To understand Mozart's contradictory qualities would indeed be to understand genius. Lukas Foss More Quotes by Lukas Foss More Quotes From Lukas Foss Why do we pigeonhole and label an artist? It is a sure way of missing the important, the contradictory, the things that make him or her unique. Lukas Foss uniqueartistmissing-you Most people think an artist tries to be original, but originality is the last thing that develops in the artist. Lukas Foss artistpeoplethinking Great music does not just make me feel good. It means something. It makes us understand. It makes us happy. Lukas Foss feel-gooddoemean There is another interesting paradox here: by immersing ourselves in what we love, we find ourselves. We do not lose ourselves. One does not lose one's identity by falling in love. Lukas Foss falling-in-loveidentityinteresting Any creator owes a debt to past creation. Lukas Foss debtcreationpast That is why the analogy of stealing does not work. With a thief, we want to know how much money he or she stole, and from whom? With the artist it is not how much he or she took from whom, but what the artist did with it. Lukas Foss thievesartistdoe I still do not know where the notes will come from when I accept a commission for a new work. Lukas Foss new-worknotesaccepting As I sit down and start to work, I often panic. I stare at the empty piece of music paper. How can I say that my piece will be ready for performance next January when I do not have a recipe for making it happen? Lukas Foss piecesrecipespaper If one uses music that one does not really love, then one will not succeed in making it one's own. Lukas Foss succeedusedoe When I went back to visit my native Berlin after World War II, I noticed that the only thing I really remembered from my childhood Berlin days is the shoe store. Lukas Foss childhoodshoeswar It is obvious that anything a scientist discovers or invents is based on previous discoveries and inventions. The same applies to the arts. Lukas Foss scientistdiscoveryart I don't dare postulate about science, but I know that it takes both emotion and intellect in order for art to happen. Lukas Foss emotionorderart Composing is like making love to the future. Lukas Foss composingmaking-love Anybody can put things together that belong together. to put things together that don't go together, and make it work, that takes genius like Mozart's. Yet he is presented in the play Amadeus as a kind of silly boy whom the gods loved. Lukas Foss playsillyboys Since age seven, I've been composing and have never stopped composing, yet, the creative process is as elusive to me as it has ever been. Lukas Foss sevencreativeage To come to grips with creativity, I must ask creative, adventurous questions - the kind which, in all likelihood, cannot be answered. Lukas Foss creativitycreativeadventure Boulez's only concern is with power. He lost the leadership of the avant-guard more than ten years ago to Stockhausen. Now others have moved in. With the need for power, where was he to go? So he chose to be a conductor. He is a wonderful musician, a wonderful intelligence. It's a pity there is no humanity there. Does he have sex? I think not. When men have no sex, they go after power in this big, obsessive way. Lukas Foss mensexthinking The creative act is like writing a letter. A letter is a project; you don't sit down to write a letter unless you know what you want to say and to whom you want to say it. Lukas Foss creativeletterswriting Personality is essential. It is in every work of art. When someone walks on stage for a performance and has charisma, everyone is convinced that he has personality. I find that charisma is merely a form of showmanship. Movie stars usually have it. A politician has to have it. Lukas Foss starspersonalityart Most artists have experienced the creative block. We get stuck in our work. We beat our head against the wall: nothing. Sometimes, it is because we are trying something at the wrong time. Lukas Foss wallblockartist
