So long as the human spirit thrives on this planet, music in some living form will accompany and sustain it and give it expressive meaning.
Aaron CoplandRead
Music that is born complex is not inherently better or worse than music that is born simple.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Complex and simple music are both valuable and valid in their own ways.
Aaron Copland's quote emphasizes that the quality of music is not determined by its complexity but rather by its ability to resonate with listeners. Both complex and simple forms of music can evoke deep emotions and serve meaningful purposes, suggesting that artistic expression transcends technical difficulty.
Themes
MusicComplexitySimplicityArtistic ExpressionQuality
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about different genres of music, you could share this quote to highlight that all forms have their own merits.
More from Aaron Copland
All quotes βI hope my recordings of my own works won't inhibit other people's performances. The brutal fact is that one doesn't always get the exact tempo one wants, although one improves with experience.
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To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable.
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The whole problem can be stated quite simply by asking "Is there a meaning to music?" My answer would be, "Yes", And "Can you state in so many words what the meaning is?" My answer to that would be "No."
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You compose because you want to somehow summarize in some permanent form your most basic feelings about being alive, to set down some sort of permanent statement about the way it feels to live now, today.
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