verbalize an abstract musical concept. No thank you. The whole point of being a serious musician is to avoid verbalization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-never-learned-to-verbalize-an-abstract-musical-concept-no-thank-you/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [In Paris, you learn wit, in London you learn to crush your social rivals, and in Florence you learn poise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/in-paris-you-learn-wit-in-london-you-learn-to-crush-your-social/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I listened to the pure crystalline notes of one of Mozart's concertos dropping at my feet like leaves from the trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-listened-to-the-pure-crystalline-notes-of-one-of-mozart-s-concertos/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I don't care what other critics say, I only hope to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-don-t-care-what-other-critics-say-i-only-hope-to-be-played/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I seem to write an opera about every 20 years; if you live long enough you can write four operas. I finished my third in 1970.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-seem-to-write-an-opera-about-every-20-years-if-you-live-long-enough/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Musicians own music because music owns them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/musicians-own-music-because-music-owns-them/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Let your mind alone, and see what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/let-your-mind-alone-and-see-what-happens/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Verbal communication about music is impossible except among musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/verbal-communication-about-music-is-impossible-except-among-musicians/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [Whatever deceptions life may have in store for you, music itself is not going to let you down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/whatever-deceptions-life-may-have-in-store-for-you-music-itself-is/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I look at you and I write down what I hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-look-at-you-and-i-write-down-what-i-hear/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) > [I said to my friends that if I was going to starve, I might as well starve where the food is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-thomson/i-said-to-my-friends-that-if-i-was-going-to-starve-i-might-as-well/) [Virgil Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) [Explore all 23 Virgil Thomson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-thomson/) ## More Description quotes > [Developing fewer features allows you to conserve development resources and spend more time refining those features that users really need. Fewer features mean fewer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-nielsen/developing-fewer-features-allows-you-to-conserve-development/) [Jakob Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-nielsen/) > [It is a great delusion to suppose that flesh-meat of any kind is essential to health. Considerably more than three parts of the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-booth/it-is-a-great-delusion-to-suppose-that-flesh-meat-of-any-kind-is/) [Catherine Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-booth/) > [“There was a short railway official travelling up to the terminus, three fairly short market-gardeners picked up two stations afterwards, one very short widow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/there-was-a-short-railway-official-travelling-up-to-the-terminus/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [First of all, principles should be general. That is, it must be possible to formulate them without use of what would be intuitively recognized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/first-of-all-principles-should-be-general-that-is-it-must-be-possible/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [I already know what things look like - I don't want description. People believe in appearances, and I don't believe in appearances at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-michals/i-already-know-what-things-look-like-i-don-t-want-description-people/) [Duane Michals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-michals/) > [Selfish hedonism is not a pejorative. It is a description - an exactly accurate description of what is involved in homosexual relations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/selfish-hedonism-is-not-a-pejorative-it-is-a-description-an-exactly/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Part of my plan was not only to introduce all useful animals that I possibly could into this part of Australia, but also the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-grey/part-of-my-plan-was-not-only-to-introduce-all-useful-animals-that-i/) [George Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-grey/) > [The camera is simply not the supple and powerful instrument of description that the pen is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-malcolm/the-camera-is-simply-not-the-supple-and-powerful-instrument-of/) [Janet Malcolm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-malcolm/) > [The word actress has always seemed less a job description to me than a title](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-tierney/the-word-actress-has-always-seemed-less-a-job-description-to-me-than/) [Gene Tierney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-tierney/) > [My Calvinism persuades me that we are open to God, in the sense that we are not delimited, not organisms with fixed attributes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/my-calvinism-persuades-me-that-we-are-open-to-god-in-the-sense-that/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [Christianity also stands in opposition to intellectual, as well as physical, health. To doubt becomes sin. 'Faith means not wanting to know what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sheaffer/christianity-also-stands-in-opposition-to-intellectual-as-well-as/) [Robert Sheaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sheaffer/) > [My tears will keep no channel, know no laws to guide their streams, but like the waves, their cause, run with disturbance till they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleveland/my-tears-will-keep-no-channel-know-no-laws-to-guide-their-streams-but/) [John Cleveland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleveland/) > [All I want to say, with the utmost emphasis at my command, is that the description of India as a military country is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/all-i-want-to-say-with-the-utmost-emphasis-at-my-command-is-that-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Matter-of-fact descriptions make the improbable seem real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/matter-of-fact-descriptions-make-the-improbable-seem-real/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Discovered W. Somerset Maugham in about 5th grade. Didn't understand the plots, but loved the descriptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-p-kinsella/discovered-w-somerset-maugham-in-about-5th-grade-didn-t-understand/) [W. P. Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-p-kinsella/) Browse all 1,075 Description quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The description and explanation is the best part of music reviewing. There is such a thing, and you know it too, as a gift for judgment. If you have it, you can say anything you like. 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