Experience all the music of nature, life and the universe...

[Povallsky]

A phrase regarding music composition...

Now, I've had a really good long search online and I haven't found anything yet. There's not many famous quotations that are what I'm looking for.

I'm looking at getting a Latin phrase that conveys the idea that music is everything to me, and in composing music I find myself. I've had a couple of ideas of what I want to say in English:

Music is my voice; through composition I speak my thoughts.

OR

Music is my life. I am my music and my music is me.

OR

(this is longish because it's a slightly altered deep translation of a yojijukugo Japanese phrase that means a lot to me)
Experience all the music of nature, life and the universe and in doing so come to know yourself.

The reason I want to translate this into Latin is I'm thinking of getting a music themed tattoo in the future, something to show the impact of it on my life, and I wanted to add some text to it, and if the text is in Latin I can translate it for those who are interested, and for those who aren't I can keep it personal. Also, I often feel that Latin as a language is much more pleasing to look at than English. So the aestestics come into it as well.

Anyway, any help the knowledgable people of the forum can give will be readily recieved. Thanks in advance.

32

 

[deudeditus]

Musica vox mea. Per scribendum dico mentem.
Musica Vox est mea. Scribendo animam dico.

usually, 'per' isn't used like this, it's more of a medieval construction, i think. also the first sentence could have an 'est'. and 'Scribendum' literally means writing. I don't know if there is a verb which specifically means 'to compose music'. I think 'mens', mind, or 'anima', mind/spirit/etc, would be more appropriate than the literal 'cogitatio', as I feel the same way and don't think that music is an expression of thought but, rather, of the mind/soul. your call, though.


there are a number of poetical things you could do here, as well.

but, alas, i have to go, so i can't get to the rest of them. but someone else probably will.
-Jon

 

[Andy]

I am in a bit of a hurry right now, so let me help as much as I can. All the wonderful members of this forum are quite likely to be much helpful

Musica vox mea [est]; compositione musicae mea cogitata dico (loquor).

There should be many more takes on this, and I don't doubt that you'll get many more, but for this one it lit. means:

Music my voice [is]; [with] composition of music my thoughts/ideas I speak.

The 'est' can be omitted if you like (to avoid more pain) and the choice between dico and loquor is entirely yours.

 

[Povallsky]

Nice one guys. Anymore for anymore?

I have to admit, loquor is a much nicer sounding word than dico. If Jon would care to elaberate on the poetic suggestions I'd be delighted.

32

 

[Andy]

Ok, more time now, just to chip in suggestions for the rest:

Musica vita mea [est]. Musica mea sum atque ac mea musica ego est.
The 'mea musica ego est' is an extremely odd construction... I say, leave it up to 'sum'.

Sentire omnem musicam naturae vitae caelique voli ut te ipsum scias.

lit. To feel all the music of nature, life and the universe (I used caelum rather than universitas wish so that you -self you may know.

Translit. Wish to experience all the music of nature, life and the universe in order that you may know yourself.

I'm doing this in a bit of a hurry, so if other people could do the proofreading for me, I'd be eternally thankful.

 

[deudeditus]

musica mea sum atque mea musica ego est.

sum wouldn't give the right sense here, i don't think.

why didn't you just use the imperative, andy? i'm just asking.

-Jon

 

[Andy]

Imperative where? In the second one? I am, it's voli.

 

[deudeditus]

I meant the normal imperative. voli sentire works fine. I was just curious as to why you chose uoli sentire over senti. Am I missing something? Now I'm second guessing myself. lol.

-Jon

 

[Povallsky]

Oo eck, s'all getting beyond me now...

32

 

[Andy]

Not really, both work just fine. I'm just used to the noli+infinitive construction that I just wrote out voli+infinitive

And, I was able to make a small sentence in the beginning + have a verb right near the 'ut' construction.

 

[deudeditus]

Ok, cool. having 'voli' right by 'ut' doeskinda neaten it up a little bit. lol. and plus it woudn't make someone fell bad if they couldn't actually feel all the music of nature, so at least they would desire to, no? haha.

 

[Andy]

Ok, cool. having 'voli' right by 'ut' doeskinda neaten it up a little bit. lol. and plus it woudn't make someone fell bad if they couldn't actually feel all the music of nature, so at least they would desire to, no? haha.

Indeed!