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 enjoy reading about the lives of musicians, and find many similarities in their ideas of preparation and their utter devotion to this great, eternal language: music.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the deep connection between musicians and their art, emphasizing the importance of preparation and devotion.
In this quote, Jessye Norman expresses her admiration for musicians by highlighting the common ground shared among them in their commitment to music. She suggests that their dedication and the way they prepare for their craft resonate with her, pointing to music as a timeless and universal language that transcends individual experiences and speaks to a collective human experience.
Themes
MusicPreparationDevotionMusiciansArt
In practice
Example use cases
To inspire young musicians, I often share a quote by Jessye Norman about the dedication found in music.
More from Jessye Norman
All quotes βMy 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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