When a man of insight appreciates the music of a lyre, calligraphy, poetry, or painting, he nurtures his mind with them; but a worldly man delights only in their physical appeals. When a noble-minded man appreciates mountains, rivers, clouds, or other natural objects, he develops his wisdom with them; but a vulgar man finds pleasure only in their apparent splendor. So we know that things have no fixed attribute. Whether they are noble or ignoble depends upon one's understanding.

Zen Buddhist

On How To Play

Accented notes: like one shoe fits and the other is a little small.
A passage in Prokofiev: like two bugs fighting.
Crescendo: like a million devils.
Diminuendo: with expression-not like when you are turning your radio down because neighbors are complaining.
Sforzando: four old women in the audience must have heart attacks.
Tremolo: like a hag who has false teeth and she is chewing caramels.
A Brahms variation: like crawling lousies.
Softly: whisper like a lady moving in a silk dress.
Mstislav Rostropovich

In music one must think with the heart and feel with the brain. Yo_Yo Ma

A symphony must be like the world. It must contain everything. Gustav Mahler

Lean your body forward slightly to support the guitar against your chest, for the poetry of the music should resound in your heart. Andres Segovia

Music is your own experience-your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. Charlie Parker

Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself. Miles Davis

Playing the violin must be like making love-all or nothing. Isaac Stern

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF WORSHIP

1. Thou shalt not come to service late, nor for the amen refuse to wait.
2. When speaks the organ's sweet refrain, the noisy tongue thou shalt restrain.
3. But when the hymns are sounded out, thou shalt lift thy voice and shout.
4. And when the anthem thou shalt hear, thy sticky voice thou shalt not clear.
5. The endmost seat thou shalt leave free, for more must share the pew with thee.
6. The offering plate thou shalt not fear, but give thine uttermost with cheer.
7. Thou shalt the minister give heed, nor blame him when thou are disagreed.
8. Unto they neighbor thou shalt bend, and, if a stranger, make a friend.
9. Thou shalt in every way be compassionate, kind, considerate and of tender mind.
10. And so, by all the Spirit's grace, thou shalt find God within this place.

After reading the below "aside" that has been making the "Forward" rounds throughout the e-mail system, I can truly say that I am proud to be a creative and thoroughly unpredictable musician. Sing praises for "Unfinished" Business! Thank you, Schubert!

A consultant was given a ticket for a performance of Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony." After attending the concert, the consultant sent the following memorandum to the conductor suggesting a number of improvements...

1. For a considerable period, the oboe players had nothing to do. Their number should be reduced, and their work spread over the whole orchestra, thus avoiding peaks of inactivity.
2. All twelve violins were playing identical notes. This seems unnecessary duplication, and the staff in this section should be drastically cut. If a large volume of sound is required, this could be obtained through use of an amplifier.
3. Much effort was involved in playing the 16th notes. This seems an excessive refinement, and it is recommended that all notes should be rounded up to the nearest 8th note. If this were done, it would be possible to use paraprofessionals instead of experienced musicians.
4. No useful purpose is served by repeating with horns the passage that has already been handled by the strings. If all such redundant passages were eliminated, the concert could be reduced from two hours to twenty minutes.
5. This symphony has two movements. If Schubert did not achieve his musical goals by the end of the first movement, then he should have stopped there. The second movement is unnecessary and should be cut.