Who said “All good music resembles something. Good music stirs by its mysterious resemblance to…”?

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Jean Cocteau. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceLe Coq et l’Arlequin (1918)

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“All good music resembles something. Good music stirs by its mysterious resemblance to the objects and feelings which motivated it.”
— Jean Cocteau
VerifiedLe Coq et l’Arlequin (1918) · evidenceMusic
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For academic work, cite the original where you can: Le Coq et l’Arlequin (1918).

APA

Cocteau, J. (n.d.). All good music resembles something. Good music stirs by its mysterious resemblance to the objects and feelings which motivated it. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30033-all-good-music-resembles-something-good-music-stirs/

MLA

Cocteau, Jean. “All good music resembles something. Good music stirs by its mysterious resemblance to the objects and feelings which motivated it.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30033-all-good-music-resembles-something-good-music-stirs/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Cocteau, Jean. “All good music resembles something. Good music stirs by its mysterious resemblance to the objects and feelings which motivated it.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30033-all-good-music-resembles-something-good-music-stirs/.

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