Quote by Joni Mitchell
I don't understand why Europeans and South Americans can take more sophistication. Why is it that Americans need to hear their happiness major and their tragedy minor, and as jazzy as they can handle is a seventh chord? Are they not experiencing complex emotions?
Summary
This quote is an observation by composer Leonard Bernstein regarding the cultural differences in musical tastes between Europeans, South Americans, and Americans. Bernstein questions why Americans seem to prefer more simplistic and upbeat music, with their happiness in major keys and their sadness in minor keys, often limited to seventh chords in jazz. He wonders if this preference reflects a cultural inclination towards simpler emotions, or if Americans are also capable of experiencing complex emotions like people from other regions.
Topics
Happiness
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