Though everything else may appear shallow and repulsive, even the smallest task in music is so absorbing, and carries us so far away from town, country, earth, and all worldly things, that it is truly a blessed gift of God.
Felix MendelssohnRead
These, too, seem to me so ambiguous, so vague, so easily misunderstood in comparison to genuine music, which fills the soul with a thousand things better than words.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that genuine music conveys emotions and ideas more profoundly than words can, but can be easily misinterpreted.
Felix Mendelssohn reflects on the ambiguous nature of language compared to the clarity and depth of genuine music. He emphasizes that music possesses a unique ability to connect with the soul and express complex emotions in ways that words often fail to achieve. Therefore, while language can be vague and easily misunderstood, music resonates on a deeper, more intuitive level, allowing for a richer experience of expression and understanding.
Themes
MusicExpressionEmotionCommunicationArt
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about the importance of the arts, one might reference this quote to emphasize the power of music over language.
More from Felix Mendelssohn
All quotes →Similar quotes
That's the beauty of the animation process: It takes so long, you have so many chances to improve it.
Phil LordRead
Our Euripides the human, With his droppings of warm tears, and his touchings of things common Till they rose to meet the spheres.
Elizabeth Barrett BrowningRead
Music is the cup which holds the wine of silence.
Robert FrippRead
An artist must possess Nature. He must identify himself with her rhythm, by efforts that will prepare the mastery which will later enable him to express himself in his own language.
Henri MatisseRead
The writer probably knows what he meant when he wrote a book, but he should immediately forget what he meant when he's written it.
William GoldingRead
True alchemy lies in this formula: ‘Your memory and your senses are but the nourishment of your creative impulse’.
Arthur RimbaudRead