Music is the reaching out towards the utmost realities by means of ordered sound.
Ralph Vaughan WilliamsRead
The great men of music close periods; they do not inaugurate them. The pioneer work, the finding of new paths, is left to smaller men.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Great musicians build on the work of those before them instead of starting new trends.
Ralph Vaughan Williams suggests that the truly influential musicians often refine and conclude musical eras rather than being the ones to initiate them. He acknowledges that the role of pioneers and innovators in music often falls to those who are less recognized but whose contributions are essential for new directions in artistic expression.
Themes
MusicInnovationArtCreativityPioneersGreatness
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the evolution of music, you might quote this to highlight the importance of both great musicians and their predecessors.
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All quotes βBut in the next world I shan't be doing music, with all the striving and disappointments. I shall be being it.
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