Thomas Beecham (1879–1961) British conductor and impresario
[Beecham admitted to Neville Cardus that he had made this up on the spur of the moment to satisfy an importunate journalist; he acknowledged that it was an oversimplification. (Neville Cardus: 'Sir Thomas Beecham, A Memoir', 1961)]
Benjamin Peirce (1809–1880) American mathematician
On the Uses and Transformations of Linear Algebra (1875)
Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) poet, mountaineer, occultist
Article "The Worst Man in the World" in The Sunday Dispatch (2 July 1933); quoted in The Magical Revival (1972) by Kenneth Grant.
Context: Black magic is not a myth. It is a totally unscientific and emotional form of magic, but it does get results — of an extremely temporary nature. The recoil upon those who practice it is terrific.
It is like looking for an escape of gas with a lighted candle. As far as the search goes, there is little fear of failure!
To practice black magic you have to violate every principle of science, decency, and intelligence. You must be obsessed with an insane idea of the importance of the petty object of your wretched and selfish desires.
I have been accused of being a "black magician." No more foolish statement was ever made about me. I despise the thing to such an extent that I can hardly believe in the existence of people so debased and idiotic as to practice it.
“Possible musical forms are as limitless as the exterior forms of crystals.”
Edgard Varèse (1883–1965) French composer
Aspects of 20th Century Music (1975) by Gary Wittlich and Richard P. DeLone
Context: There is an idea, the basis of an internal structure, expanded and split into different shapes or groups of sound constantly changing in shape, direction, and speed, attracted and repulsed by various forces. The form of the work is a consequence of this interaction. Possible musical forms are as limitless as the exterior forms of crystals.
“The magic of music is so strong, getting stronger, it should break any shackle of another art.”
E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776–1822) German Romantic author
Beethovens Instrumentalmusik
Richard Francis Burton (1821–1890) British explorer, geographer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, cartographer, ethnologist, spy, lin…
The Kasîdah of Hâjî Abdû El-Yezdî (1870)
“Rap music is the only vital form of music introduced since punk rock.”
Kurt Cobain (1967–1994) American musician and artist
As quoted in M.E.A.T (1991-09).
Interviews (1989-1994), Print
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921) French composer, organist, conductor, and pianist of the Romantic era
Source: “L’illusion wagnérienne”, Portraits et souvenirs, Société d’édition artistique, 1899, 206‒220
