To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist.
Robert SchumannRead
Think it a vile habit to alter works of good composers, to omit parts of them, or to insert new-fashioned ornaments. This is the greatest insult you can offer to Art.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of preserving the original works of great composers without alteration.
Robert Schumann argues that modifying the compositions of esteemed musicians, whether by omission or by adding modern elements, is a significant disrespect to the integrity of art. He stresses that true appreciation of art requires honoring the original intent and creativity of the creator.
Themes
ArtMusicComposersIntegrityPreservationOriginality
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on classical music, one might quote Schumann to highlight the importance of preserving original compositions.
More from Robert Schumann
All quotes →It was an unforgettable picture to see Chopin sitting at the piano like a clairvoyant, lost in his dreams; to see how his vision communicated itself through his playing, and how, at the end of each piece, he had the sad habit of running one finger over the length of the plaintive keyboard, as though to tear himself forcibly away from his dream.
Robert SchumannRead
I am so fresh in soul and spirit that life gushes and bubbles around me in a thousand springs.
Robert SchumannRead
You write to become immortal, or because the piano happens to be open, or you've looked into a pair of beautiful eyes.
Robert SchumannRead
Endeavour to play easy pieces well and with elegance; that is better than to play difficult pieces badly.
Robert SchumannRead
For me, music is always the language which permits one to converse with the Beyond.
Robert SchumannRead
Similar quotes
I don't record (any type of genre of music) that I didn't hear in my family's living room by the time I was 10. It just is my rule that I don't break because ... I can't do it authentically ... I really think that you're just hard-wiring (synapses) in your brain up until the age of maybe 12 or 10, and there are certain things you can't learn in an authentic way after that.
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A human being creates complexity by writing a novel on the surface of paper; a weather system creates complexity by writing waves on the surface of an ocean. What is the difference between the information carried in the words of a novel and the information carried on the waves of the sea? Listen, and the waves will speak, and someday, I tell you, you will write your thoughts on the surface of the sea.
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For the slow labor of realizing a potential gift the artist must retreat to those Bohemias, halfway between the slums and the library, where life is not counted by the clock and where the talented may be sure they will be ignored until that time, if it ever comes, when their gifts are viable enough to be set free and survive in the world.
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When I was young, I was so interested in baseball that my family was afraid I'd waste my life and be a pitcher. Later they were afraid I'd waste my life and be a poet. They were right.
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