29 Quotes by Edgard Varèse

The present day composer refuses to die.

Contrary to general belief, an artist is never ahead of his [sic!] time but most people are far behind theirs.

I do not write experimental music. My experimenting is done before I make the music. Afterwards, it is the listener who must experiment.

Contrary to general belief, an artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs.

I was not influenced by composers as much as by natural objects and physical phenomena.

I don't want to write any more for the old Man-power instruments and am handicapped by the lack of adequate electrical instruments for which I now conceive my music.

I dream of instruments obedient to my thought and which with their contribution of a whole new world of unsuspected sounds, will lend themselves to the exigencies of my inner rhythm.

Everyone is born with genius, but most people only keep it a few minutes.

Music, which should pulsate with life, needs new means of expression, and science alone can infuse it with youthful vigor.