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I owe very, very much to Mozart; and if one studies, for instance, the way in which I write for string quartet, then one cannot deny that I have learned this directly from Mozart. And I am proud of it!
Arnold Schoenberg
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Schoenberg acknowledges his debt to Mozart's influence on his compositional style.

In this quote, Arnold Schoenberg expresses his deep admiration and respect for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, admitting that much of his own work, particularly in writing for string quartet, has been shaped by Mozart's techniques and artistry. He takes pride in this influence, highlighting the importance of studying and learning from great masters in the field of music.

Themes

MozartInfluenceCompositionString QuartetMusic

In practice

Example use cases

During a lecture on musical influences, one could use this quote to emphasize the importance of learning from the great composers.

More from Arnold Schoenberg

I never was very capable of expressing my feelings or emotions in words. I don't know whether this is the cause why I did it in music and also why I did it in painting. Or vice versa: That I had this way as an outlet. I could renounce expressing something in words.
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There is still plenty of good music to be written in C major.
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I am the slave of an internal power more powerful than my education.
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I find above all that the expression, atonal music, is most unfortunate — it is on a par with calling flying the art of not falling, or swimming the art of not drowning.
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My music is not modern, it is merely badly played
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