"If a professional musician in a symphony orchestra is playing Beethoven. But this particular orchestra have played this particular chestnut so many times, they can play it in their sleep. Does the genius remain present in the music or not?"
- Robert Fripp
About this Quote
In this quote, Robert Fripp is questioning whether the genius of a musical piece, specifically Beethoven's music, stays present when it is played by a professional artist in a chamber orchestra. He acknowledges that the artists in the orchestra have actually most likely played this particular piece various times, to the point where they can play it easily. Nevertheless, he questions if the initial sparkle and imagination of the author is still obvious in the music, or if it has actually been diluted by the repetition and familiarity of the artists. This quote raises the question of whether real genius can be replicated or if it is lost in the process of repetition.
"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away"
"Liquid architecture. It's like jazz - you improvise, you work together, you play off each other, you make something, they make something. And I think it's a way of - for me, it's a way of trying to understand the city, and what might happen in the city"
