"I had found English audiences highly satisfactory. They are the best listeners in the world. Perhaps the music-lovers of some of our larger cities equal the English, but I do not believe they can be surpassed in that respect"
- John Philip Sousa
About this Quote
John Philip Sousa was a renowned American composer and conductor of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In this quote, he is revealing his adoration for English audiences, declaring that they are the best listeners in the world. He acknowledges that music-lovers in a few of the larger cities in the United States may be on par with the English, however he does not believe they can be surpassed. This is a testimony to the gratitude and regard that English audiences have for music and the arts. Sousa's words are a suggestion of the significance of having an audience that wants to listen and value the music being performed. It is a tip that music is not almost the performer, but likewise about the listener. Without an audience, music would not be able to reach its complete potential.
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