Sibelius Quotes

Music begins where the possibilities of language end ~ Jean Sibelius

Outside Soviet Russia, and following the last symphonies of Mahler, Nielsen and Sibelius, an element of obsolescence has unmistakably attached itself to the genre. One could, perhaps, be forgiven for regarding Stravinsky's two ironic stylizations of the symphony as a fitting farewell salute. And yet the Shostakovich symphonies have, in Philip Larkin's phrase, 'penetrated the public mind' to an extent that has put them on a level with Beethoven. ~ Pauline Fairclough

If we understood the world, we would realize that there is a logic of harmony underlying its manifold apparent dissonances. ~ Jean Sibelius

Sibelius justified the austerity of his old age by saying that while other composers were engaged in manufacturing cocktails, he offered the public pure cold water. ~ Neville Cardus

No one ever erected a statue of a critic. ~ Jean Sibelius

Dr. Sarvis with his bald mottled dome and savage visage, grim and noble as Sibelius, was out night-riding on a routine neighborhood beautification project, burning billboards along the highway - U.S. 66, ~ Edward Abbey

Music is, for me, like a beautiful mosaic which God has put together. He takes all the pieces in his hand, throws them into the world, and we have to recreate the picture from the pieces. ~ Jean Sibelius

If I could express the same thing with words as with music, I would, of course, use a verbal expression. Music is something autonomous and much richer. Music begins where the possibilities of language end. That is why I write music. ~ Jean Sibelius

When Stephen talked about stalking chamois his whole expression changed. The features became more aquiline, the nose sharpened, the chin narrowed, and his eyes-steel blue - somehow took on the cold brilliance of a northern sky. I am being very frank about my husband. He attracted me at those times, and he repelled me too. This man, I told myself when I first met him, is a perfectionist. And he has no compassion. Gratified like all women who find themselves sought after and desired - a mutual love for Sibelius had been our common ground at our first encounter - after a few weeks in his company I shut my eyes to further judgment, because being with him gave me pleasure. It flattered my self-esteem. The perfectionist, admired by other women, now sought me. Marriage was in every sense a coup. It was only afterwards that I knew myself deceived. ("The Chamois") ~ Daphne Du Maurier

I visualized myself at Norma's house, stretched out on her couch, my eyes closed, and she at bthe paino playing a powerful movement from some Symphony in D major by Beethoven, by Brahms, by Sibelius, by Tschaikowsky, by anybody, by Thomas Wolfe, by Ernest Hemmingway, by William Saroyan, by Jack Kerouac, by George Apostolos, by Sebastian the Prince, by Love, by Earth, by Fire, by Water, by All, Everything, Love you and I, me myself, egotist, Earth, Fire, a mad and wild concoction of all Life, and of the all-embracing All. ~ Jack Kerouac

Music is on a higher plane than everything else in this world. ~ Jean Sibelius

I often conduct an orchestra in my sleep; my orchestras are so huge that the back desks of the violas vanish into the horizon. And everything is so wonderful. ~ Jean Sibelius

All the doctors who wanted to forbid me to smoke and to drink are dead, ~ Jean Sibelius

Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic. ~ Jean Sibelius

For me, music begins where words end. ~ Jean Sibelius

It's so legato it's difficult to splice. Sibelius was famous for that. ~ Eugene Ormandy

No statue has ever been put up to a critic. ~ Jean Sibelius

Whereas most other modern composers are engaged in manufacturing cocktails of every hue and description, I offer the public pure cold water. ~ Jean Sibelius

For an instant God opens his door and His orchestra plays the Fifth Symphony, ~ Jean Sibelius