The meaning of life according to the great composers

Composers throughout the centuries have had plenty to say on the fundamental questions of life and we've brought together some of their best quotes…

1. 

   1. Ludwig van Beethoven

   "Prince, what you are, you are by accident of birth; what I am, I am of myself. There are and will be thousands of princes. There is only one Beethoven."

2. 

   2. Rossini

   "The language of music is common to all generations and nations; it is understood by everybody, since it is understood with the heart."

3. 

   3. John Cage

   "We are involved in a life that passes understanding and our highest business is our daily life."

4. 

   4. Pablo Casals

   "I implore my fellow musicians throughout the world to put the purity of their art at the service of mankind in order to unite all races."

5. 

   5. Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy

   "Art and Life are not two different things."

7. 

   6. Franz Liszt

   "Beware of missing chances; otherwise it may be altogether too late some day."

8. 

   7. George Gershwin

   "Life is a lot like jazz… it's better when you improvise."

9. 

   8. Ludwig Van Beethoven

   "Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life."

10. 

    9. Dmitri Shostakovich

    "When a man is in despair it means that he still believes in something."

11. 

    10. Ludovico Einaudi

    "It is only when we become aware that our time is limited that we can channel our energy into truly living."

13. 

    11. Vaughan Williams

    "In the next world, I shan't be doing music, with all the striving and disappointment. I shall be being it."

14. 

    12. Aaron Copland

    "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."

15. 

    13. Carl Nielsen

    "Music is the sound of life"

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