Ned Rorem Quotes - Page 2

Quotes about:

• The hardest of all the arts to speak of is music, because music has no meaning to speak of

  Ned Rorem

  Art, Speak, Music Is

  Ned Rorem (2013). “The Later Diaries of Ned Rorem: 1961–1972”, p.70, Open Road Media

  4 Copy quote

• Anyone can be gay - it's no accomplishment - but only I can be me.

  Ned Rorem

  Gay, Accomplishment, I Can

  Ned Rorem (2013). “An Absolute Gift: A New Diary”, p.37, Open Road Media

  4 Copy quote

• Compose first, worry later.

  Ned Rorem

  Worry, Firsts

  Ned Rorem (2013). “An Absolute Gift: A New Diary”, p.10, Open Road Media

  4 Copy quote

• Art means to dare - and to have been right.

  Ned Rorem

  Art, Mean, Dare

  W Magazine, October 10, 1980.

  7 Copy quote

• The same piece of music alters at each hearing. But oh, the need to repeat and repeat and repeat unchanged the sexual experience.

  Ned Rorem

  Needs, Pieces, Hearing

  Ned Rorem (2013). “The Paris Diary & The New York Diary: 1951–1961”, p.49, Open Road Media

  6 Copy quote

• Minor artists borrow, great ones steal.

  Ned Rorem

  Artist, Stealing, Minors

  Ned Rorem (2013). “Knowing When to Stop: A Memoir”, p.83, Open Road Media

  4 Copy quote

• An artist doesn't necessarily have deeper feelings than other people, but he can express these feelings. He is like everyone else-only more so! He speaks with a Formal Sigh.

  Ned Rorem

  Artist, People, Feelings

  7 Copy quote

• There are no fascinating people, only their works are fascinating.

  Ned Rorem

  People, Fascinating

  Ned Rorem (2013). “Setting the Tone: Essays and a Diary”, p.71, Open Road Media

  7 Copy quote

• Greatness is not the effect of which inspiration is the cause. We are all inspired, but we are all not great.

  Ned Rorem

  Inspiration, Greatness, Causes

  4 Copy quote

• Classic means standard as opposed to Romantic: form before meaning as opposed to meaning before form. It grows from inside out, while Romantic grows from outside in.

  Ned Rorem

  Mean, Classic, Form

  Ned Rorem (2013). “The Later Diaries of Ned Rorem: 1961–1972”, p.259, Open Road Media

  4 Copy quote

• If you read reviews of concerts, the word 'creative' comes up all the time. However, performers playing music usually aren't creative. Critics might say they are, but they're just playing another persons work. They didn't create it.

  Ned Rorem

  Creative, Might, Playing Music

  4 Copy quote

• Perfection is no more a requisite to art than to heroes.

  Ned Rorem

  Art, Hero, Perfection

  Ned Rorem (2013). “Settling the Score: Essays on Music”, Open Road Media

  7 Copy quote

• If asked to list my ten favorite American fiction writers, Gail Godwin would be among them. In this, her latest . . . she evokes in a short book the long married life of two artists. Evenings at Five is a strong tale of love-after-death.

  Ned Rorem

  Strong, Book, Artist

  4 Copy quote

• Perfection is no more a requisite to art than to heroes. Frigidaires are perfect. Beauty limps. My frigidaire has had to be replaced.

  Ned Rorem

  Art, Hero, Perfect

  Ned Rorem (1974). “The final diary, 1961-1972”

  4 Copy quote

• As a lifelong pacifist, Quaker, and a gay man, I despair that gays and lesbians are expending energy trying to get into the military when they should be using that same energy getting rid of the military completely.

  Ned Rorem

  Military, Gay, Men

  4 Copy quote

• I don't go to concerts much. I've heard everything. When I do go to movies, I walk out half the time. As for literature, I've read everything.

  Ned Rorem

  Half, Literature, Concerts

  4 Copy quote

• Why, after all, must everyone like music? That they are missing something is just the lover's opinion.

  Ned Rorem

  Music, Missing, Opinion

  Ned Rorem (2013). “Setting the Tone: Essays and a Diary”, p.324, Open Road Media

  4 Copy quote

• Love is a mystery which, when solved, evaporates. The same holds for music.

  Ned Rorem

  Music, Love Is, Singing

  4 Copy quote

Page 2 of 2

First

← Prev

1

2

Next →

• facebook
• twitter
• googleplus
• email
• linkedin