[Ads-l] Adage: Music begins where language ends

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

The Wall Street Journal drama critic, Terry Teachout, asked me to
explore the saying: "Where words leave off, music begins". Research is
difficult because the phrasing of the adage is highly variable. In
addition, the saying has appeared in multiple languages, e.g.,
English, German, French, and Russian.

The saying is linked to numerous famous people, e.g., Russian composer
Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky, French composer Claude Debussy, German
composer Richard Wagner, and German poet Heinrich Heine.

You can help if you find an instance before 1835. Here is a link to
the overview QI article:

Music Begins Where Language Ends
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2020/09/15/music-begins/

Here is a set of dates and phrases summarizing the occurrences of this
adage during a few early decades:

1835: Music begins where language ends

1841: Where the speech of man stops short there music’s reign begins
(translation from French)

1845: (Music) begins where speech leaves off

1849: When words lose their power, it is then that the true office of
music begins

1853: Music begins where words leave off

1855: Music begins where words cease

1857: The province of music begins where language fails

1865: Where the power of the words ceases, there that of the music begins

1866: Where all words end, music begins

If you are interested in a specific prominent individual who has
employed this saying you may wish to consult one of the specialized
articles.

Composer Richard Wagner employed the saying in 1841, and an article
focused on that ascription is here:
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2020/09/11/speech-music/

Composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky credited Heinrich Heine with the
saying in 1878, and an article focused on that attribution is here:
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2020/09/13/words-leave/

Composer Claude Debussy received credit for the saying in 1889, and an
article focused on that attribution is here:
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2020/09/12/speech-fails/

Thanks for your attention,
Garson O'Toole

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