Glenn Gould Quotes

That's what it is that you rehearse - the making of music, not the playing of notes as abstractions.

You must have the music to justify an instrument's extensive use.

I started studying music at the age of five and a half. My older sister was taking piano lessons. When her teacher left our apartment, I would get up on the piano bench and start picking out the notes that were part of my sister's lessons.

I've never known how to read music in my life.

I think when you're learning an instrument, you are restricted because much of it is the noise of individual theory and your ability to play the instrument.

The thing with music education is that it is good at teaching technique, but not texture. You only learn about that from listening to music and experimenting on your own.

I studied opera for a year at Georgia State University, but I wasn't interested in that meticulous, technical approach to music. So I left school and went back to jazz.

Playing in an orchestra is where I learned the most about music.

I don't think you can have a calculated approach towards learning music.

As a kid, I took piano lessons, and I didn't like it. It wasn't cool. I was into Duran Duran and rock music. I didn't have any interest in piano. I did it for three years, and because of piano, I learned percussion. I learned scales. I learned how to sing. Piano gives you all of the basics of those things.

I started playing harp about fourteen years ago.

My father taught me to read music and play the piano-but not well, even though people have said that I'm a natural musician.

One learns how to change gears within a concert repertoire.

I'm an interpreter of music.

Music is at once the product of feeling and knowledge, for it requires from its disciples, composers and performers alike, not only talent and enthusiasm, but also that knowledge and perception which are the result of protracted study and reflection.

I grew up with the piano. I learned its language as I learned to speak.

I think there are so many ways to become interested in music. I believe signs of sustained interest gives a sense of the right time. Music, if thought of as a language, would perhaps indicate that as early as possible is not so bad. I do believe that a really nurturing first teacher that makes the child love something is crucial.

I think it's important to learn instruments, whenever one has a little space. Be eager to learn and love your instrument.

I play a musical instrument a little, but only for my own amazement.

I consider myself a musician.

My music is simple stuff. Anybody can sit down, look at a set of symbols and produce sounds the music represents.

I don't think I could have ever had a career as a pianist because I never ever wanted to play the notes the way they were written, I was too sloppy to learn them quite right.

It wasn't all spent on practicing, I did do other things! but the classical guitar means a lot to me so I spend many hours building good chops and getting a good program together.

I only know two pieces; one is 'Clair de Lune' and the other one isn't.

It's easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.