The Times, 15/12/1998
“
The freedom of improvising over a bass line disappeared from music only in the 19th century, and we're still paying for it. There's a culture among classical musicians of being passive, and it stems from following the notes, rather than one's own instincts.
— Joanna MacGregor
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The freedom of improvising over a bass line disappeared from music only in the 19th century, and we're still paying for it. There's a culture among classical musicians of being passive, and it stems from following the notes, rather than one's own instincts." in the context of "The Times, 15/12/1998" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Joanna MacGregor" (Sourced, On Classical Music)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Joanna MacGregor
Joanna MacGregor (born July 16, 1959, in London) is a British concert pianist, conductor, composer and festival curator. She is Head of Piano at The Royal Academy of Music and a Professor of London University.
About Joanna MacGregor
Joanna MacGregor (born July 16, 1959, in London) is a British concert pianist, conductor, composer and festival curator. She is Head of Piano at The Royal Academy of Music and a Professor of London University.
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