Monday, January 17, 2022

Leonard Bernstein Appetizers

 

Looking for a quote from Leonard Bernstein that I couldn’t find, I stumbled on others that I’m happy I did find. In the spirit of the one-line snacks from yesterday’s post (and arguably much more interesting) are some select gems from the maestro.

 

• The joy of music should never be interrupted by a commercial.

 

• I’ve been all over the world and I’ve never seen a statue of a critic.

 

• Children must receive music instruction as naturally as food, with as much pleasure as they derive from a ball game and this must happen from the beginning of their lives.

 

• Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time… the wait is simply too long.

 

• I’m no longer sure what the question is, but I do know that the answer is Yes.

 

• To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.

 

(Compare to Duke Ellington’s: A goal is a dream with a finish line.)

 

And finally, in honor of Martin Luther King Day:

 

I believe in people. I feel, love, need and respect people above all else, including natural scenery, organized piety and nationalistic superstructures. One human figure on the slope of a mountain can make the mountain disappear for me, one person fighting for truth can disqualify for me the entire system which had dispensed it.

  

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