--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a young man at the age of twenty-three…" description: "\"If a young man at the age of twenty-three can write a symphony like that, in five years he will be ready to commit murder.\" — Walter Damrosch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/walter-damrosch-286213_age_if-a-young-man-at-the-age-of-twenty-thre_1914788.png" --- # If a young man at the age of twenty-three can write a… ![“If a young man at the age of twenty-three can write a symphony like that, in five years he will be ready to commit murder.” quote by Walter Damrosch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/walter-damrosch-286213_age_if-a-young-man-at-the-age-of-twenty-thre_1914788.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/walter-damrosch-286213_age_if-a-young-man-at-the-age-of-twenty-thre_1914788.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/walter-damrosch-286213_age_if-a-young-man-at-the-age-of-twenty-thre_1914788.png) > “If a young man at the age of twenty-three can write a symphony like that, in five years he will be ready to commit murder.” Walter Damrosch ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early talent may lead to dangerous confidence if not guided responsibly. **In simple terms:** Young talent can become harmful without guidance. Key Takeaway Guide young talent responsibly. Themes age commit danger creativity responsibility Mood concerned thoughtful Type statement warning When to use this quote - music education - career mentorship - ethical training - risk assessment Key Concepts psychology potential risk development talent Questions to Reflect On - How can we nurture talent while instilling ethics? - What safeguards prevent misuse of skill? A Different Perspective Talent alone does not guarantee moral restraint. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A Mozart symphony is very much like a Pixar movie - in the sense that Pixar movies are hugely successful because they operate on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/a-mozart-symphony-is-very-much-like-a-pixar-movie-in-the-sense-that/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [Whatever I do today is the whole continuum of my experience. 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There is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-colwin/not-everyone-can-write-a-book-or-paint-a-picture-or-write-a-symphony/) [Laurie Colwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-colwin/) > [A girl I could write you a symphony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyaz/a-girl-i-could-write-you-a-symphony/) [Iyaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyaz/) > [I am going to write my symphony; I'm just going to start tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/i-am-going-to-write-my-symphony-i-m-just-going-to-start-tomorrow/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [To write a symphony is, for me, to construct a world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-mahler/to-write-a-symphony-is-for-me-to-construct-a-world/) [Gustav Mahler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-mahler/) > [Im like any other composer. 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That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If a young man at the age of twenty-three can write a symphony like that, in five years he will be ready to commit murder.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walter Damrosch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-damrosch/if-a-young-man-at-the-age-of-twenty-three-can-write-a-symphony-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Age" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-damrosch/if-a-young-man-at-the-age-of-twenty-three-can-write-a-symphony-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/walter-damrosch-286213_age_if-a-young-man-at-the-age-of-twenty-thre_1914788.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/walter-damrosch-286213_age_if-a-young-man-at-the-age-of-twenty-thre_1914788.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/walter-damrosch-286213_age_if-a-young-man-at-the-age-of-twenty-thre_1914788.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a young man at the age of twenty-three can write a symphony like that, in five years he will be ready to…” — Walter Damrosch", "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": "Walter Damrosch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-damrosch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If a young man at the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-damrosch/if-a-young-man-at-the-age-of-twenty-three-can-write-a-symphony-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-damrosch/if-a-young-man-at-the-age-of-twenty-three-can-write-a-symphony-like/#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 } } ] } ```