---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should read music in the same way that…"
description: "\"We should read music in the same way that an educated adult will read a book: in silence, but imagining the sound.\" — Zoltan Kodaly"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30e/zoltan-kodaly-31415_adults_we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-tha_55721.jpg"
---

#  We should read music in the same way that an educated…

![“We should read music in the same way that an educated adult will read a book: in silence, but imagining the sound.” quote by Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30e/zoltan-kodaly-31415_adults_we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-tha_55721.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30e/zoltan-kodaly-31415_adults_we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-tha_55721.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30e/zoltan-kodaly-31415_adults_we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-tha_55721.jpg)

> “We should read music in the same way that an educated adult will read a book: in silence, but imagining the sound.”

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Reading music silently engages the mind to conjure auditory experience, turning notation into imagined sound.

**In simple terms:** Silent reading of scores creates mental sound.

Key Takeaway

Notation is a gateway to imagined music.

Themes

Music perception Imagination Learning Aesthetic experience Cognitive engagement

Mood

Contemplative Focused

Type

Instructional Philosophical

When to use this quote

- Music education
- Personal practice
- Analysis of complex works
- Rehearsal preparation

Key Concepts

Score literacy Auditory imagery

Practical Applications

- Teaching sight-reading
- Developing aural skills

Questions to Reflect On

- How does silent reading affect performance accuracy?
- Can visual learners benefit equally from this approach?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/)

## Related quotes

> [I like the idea of imagining a sound and feeling a sound and then having it come out through your body, through an instrument.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tod-machover/i-like-the-idea-of-imagining-a-sound-and-feeling-a-sound-and-then/)

[Tod Machover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tod-machover/)

> [“The only life that matters is in your mind. The only truth is the one that live invisibly, that waits even after you close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-thien/the-only-life-that-matters-is-in-your-mind-the-only-truth-is-the-one/)

[Madeleine Thien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-thien/)

> [reading a good book in silence is like eating chocolate for the rest of your life and never getting fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/reading-a-good-book-in-silence-is-like-eating-chocolate-for-the-rest/)

[Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/)

> [When I read John Cage's book Silence, I was growing up in Louisville, Kentucky. For me, records were a mode of time travel and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grubbs/when-i-read-john-cage-s-book-silence-i-was-growing-up-in-louisville/)

[David Grubbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grubbs/)

> [“Dust dances in the light like tiny ghosts of stories. I open a yellowed page— your handwriting from another lifetime. The shopkeeper pretends not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/dust-dances-in-the-light-like-tiny-ghosts-of-stories-i-open-a/)

[Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/)

> [“When you read a book, book also reads you! The book will know who you are from the sentences you underline!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/when-you-read-a-book-book-also-reads-you-the-book-will-know-who-you/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [I grew up in a completely bookless household. It was my father's boast that he had never read a book from end to end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-grew-up-in-a-completely-bookless-household-it-was-my-father-s-boast/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [“Give your brain a break and read a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lyon/give-your-brain-a-break-and-read-a-book/)

Jeff Lyon

> [“Before I Talk, I Should Read A Book”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-b-52s/before-i-talk-i-should-read-a-book/)

The B-52s

> [Ive never read a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-bullard/ive-never-read-a-book/)

[Jimmy Bullard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-bullard/)

> [When I'm deciding to read a book, I never open to the first chapter, because that's been revised and worked over 88 times. I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hiaasen/when-i-m-deciding-to-read-a-book-i-never-open-to-the-first-chapter/)

[Carl Hiaasen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hiaasen/)

> [Usually when I'm on a plane, I try to enjoy the fact that I have to be still for eight hours and read a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michiel-huisman/usually-when-i-m-on-a-plane-i-try-to-enjoy-the-fact-that-i-have-to-be/)

[Michiel Huisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michiel-huisman/)

> [Free time is a terrible thing to waste. Read a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri-2/free-time-is-a-terrible-thing-to-waste-read-a-book/)

E. A. Bucchianeri

> [“When you read a book, you don't give up on it. You might soon feel like your part of the story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/when-you-read-a-book-you-don-t-give-up-on-it-you-might-soon-feel-like/)

[Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/)

> [“I just can't get with this idea that literature is a 12-step program. If someone wants to read a book to see good people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/i-just-can-t-get-with-this-idea-that-literature-is-a-12-step-program/)

[China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/)

## More by Zoltan Kodaly

> [Music is a manifestation of the human spirit, similar to language. Its greatest practitioners have conveyed to mankind things not possible to say in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/music-is-a-manifestation-of-the-human-spirit-similar-to-language-its/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [There is no complete spiritual life without music, for the human soul has regions which can be illuminated only by music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/there-is-no-complete-spiritual-life-without-music-for-the-human-soul/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [With music, one's whole future life is brightened. This is such a treasure in life that it helps us over many troubles and difficulties.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/with-music-one-s-whole-future-life-is-brightened-this-is-such-a/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [Often a single experience will open the young soul to music for a whole lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/often-a-single-experience-will-open-the-young-soul-to-music-for-a/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [Let us take our children seriously! Everything else follows from this...only the best is good enough for a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/let-us-take-our-children-seriously-everything-else-follows-from-this/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [To teach a child an instrument without first giving him preparatory training and without developing singing, reading and dictating to the highest level along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/to-teach-a-child-an-instrument-without-first-giving-him-preparatory/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [Teach music and singing at school in such a way that it is not a torture but a joy for the pupil; instill a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/teach-music-and-singing-at-school-in-such-a-way-that-it-is-not-a/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [The laws of morals and the laws of music are the same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/the-laws-of-morals-and-the-laws-of-music-are-the-same/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [Singing connected with movements and action is a much more ancient, and, at the same time, more complex phenomenon than is a simple song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/singing-connected-with-movements-and-action-is-a-much-more-ancient/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [Our age of mechanization leads along a road ending with man himself as a machine. Only the spirit of singing can save us from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/our-age-of-mechanization-leads-along-a-road-ending-with-man-himself/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [It is our firm conviction that mankind will live the happier when it has learned to live with music more worthily. Whoever works to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/it-is-our-firm-conviction-that-mankind-will-live-the-happier-when-it/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [I would advise my young colleagues, the composers of symphonies, to drop in sometimes at the kindergarten, too. It is there that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/i-would-advise-my-young-colleagues-the-composers-of-symphonies-to/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [The characteristics of a good musician can be summarized as follows: 1. A well-trained ear. 2. A well-trained intelligence. 3. A well-trained heart. 4.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/the-characteristics-of-a-good-musician-can-be-summarized-as-follows-1/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [Real art is one of the most powerful forces in the rise of mankind, and he who renders it accessible to as many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/real-art-is-one-of-the-most-powerful-forces-in-the-rise-of-mankind/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

> [Music is nourishment, and a comforting elixir. Music multiplies the beauty of life and all its values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/music-is-nourishment-and-a-comforting-elixir-music-multiplies-the/)

[Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

[Explore all 16 Zoltan Kodaly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/)

## More Adults quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intelligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/plainly-the-environment-must-be-a-living-one-directed-by-a-higher/)

[Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/)

> [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/)

[Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/)

> [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/)

[Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/)

> [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/)

[Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/)

> [The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance”: “The differences between expert performers and normal adults are not immutable, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-anders-ericsson/the-role-of-deliberate-practice-in-the-acquisition-of-expert/)

K. Anders Ericsson

> [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/)

One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named

> [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/)

[Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/)

> [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [On the one hand, we had great filmic spectacles that brought in big audiences, adults as well as primary and secondary school students. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrzej-wajda/on-the-one-hand-we-had-great-filmic-spectacles-that-brought-in-big/)

[Andrzej Wajda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrzej-wajda/)

> [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

> [When I was a child at sixteen, I was just a child. All sixteen year-olds are just children. As much as we like them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-abagnale/when-i-was-a-child-at-sixteen-i-was-just-a-child-all-sixteen-year/)

[Frank Abagnale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-abagnale/)

[Browse all 3,113 Adults quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We should read music in the same way that an educated adult will read a book: in silence, but imagining the sound.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Zoltan Kodaly"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-that-an-educated-adult-will-read/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Adults"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-that-an-educated-adult-will-read/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30e/zoltan-kodaly-31415_adults_we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-tha_55721.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30e/zoltan-kodaly-31415_adults_we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-tha_55721.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30e/zoltan-kodaly-31415_adults_we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-tha_55721.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We should read music in the same way that an educated adult will read a book: in silence, but imagining the…” — Zoltan Kodaly",
                "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": "Zoltan Kodaly",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We should read music in the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-that-an-educated-adult-will-read/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/we-should-read-music-in-the-same-way-that-an-educated-adult-will-read/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
