--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is important for the musician to learn…" description: "\"It is important for the musician to learn as much about the composer as possible and to study the music he has written. Then, even a short piece by Bra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/vladimir-horowitz-18996_learn_it-is-important-for-the-musician-to-lear_3011539.jpg" --- # It is important for the musician to learn as much about… ![“It is important for the musician to learn as much about the composer as possible and to study the music he has written. Then, even a short piece by Brahms or Chopin can be played with much more understanding.” quote by Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/vladimir-horowitz-18996_learn_it-is-important-for-the-musician-to-lear_3011539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/vladimir-horowitz-18996_learn_it-is-important-for-the-musician-to-lear_3011539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/vladimir-horowitz-18996_learn_it-is-important-for-the-musician-to-lear_3011539.jpg) > “It is important for the musician to learn as much about the composer as possible and to study the music he has written. Then, even a short piece by Brahms or Chopin can be played with much more understanding.” [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding a composer deepens performance of their music. **In simple terms:** Knowing a composer helps play their music better. Key Takeaway Study composers to enrich musical interpretation. Themes music learning interpretation Mood inspirational educational Type musical instructional When to use this quote - music education - concert preparation - historical context Key Concepts composer study musical analysis performance practice Practical Applications - May not apply to purely technical performance. Questions to Reflect On - How can listeners benefit from this insight? A Different Perspective How does composer knowledge affect emotional expression? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [Once in a while, a teacher gets rewarded with a brilliant student. My two years with Dan Szabo at the New England Conservatory were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-brookmeyer/once-in-a-while-a-teacher-gets-rewarded-with-a-brilliant-student-my/) [Bob Brookmeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-brookmeyer/) > [I always thought that I was an important musician. If you don't have that confidence, why would you go on and do it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-always-thought-that-i-was-an-important-musician-if-you-don-t-have/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [It's important for me to be with a musician or someone who has a creative mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-winehouse/it-s-important-for-me-to-be-with-a-musician-or-someone-who-has-a/) [Amy Winehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-winehouse/) > [It's nearly redundant to enumerate the reasons The Beatles are important. There are probably different reasons why The Beatles are important to a musician…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/it-s-nearly-redundant-to-enumerate-the-reasons-the-beatles-are/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [That said, everything's important, and every musician who plays on the record is an integral part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-harrison/that-said-everything-s-important-and-every-musician-who-plays-on-the/) [Jerry Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-harrison/) > [The hardest thing for a musician to learn is how to play WITH people. That's what made the Basie rhythm section.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-jones/the-hardest-thing-for-a-musician-to-learn-is-how-to-play-with-people/) Jo Jones > [Many jazz musicians affect a misunderstood-genius air when they play, which alienates the audience and breaks down the communications of the music. A musician's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-szabo/many-jazz-musicians-affect-a-misunderstood-genius-air-when-they-play/) Gabor Szabo > [No matter what comes your way, being a musician, you will never, ever learn to play it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-jordison/no-matter-what-comes-your-way-being-a-musician-you-will-never-ever/) [Joey Jordison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-jordison/) > [I think one of the things which always is forgotten in music class, is the first thing you have to do as a musician…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-zimmer/i-think-one-of-the-things-which-always-is-forgotten-in-music-class-is/) [Hans Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-zimmer/) > [And a musician has to learn to be frugal and to carefully manage financial affairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-byrd/and-a-musician-has-to-learn-to-be-frugal-and-to-carefully-manage/) [Charlie Byrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-byrd/) > [I tried to make guitars that were close to what my heroes played. That's the way it's done. My experience is that you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-reed-smith/i-tried-to-make-guitars-that-were-close-to-what-my-heroes-played-that/) [Paul Reed Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-reed-smith/) > [Classical music, fortunately or not, unfolds in time. It's not like a picture you can stare at for 10 seconds or 10 hours. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-grante/classical-music-fortunately-or-not-unfolds-in-time-it-s-not-like-a/) [Carlo Grante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-grante/) > [I didn't study music and I didn't go to music school, but my education came with two films: 'Woodstock' and 'The Last Waltz.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-savoretti/i-didn-t-study-music-and-i-didn-t-go-to-music-school-but-my-education/) [Jack Savoretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-savoretti/) > [A study found that music can actually relieve emotional & some physical pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-study-found-that-music-can-actually-relieve-emotional-some-physical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I used to play cello. My mother kept me out of school a whole year to study music and counterpoint. She thought I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-used-to-play-cello-my-mother-kept-me-out-of-school-a-whole-year-to/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## More by Vladimir Horowitz > [Your mind must control, but you must have heart . . . . Give your feeling free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/your-mind-must-control-but-you-must-have-heart-give-your-feeling-free/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [I have no style, because I change each time . . . each day I play differently. Today I play differently than yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/i-have-no-style-because-i-change-each-time-each-day-i-play/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [Always there should be a little mistake here and there - I am for it. The people who don't do mistakes are cold like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/always-there-should-be-a-little-mistake-here-and-there-i-am-for-it/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [Everyone goes to the forest; some go for a walk to be inspired, and others go to cut down the trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/everyone-goes-to-the-forest-some-go-for-a-walk-to-be-inspired-and/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [The most important thing is to make a percussive instrument a singing instrument. Teachers should stress this aspect in their instruction, but it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/the-most-important-thing-is-to-make-a-percussive-instrument-a-singing/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [Behind the notes, something different is told, and that's what the interpreter must find out. He may sit down and play one passage one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/behind-the-notes-something-different-is-told-and-that-s-what-the/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [Scriabin, as you know, is a mystic composer. His music is supersensuous, superromantic, and supermysterious. Everything is super; it is all a little overboard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/scriabin-as-you-know-is-a-mystic-composer-his-music-is-supersensuous/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [You have to open the music, so to speak, and see what's behind the notes because the notes are the same whether it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/you-have-to-open-the-music-so-to-speak-and-see-what-s-behind-the/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [Scriabin slept with Chopin under his pillow, and I slept with Wagner under mine. I could not concentrate on memorizing Bach fugues, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/scriabin-slept-with-chopin-under-his-pillow-and-i-slept-with-wagner/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [My future is in my past and my past is my present. I must now make the present my future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/my-future-is-in-my-past-and-my-past-is-my-present-i-must-now-make-the/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [The score is not a bible, and I am never afraid to dare. The music is behind those dots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/the-score-is-not-a-bible-and-i-am-never-afraid-to-dare-the-music-is/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [If you want me to play only the notes without any specific dynamics, I will never make one mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/if-you-want-me-to-play-only-the-notes-without-any-specific-dynamics-i/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [Life is very busy now. I find that in today's cities, the public is very tired after working the whole day. When concerts start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/life-is-very-busy-now-i-find-that-in-today-s-cities-the-public-is/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [I loved singing. But can you imagine my voice in an opera house?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/i-loved-singing-but-can-you-imagine-my-voice-in-an-opera-house/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) > [Piano playing consists of common sense, heart and technical resources. All three should be equally developed. Without common sense you are a fiasco, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/piano-playing-consists-of-common-sense-heart-and-technical-resources/) [Vladimir Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) [Explore all 33 Vladimir Horowitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/) ## More Learn quotes > [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [I have learned that you can go anywhere you want to go and do anything you want to do and buy all the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c-2/i-have-learned-that-you-can-go-anywhere-you-want-to-go-and-do/) [C JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c-2/) > [At any one time the world has a very limited number of Steve Jobs or Winston Churchills or Thomas Watson the firsts. These are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-p-kotter/at-any-one-time-the-world-has-a-very-limited-number-of-steve-jobs-or/) [John P. Kotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-p-kotter/) > [If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-not-willing-to-learn-no-one-can-help-you-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Columbia University, where I went to study in 1993, insisted its undergraduates learn a foreign language, so I discovered French.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/columbia-university-where-i-went-to-study-in-1993-insisted-its/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [There are things you can do in training like learn from the manager and talk with team-mates, but it's the game that tests you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burke/there-are-things-you-can-do-in-training-like-learn-from-the-manager/) [Oliver Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burke/) > [I would rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach 10,000 stars how not to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/i-would-rather-learn-from-one-bird-how-to-sing-than-to-teach-10-000/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [I personally think if something's not a challenge, there's no point doing it, because you're not gonna learn much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-personally-think-if-something-s-not-a-challenge-there-s-no-point/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We learn by teaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/we-learn-by-teaching/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [I decided to start my channel because my followers on Instagram told me that they wanted to learn how I did the looks I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-mua/i-decided-to-start-my-channel-because-my-followers-on-instagram-told/) [Manny MUA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-mua/) > [The idea that someone has to give you permission to become who you want to be, or see it in you in order for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-victor/the-idea-that-someone-has-to-give-you-permission-to-become-who-you/) [Eva Victor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-victor/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [You learn a lot from quality players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marouane-fellaini/you-learn-a-lot-from-quality-players/) [Marouane Fellaini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marouane-fellaini/) > [You learn from every bout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-jr/you-learn-from-every-bout/) [Chris Eubank Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-jr/) Browse all 8,975 Learn quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is important for the musician to learn as much about the composer as possible and to study the music he has written. Then, even a short piece by Brahms or Chopin can be played with much more understanding.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vladimir Horowitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/it-is-important-for-the-musician-to-learn-as-much-about-the-composer/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Learn" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/it-is-important-for-the-musician-to-learn-as-much-about-the-composer/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/vladimir-horowitz-18996_learn_it-is-important-for-the-musician-to-lear_3011539.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/vladimir-horowitz-18996_learn_it-is-important-for-the-musician-to-lear_3011539.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/vladimir-horowitz-18996_learn_it-is-important-for-the-musician-to-lear_3011539.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is important for the musician to learn as much about the composer as possible and to study the music he…” — Vladimir Horowitz", "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": "Vladimir Horowitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-horowitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is important for the musician...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/it-is-important-for-the-musician-to-learn-as-much-about-the-composer/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-horowitz/it-is-important-for-the-musician-to-learn-as-much-about-the-composer/#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 } } ] } ```