Felix Mendelssohn quotes

Felix Mendelssohn was a German composer, pianist, and conductor from the Romantic era. His lyrical music and revival of works by earlier composers, such as Bach, had a significant influence on 19th-century music. He is remembered for masterpieces like the "Wedding March" and for founding the Leipzig Conservatory. Here are 9 of his quotes:

And do you agree with me, that the first condition of an artist should be to bear respect towards what is great, and to bow to it and acknowledge it, and not attempt to extinguish great flames for the sake of making his own rushlight burn more brightly? (Felix Mendelssohn)
Though everything else may appear shallow and repulsive, even the smallest task in music is so absorbing, and carries us so far away from town, country, earth, and all worldly things, that it is truly a blessed gift of God. View quote
Felix Mendelssohn
These, too, seem to me so ambiguous, so vague, so easily misunderstood in comparison to genuine music, which fills the soul with a thousand things better than words. View quote
Felix Mendelssohn
Ever since I began to compose, I have remained true to my starting principle: not to write a page because no matter what public, or what pretty girl wanted it to be thus or thus; but to write solely as I myself thought best, and as it gave me pleasure. View quote
Felix Mendelssohn
The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety. View quote
Felix Mendelssohn
A prophet such as we could use again today, strong, zealous, angry and gloomy in opposition to the leaders, the masses, indeed the whole world. (Letter to his pastor Julius Schubring, 1846, regarding Mendelssohn's choral work 'Elijah' published that year) View quote
Felix Mendelssohn
I dislike many-sidedness, which, moreover, I rather think I do not much believe in. Anything that aspires to be distinguished, or beautiful, or really great, must be one-sided. View quote
Felix Mendelssohn
People often complain that music is too ambiguous, that what they should think when they hear it is so unclear, whereas everyone understands words. With me, it is exactly the opposite, and not only with regard to an entire speech but also with individual words. These, too, seem to me so ambiguous, so vague, so easily misunderstood in comparison to genuine music, which fills the soul with a thousand things better than words. The thoughts which are expressed to me by music that I love are not too indefinite to be put into words, but on the contrary, too definite. View quote
Felix Mendelssohn
People often complain that music is too ambiguous, that what they should think when they hear it is so unclear, whereas everyone understands words. With me, it is exactly the opposite, and not only with regard to an entire speech but also with individual words. View quote
Felix Mendelssohn