“I call architecture frozen music.”
- August 28, 1749 – March 22, 1832
- German
- Poet, playwright, novelist, philosopher, politician
- His literary works “Faust” and “The Sorrows of Young Werther” had a major impact on world literature.
Quote
“I call architecture frozen music.”
Explanation
Goethe poetically compares architecture to music, suggesting that both forms of art have a similar essence, with architecture being a kind of visual or structural music. While music moves and flows through sound, architecture conveys its beauty and harmony through shape, space, and design. Just as music has rhythm, melody, and harmony, architecture can evoke a sense of balance, proportion, and emotional resonance. By calling architecture “frozen music,” Goethe emphasizes the way buildings and structures can capture a sense of motion, beauty, and emotional impact, much like a musical composition, but in a more tangible, enduring form.
Historically, this idea reflects the philosophical and aesthetic views of the time, particularly during the Romantic period, when art and nature were often seen as interconnected. Architecture, like music and other forms of art, was understood as a way to express human emotions, ideals, and creativity. Goethe, being a poet and deeply involved in the arts, recognized that both music and architecture engage the human spirit, albeit through different senses and mediums.
In modern contexts, this idea resonates with the interdisciplinary approach to art and design, where architects often speak of the emotional and expressive qualities of their work, aiming to evoke certain feelings or experiences, much like a piece of music. For example, the work of architects like Frank Lloyd Wright or Antoni Gaudí is known for creating spaces that feel like they have rhythm and flow, with organic designs that almost seem to sing or dance.
Goethe’s words remind us that both architecture and music are forms of artistic expression that, despite their different forms, share the power to move the soul. Architecture, in this sense, is not just a functional structure but a form of frozen emotion that can evoke beauty, harmony, and inspiration for generations.
