A painter paints his pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. We provide the music, and you provide the silence.
Meaning of the quote
A painter uses colors and brushstrokes on a canvas to create a picture, but musicians use the absence of sound, or silence, to paint their musical pictures. The musician provides the music, and the audience provides the silence for the music to be heard and appreciated.
About Leopold Stokowski
Leopold Stokowski was a renowned British-American conductor who led several major orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, and was known for his free-hand conducting style and ability to obtain a rich, sumptuous sound from his ensembles. He was a champion of contemporary composers and appeared in several Hollywood films, most notably Disney’s Fantasia.