“The concept of music itself erases music.”
- January 14, 1925 – November 25, 1970
- Born in Japan
- Novelist, playwright, critic, political activist
Japanese
「音楽という観念が音楽自体を消すのである」
English
“The concept of music itself erases music.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mishima reflects on the paradox inherent in the conceptualization of music. He suggests that once we have an idea or concept of what music is, that concept can overshadow or obliterate the true essence of music itself. In other words, by defining or categorizing music through intellectual frameworks or theoretical constructs, we risk losing the immediacy, emotion, and experience that are intrinsic to the act of listening to music. The concept of music becomes an abstract representation that distances us from the actual experience of hearing or feeling music, reducing it to something more easily understood but less alive or dynamic. Mishima’s insight speaks to the tension between the intellectualization of art and the sensory experience of it, where the more we try to define or conceptualize something, the more we may inadvertently limit or simplify its true power and complexity.
This quote aligns with Mishima’s broader philosophical views, where he often examined the limitations of reason, theory, and concepts in fully capturing the essence of human experience. He believed that the intellectualization of anything, whether it be art, emotions, or even life itself, diminishes its vitality and authenticity. By reducing music to a concept or category, we might be sacrificing the very quality that makes it a profound and universal experience—its directness, emotion, and immediacy. Mishima’s thoughts suggest that experiencing art should remain a pure, unmediated experience, untainted by the limitations imposed by human definitions or frameworks.
In a modern context, this quote speaks to how contemporary culture often focuses on classifying and analyzing art, including music, to the point where we might lose sight of the emotional impact or experience that it offers. The rise of streaming services, musical genres, and ratings systems might lead us to categorize music in a way that diminishes its emotional depth or the personal connection we have with it. Mishima’s insight calls attention to the importance of the experience itself, suggesting that the more we analyze or define something, the more we risk missing out on its true essence—that which resonates deeply with us, beyond any intellectual framework.
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