Ned Rorem Quotes - Page 2

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Sooner or later you've heard all your best friends have to say. Then comes the tolerance of real love.

Ned Rorem

Real, Tolerance, Your Best Friend

Ned Rorem (2013). “The Later Diaries of Ned Rorem: 1961–1972”, p.64, Open Road Media

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Anyone can be gay - it's no accomplishment - but only I can be me.

Ned Rorem

Gay, Accomplishment, I Can

Ned Rorem (2013). “An Absolute Gift: A New Diary”, p.37, Open Road Media

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Compose first, worry later.

Ned Rorem

Worry, Firsts

Ned Rorem (2013). “An Absolute Gift: A New Diary”, p.10, Open Road Media

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Art means to dare - and to have been right.

Ned Rorem

Art, Mean, Dare

W Magazine, October 10, 1980.

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The same piece of music alters at each hearing. But oh, the need to repeat and repeat and repeat unchanged the sexual experience.

Ned Rorem

Needs, Pieces, Hearing

Ned Rorem (2013). “The Paris Diary & The New York Diary: 1951–1961”, p.49, Open Road Media

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Minor artists borrow, great ones steal.

Ned Rorem

Artist, Stealing, Minors

Ned Rorem (2013). “Knowing When to Stop: A Memoir”, p.83, Open Road Media

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An artist doesn't necessarily have deeper feelings than other people, but he can express these feelings. He is like everyone else-only more so! He speaks with a Formal Sigh.

Ned Rorem

Artist, People, Feelings

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There are no fascinating people, only their works are fascinating.

Ned Rorem

People, Fascinating

Ned Rorem (2013). “Setting the Tone: Essays and a Diary”, p.71, Open Road Media

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Greatness is not the effect of which inspiration is the cause. We are all inspired, but we are all not great.

Ned Rorem

Inspiration, Greatness, Causes

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Classic means standard as opposed to Romantic: form before meaning as opposed to meaning before form. It grows from inside out, while Romantic grows from outside in.

Ned Rorem

Mean, Classic, Form

Ned Rorem (2013). “The Later Diaries of Ned Rorem: 1961–1972”, p.259, Open Road Media

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If you read reviews of concerts, the word 'creative' comes up all the time. However, performers playing music usually aren't creative. Critics might say they are, but they're just playing another persons work. They didn't create it.

Ned Rorem

Creative, Might, Playing Music

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Perfection is no more a requisite to art than to heroes.

Ned Rorem

Art, Hero, Perfection

Ned Rorem (2013). “Settling the Score: Essays on Music”, Open Road Media

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If asked to list my ten favorite American fiction writers, Gail Godwin would be among them. In this, her latest . . . she evokes in a short book the long married life of two artists. Evenings at Five is a strong tale of love-after-death.

Ned Rorem

Strong, Book, Artist

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Perfection is no more a requisite to art than to heroes. Frigidaires are perfect. Beauty limps. My frigidaire has had to be replaced.

Ned Rorem

Art, Hero, Perfect

Ned Rorem (1974). “The final diary, 1961-1972”

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As a lifelong pacifist, Quaker, and a gay man, I despair that gays and lesbians are expending energy trying to get into the military when they should be using that same energy getting rid of the military completely.

Ned Rorem

Military, Gay, Men

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I don't go to concerts much. I've heard everything. When I do go to movies, I walk out half the time. As for literature, I've read everything.

Ned Rorem

Half, Literature, Concerts

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Why, after all, must everyone like music? That they are missing something is just the lover's opinion.

Ned Rorem

Music, Missing, Opinion

Ned Rorem (2013). “Setting the Tone: Essays and a Diary”, p.324, Open Road Media

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Love is a mystery which, when solved, evaporates. The same holds for music.

Ned Rorem

Music, Love Is, Singing

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Born: October 23, 1923
Occupation: Composer
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