Beethoven's Dream
Beethoven once dreamt that the orchestra pieces
playing his symphony were fighting.... a metaphor
for humanity in a world designed by God to be perfect.
poem by Saiom Shriver

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
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?
quote by Robert Fripp

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Beethoven Experience provided the opportunity to solidify the relationship between the Orchestra and me, the Orchestra and me and the public, between all of us and the city of New York, because Beethoven after all is a really amazing point of reference.
quote by Lorin Maazel

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Another Reason Why I Don't Keep A Gun In The House
The neighbors' dog will not stop barking.
He is barking the same high, rhythmic bark
that he barks every time they leave the house.
They must switch him on on their way out.
The neighbors' dog will not stop barking.
I close all the windows in the house
and put on a Beethoven symphony full blast
but I can still hear him muffled under the music,
barking, barking, barking,
and now I can see him sitting in the orchestra,
his head raised confidently as if Beethoven
had included a part for barking dog.
When the record finally ends he is still barking,
sitting there in the oboe section barking,
his eyes fixed on the conductor who is
entreating him with his baton
while the other musicians listen in respectful
silence to the famous barking dog solo,
that endless coda that first established
Beethoven as an innovative genius.
poem by Billy Collins

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

And over the last ten years, after my work with the Brodsky Quartet, I had the opportunity to write arrangements for chamber group, chamber orchestra, jazz orchestra, symphony orchestra even.
quote by Elvis Costello

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
God comes to us in theater in the way we communicate with each other, whether it be a symphony orchestra, or a wonderful ballet, or a beautiful painting, or a play. It's a way of expressing our humanity.
quote by Julie Harris

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Perfect Drug
The perfect drug
I got my head, but my head is unraveling
Cant keep control, cant keep track of where its traveling
I got my heart but my heart is no good
And youre the only one thats understood
I come along but I dont know where youre taking me
I shouldnt go but youre reaching back and shaking me
Turn off the sun, pull the stars from the sky
The more I give to you, the more I die
And I want you
And I want you
And I want you
And I want you
You are the perfect drug, the perfect drug, the perfect drug
You are the perfect drug, the perfect drug, the perfect drug
You make me hard, when Im all soft inside
I see the truth, when Im all stupid eyed
The arrow goes straight through my heart
Without you everything just falls apart
My blood wants to say hello to you
My feelings want to get inside of you
My soul is so afraid to realize
Every little word is a lack of me
And I want you
And I want you
And I want you
And I want you
You are the perfect drug, the perfect drug, the perfect drug
You are the perfect drug, the perfect drug, the perfect drug
You are the perfect drug, the perfect drug, the perfect drug
You are the perfect drug, the perfect drug, the perfect drug
You are the perfect drug, the perfect drug, the perfect drug
You are the perfect drug, the perfect drug, the perfect drug
(whispering)
You are the perfect drug, the perfect drug, the perfect drug
You are the perfect drug, the perfect drug, the perfect drug
You are the perfect drug, the drug, the perfect drug
Take me, with you
Take me, with you
Take me, with you
(continues in backround)
Without you, without you everything falls apart
Without you, its not as much fun to pick up the pieces
Without you, without you everything falls apart
Without you, its not as much fun to pick up the pieces
Its not as much fun to pick up the pieces
Its not as much fun to pick up the pieces
Without you, without you everything falls apart
Without you, its not as much fun to pick up the pieces
song performed by by Nine Inch Nails

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Perfect World
I never could have seen this far
I never could have seen this coming
It seems like my whole world is falling apart
Why is everything so hard?
I don't think that i can deal
With the things you said
It just wont go away
In a perfect world
This could never happen
In a perfect world
You'd still be here
And it makes no sense
I can just pick up the pieces
But to you this means nothing
Nothing at all
I used to think that i was strong
Until the day it all went wrong
I think i need a miracle to make it through
I wish that i could bring you back
I wish that i could turn back time
Cuz i can't let go
I just can't find my way
Without you I just can't find my way
In a perfect world
This could never happen
In a perfect world
You'd still be here
And it makes no sense
I can just pick up the pieces
But to you this means nothing
Nothing at all
I don't know what i should do now
I don't know where i should go
I'm still here waiting for you
I'm lost when your not around
I need to hold on to you
I just can't let you go
In a perfect world
This could never happen
In a perfect world
You'd still be here
And it makes no sense
I can just pick up the pieces
But to you this means nothing
Nothing at all
You feel nothing
Nothing at all
song performed by by Simple Plan

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Playing Music Is Like Making Love
PLAYING MUSIC IS LIKE MAKING LOVE
Many people who insist that they enjoy
music known as classical merely say
they do, pretending. Far more serious is the ploy
planned by LSO, who'll just pretend to play.
There is surely nothing wrong with those who fake
enjoyment, like a woman faking an orgasm,
but pretense of playing music's a mistake,
since music needs not only sound, but ectoplasm.
Orchestras and lovemakers should never mimic:
they should always show their skin when they perform,
and should not be, although poetic, metonymic:
the use of any substitute is rotten form.
Denis Bartel reported the news about the London Symphony Orchestra's decision to mimic their playing while a performance is broadcast to visits at the Olympic Games. David Ng writes in the LA Times:
Musicians with the London Symphony Orchestra are reportedly going to have to pull a Milli Vanilli when they appear at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in London. Reports from Britain state that the orchestra will mimic playing to prerecorded music due to concerns about the weather and the shape of the performing venue - a large, oval-shaped arena whose scale would apparently make a live-music performance tricky….
The London Symphony has reportedly recorded the music that is scheduled to be played during the July 27 ceremony. The Daily Mail reports that Boyle wanted the orchestra to perform live, but that he was overruled by the organizing committee for the Games. When viewers around the world tune in for the ceremony, they can expect to see the conductor and musicians from the renowned orchestra going through the motions while a soundtrack plays.
This wouldn't be the first time that the mimicking of live music was used at an Olympics ceremony. In 2008, a mini-controversy developed during the Beijing Games when it was revealed that a 9-year-old singer lip-synced to the voice of another young girl whom officials had deemed less telegenic. Similarly, at President Obama's inauguration, the musical performance by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinistItzhak Perlman, pianist Gabriella Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill played, unamplified, to a recording. The decision to use a recording was made over fears that the cold weather that day could damage the instruments.
6/4/12 #10403
poem by Gershon Hepner

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
In South America, I heard the 8th Symphony of Beethoven. And the young conductor thought, Beethoven must be heroic. But this is piece which shouldn't be heroic. And this was such a misunderstanding, such a deep misunderstanding.
quote by Kurt Masur

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Because The Devil Is In Me
I dreamt i saw a perfect world
A perfect world did see
But it could not be perfect
As it included me.
I dreamt i saw some angels
Some angels i did see
But they could not be angels
Because they talked to me.
I dreamt i saw the devil
The devil i did see
I know it was the devil
Because the devil is in me.
poem by David Keig

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Through Paris 1970
As you rode through Paris
in the packed coach
the radio played
Beethoven's Piano Concerto #5
and Mamie
sat beside you
her head to one side
sleeping
her mouth open
like some fish
out of water
her hands tucked
between her thighs
her blue skirt
riding high
and the slow movement
of the Beethoven piece
began
the piano playing softy
as the bright lights
of Paris
lit up
the dull space
inside the coach
and you closed your eyes
laying a hand
surreptiously
over hers
hearing the piano
and orchestra
as if in a dream
and Mamie
never minded
your hand
on hers
or so you thought then
and as now
it would seem.
poem by Terry Collett

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Jesus Was A Man
JESUS WAS A MAN
HE WAS BETTER THAN YOU OR I
AND THEY DIDN'T TELL HIM
NO THEY TELL HIM
YOU DIDN'T KNOW
HITLER WAS A MAN
HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE
EVERYBODY SAID SOMEONE ELSE
BUT THEY KNOW THAT IS A LIE
YEAH, GANDHI WAS A MAN
HE TOOK THE MILLIONS AND GAVE THEM MORE
WE ALL ADORE
I SAID IT LONG AGO WHEN THE SITUATIONS SCREAM SO TRUE
ALL OF IT WAS LONG AGO IN HUMANITY
SO CLIMB OUT OF THE CRADLE AND SHOW YOURSELF
TO THE REST OF HUMANITY
'COS I TOLD YOU LONG AGO EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW YOURSELF
AND ALL YOU THOUGHT WAS TRUE, SO TRUE, TOO TRUE
THE PIECES OF YOU
LITTLE PIECES, LITTLE PIECES OF YOU
OHLITTLE PIECES OF ME AND YOU
JESUS WAS A MAN
HE WAS BETTER THAN YOU OR I
NO ONE TOLD HIM, NO ONE KNEW
HITLER WAS A MAN
YOU KNOW IT
IN HUMANITY TO MAN
PIECES OF YOU
LITTLE PIECES OF ME AND YOU
OHOH
LITTLE PIECES OF ME AND YOU
OHOHOH
MY GUITAR DOESN'T WORK
I WANNA PLAY A SOLO!
Submitted by Michael Hack
song performed by by INXS

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Chicago Symphony is considered the greatest orchestra in the world.
quote by Jane Byrne

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is the most sublime noise that has ever penetrated into the ear of man.
quote by E.M. Forster

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Pornography is rather like trying to find out about a Beethoven symphony by having somebody tell you about it and perhaps hum a few bars.
quote by Robertson Davies

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Adding To The Noise
What's it gonna take
to slow us down
to let the silence spin us around?
What's it gonna take
to drop this town?
We've been spinning at the speed of sound.
Stepping out of those convenience stores
what could we want but more more more?
From the third world
to the corporate core
we are a symphony of modern humanity
If we're adding to the noise
turn off this song
If we're adding to the noise
turn off your stereo, stereo, stereo
I dont know
what they're gonna think of next
genetic engineers of the most high tech
A couple new ways
to fall into debt
I'm a nervous wreck but I'll bet
that that T.V. set
tells us what we've wanted to hear
But none of these sound bites
are coming in clear
From the third world to the corporate ear
we are the symphony of modern humanity.
song performed by by Switchfoot

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Perfect World
In my perfect world
The sky is a perfect blue
The grass is a soft green
And together are me and you
In my perfect world
The sun is a perfect heat
No global warming
It would be a treat
In my perfect world
There would be no disease
The flowers would bloom everyday
And no one would cut down trees
In my perfect world
No one would be poor
The streets paved with gold
Silver for the floor
In my perfect world
Death would never come
Pain would go away
And no one would be dumb
In my perfect world
The government would not rule
We’d chose for ourselves
What we thought was cool
In my perfect world
Racism would not exist
Discrimination would be over
And nothing would end with fists
But then I remember
I can’t believe it’s true
But my world really is perfect
Because I spend it with you
The Poem Is A Metaphor
THE POEM IS A METAPHOR
The Poem is a Metaphor
It means ‘the world’
It means ‘all that there is’
It means ‘the soul’
It means ‘our deepest feeling’.
The Poem is a Metaphor
It is more than what it just appears to be
It takes on a life of its own
It says more than it can define itself as
The Poem is a Metaphor
And it itself does not understand
Where it began and how it will end
And whether or not
It should always be rewritten.
The Poem is a Metaphor
And we too are metaphors
That will vanish one day
When all the real Poems
Pretend to still be here.
poem by Shalom Freedman

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it.
quote by H.E. Luccock

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy! | In Romanian