Beethoven says unequivocally:
“Continue,
do not only practice art,
but also penetrate into its interior;
it deserves it,
as only art and science
raise man up to divinity.”
Beethoven
And let us hear a few other great music creators:
“Like of all music also the purpose and final cause of the basso continuo shall be for nothing other but for God’s glory and for the recreation of the heart: Where this is not taken into account, there it is no actual music, but a devilish bawling.”
Johann Sebastian Bach
“... but nothing must be found, that could be unfavourable to the musical harmony or to the completely right, unambiguous presentation of the inner meaning, for the sake of which all purity of harmony is searched.”
Johann Sebastian Bach
“In a devout music,
God is always present with his grace.”
Johann Sebastian Bach
had written this sentence into his Bible
“... to the Supreme God alone in honour –
to the neighbour, to teach himself from it ...”
Johann Sebastian Bach
“To give constant attention to both
the coherence of each voice in itself,
as well as to its relation
with the voices connected with it
and continuing with it at the same time!”
Johann Sebastian Bach
(Bach regarded his voices as people, so to speak, who are in conversation with each other like a private community.)
“Bach is the father, we are the sons.
Those of us who can do something worthwhile
learned it from him.”
W. A. Mozart
“Composing was a kind of worship for Haydn,
a true ritual;
he always dressed in his best suit
before he started composing, saying:
‘I now will get in touch with God
and have to be suitably dressed.’ ”
Puccini
“All these composers have called God
as the true source of inspiration.”
Brahms
“Beethoven explained,
his ideas would come from God,
and I can claim the same.”
Brahms
“I believe in inspiration –
I want to awaken enthusiasm.
I want art,
in whatever shape it may appear –
but never entertainment,
artistry and theoretical speculation!”
Giuseppe Verdi
“Only out of silence, out of balance
will arise perfect works of art.”
Giuseppe Verdi