If you send up a weather vane or put your thumb up in the air every time you want to do something different, to find out what people are going to think about it, you're going to limit yourself. That's a very strange way to live.
Jessye NormanRead
I love singing jazz. I don't like the idea that classical music should be over here and jazz should be someplace else. It's all wonderful, and we should be open to enjoying it all.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of embracing different musical genres without prejudice.
Jessye Norman expresses her belief in the beauty of all music, arguing against the idea of separating genres like classical and jazz. She advocates for a mindset that appreciates and enjoys a diverse range of musical styles, suggesting that all music has its own value and worth celebrating.
Themes
MusicJazzClassicalAppreciationDiversity
In practice
Example use cases
Using the quote to introduce a music festival showcasing various genres.
More from Jessye Norman
All quotes →My parents said to us, practically on a daily basis, that we were as good as anyone else on this earth, and that we would simply have to work harder in order to show that.
Jessye NormanRead
Problems arise in that one has to find a balance between what people need from you and what you need for yourself.
Jessye NormanRead
I am grateful that my horizons were not narrowed at the outset.
Jessye NormanRead
As for my voice, it cannot be categorised - and I like it that way, because I sing things that would be considered in the dramatic, mezzo or spinto range.
Jessye NormanRead
It is still more likely that a woman's power would be seen as aggression, and a man's power would be seen as assertion.
Jessye NormanRead
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