“Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.”
— Frederic Chopin
Every Wednesday brings Words of Wisdom here at the Color in my Piano blog in the form of a musical quote or joke, intended to bring inspiration or humor to the middle of your week. Have suggestions? Send me a message here.
Published by Joy Morin
Joy Morin, MM, is a teacher, pianist, composer, speaker, and writer of a blog at ColorInMyPiano.com. A devoted teacher and lifelong learner, she teaches students of all ages at her independent piano studio near Ann Arbor, Michigan. Joy is a frequent attendee and presenter at conferences and workshops, and enjoys connecting with fellow piano teachers through her blog and beyond.
View all posts by Joy Morin
I’ve checked out a couple of words of wisdom posts on this site, and I really liked this one. Also the one about “Do not try to be genius in every bar.”
I’ve heard similar things about simplicity in music before but I always have a hard time adhering to it. I often feel my melodies are far too complex in some of the songs I compose. I don’t know if there’s a way to be more conscious of that, but I need to find it.
Simplicity really is the key. Some of the greatest and most memorable musical moments (regardless of genre) have all been simple, but therein lies their beauty. When a simple riff, progression or melody can evoke emotion, it really is a beautiful thing.
Great quote.
Thanks, Omar!