Quote

One should never forget that by actually perfecting one piece one gains and learns more than by starting or half-finishing a dozen.

Johannes Brahms

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Johannes Brahms
Age: 62 †
Born: 1834
Born: May 7
Died: 1897
Died: April 3
Composer
Conductor
Pianist
Hamburg
Freie und Hansestadt
Brahms
G. W. Marks
Never
Dozen
Gains
Piece
Starting
Pieces
Forget
Perfecting
Actually
Finishing
Half
Learns

More quotes by Johannes Brahms

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For the shallow delights of matrimony and opera I have no courage.
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Composers in the old days used to keep strictly to the base of the theme, as their real subject. Beethoven varies the melody, harmony and rhythms so beautifully.
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A symphony is no joke.
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If we cannot write with the beauty of Mozart, let us at least try to write with his purity.
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What would become of all historical biography if it was written only with consideration for other peoples' feelings?
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How lucky is the man who, like Mozart and others, goes to the tavern of an evening and writes some fresh music. For he lives while he is creating.
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In him converge all previous streams of tendency, not as into a pool, stagnant, passive, motionless, but as a noble river that received its tributary waters and bearss them onward in larger and statelier volume.
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Reviewer: 'One of your themes was very similar to one of Beethoven's!' Brahms replied, 'Of course it is. Everyone steals - the important thing is to do it brilliantly.
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Straight-away the ideas flow in upon me, directly from God, and not only do I see distinct themes in my mind's eye, but they are clothed in the right forms, harmonies, and orchestration.
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If there is anyone here whom I have not insulted, I beg his pardon.
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It is not hard to compose but it is wonderfully hard to let the superfluous notes fall under the table. . . So many melodies fly about, one must be careful not to tread on them.
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Ah, that tastes nice. Thank you.
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Those are miracles that no merely human brain can work. The artist is merely the sound conduct of a Force that dictates to him what he should do.
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The fact that most people do not understand and respect the very best things, such as Mozart's concertos, is what permits men like us to become famous.
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It is a real pleasure to see music so bright and spontaneous expressed with corresponding ease and grace.
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It is not hard to compose, but what is fabulously hard is to leave the superfluous notes under the table.
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