# Who said it? - quote about musical imagery **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 22, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-said-it-quote-about-musical-imagery/832894 "2019-04-22T15:35:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-said-it-quote-about-musical-imagery/832894/1 "2019-04-22T15:35:04Z")
I remember reading (or listening to) a discussion about the power of music to implant images in the listener’s mind. It may have been at a pre-concert talk often held before the local orchestra performs. There was a debate as to how precise the image could be. During the discussion someone quoted a famous composer - one who was active when this type of music was all the rage. He said something to the effect of: > [@Some Composer](#): > > If I cannot plant the image of someone lifting up a fork moving it to the other side of the plate and putting it back down, I’ve failed as a composer. Anyone know who may have said such a thing? Bonus question: if this was an article or podcast, have you seen/heard it too? Where can I find it? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-said-it-quote-about-musical-imagery/832894/2 "2019-04-22T15:43:36Z")
Let’s move this to Cafe Society. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-said-it-quote-about-musical-imagery/832894/3 "2019-04-22T23:48:10Z")
> [@Nature\_s\_Call](#): > > Anyone know who may have said such a thing? I believe Strauss said it, but without the idea that he could fail: [_As Strauss himself said, “I can translate anything into sound. I can make you understand by music that I pick up my fork and spoon from this side of my plate and lay them down on the other side.”_](https://csosoundsandstories.org/scriabin-invoking-mysticism-and-perhaps-madness-in-the-divine-poem/) [QUOTE=Nature’s Call] Bonus question: if this was an article or podcast, have you seen/heard it too? Where can I find it? [/QUOTE] Could’ve been that link. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-said-it-quote-about-musical-imagery/832894/4 "2019-04-23T01:13:39Z")
Which would be a lot more impressive if he had then proceeded to demonstrate. More impressive yet, if he gave a blind demonstration. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-said-it-quote-about-musical-imagery/832894/5 "2019-04-23T22:53:59Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Which would be a lot more impressive if he had then proceeded to demonstrate. More impressive yet, if he gave a blind demonstration. See, now you’ve ruined _Also sprach Zarathustra_ for me, because I’m going to think lyrics into place the next time those notes start up. \*\*LIF … TING … FORK! AND SPOON!\*\* FromThisSideOfThePlateAndThen… ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2019, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-said-it-quote-about-musical-imagery/832894/6 "2019-04-25T14:06:42Z")
AND SPOON…! Legit LOL. Thanks **The Other Waldo Pepper** - yes that’s it. My dim memory added the “…failed as a composer” part. I don’t think I read that article (thanks for the link!) My favourite example of program music (programme music?) is [Chopin’s Raindrops](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcIMvliWM2I) - favourite because the first time I heard it was played by my daughter. I’m skeptical about the fork and spoon thing, but there’s no doubt in Chopin’s piece when the rainstorm starts to pick up.