Music is the arithmetic of sounds as optics is the geometry of light.
Claude DebussyRead
If we look at the works of JS Bach ... on each page we discover things which we thought were born only yesterday, from delightful arabesques to an overflowing of religious feeling greater than anything we have since discovered.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Debussy expresses admiration for Bach's enduring artistry and the timeless beauty found in his works.
In this quote, Claude Debussy reflects on the profound impact of Johann Sebastian Bach's music, suggesting that each page reveals both innovative ideas and deep feelings of spirituality. Debussy believes that Bach's creations possess an ageless quality that resonates with emotions and artistic expression, highlighting the richness and depth of Bach's genius that continues to inspire even in contemporary times.
Themes
BachDebusseyMusicArtistryTimelessness
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on classical music, one might say this quote to emphasize Bach's timeless influence.
More from Claude Debussy
All quotes →The colour of my soul is iron-grey and sad bats wheel about the steeple of my dreams.
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On those who overanalyze his music: When you tear the wings off a butterfly, it is no longer a butterfly
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But music, don't you know, is a dream from which the veils have been lifted. It's not even the expression of a feeling, it's the feeling itself.
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People come to music to seek oblivion: is that not also a form of deception?
Claude DebussyRead
Some people wish above all to conform to the rules, I wish only to render what I can hear.
Claude DebussyRead
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