Composer Quotes

My entire life has really revolved around music that was written about the time that I was born, 1908, to just before the First World War and shortly after it. This music I've always known, and it is that music that's most important to me.

It was only later on that I became more interested in older music.

In any case, Ives encouraged me to go into music even though he himself had such a hard time being a composer.

I've known those pieces ever since I was about 16 or 17; I also at that time was taken to meet Charles Ives whom I got to know fairly well. He was the one who wrote a recommendation for me to get into college.

I mean the public likes it more in Europe than they do here because the state supported organizations have felt that playing contemporary music was part of the education of the public.

An auditory scenario for the players to act out with their instruments.

Almost every one of my various zero numbered birthdays has had a big concert in London and often in Paris.

Aaron Copland was a man that had a very specific point of view about what music should be which was that, he felt that new music should have the composer should show a personality in his music.

This exploded in me almost more music than I could consume.

The recollection of how, when and where it all happened became vague as the lingering strains hung in the rafters of the studio. I wanted to shout back at it, Maybe I didn't write you, but I found you.

Ragtime was my lullaby.

Never play anything that don't sound right. You might not make any money, but at least you won't get hostile with yourself.

In Hollywood, the rainbow hits the ground for composers.

I'm singing the music publisher's theme song - it ain't a commercial.

I know Mother named me after a railroad man, but it's too late now, I'm afraid. Much, much too late.

I don't think I'll ever be president of anything.

Time's fatal wings do ever forward fly; to every day we live, a day we die.

Never weather-beaten sail more willing bent to shore.

From heav'nly thoughts all true delight doth spring.

Follow thy fair sun, unhappy shadow.

We carry our homes within us which enables us to fly.

We are involved in a life that passes understanding and our highest business is our daily life.

It is better to make a piece of music than to perform one, better to perform one than to listen to one, better to listen to one than to misuse it as a means of distraction, entertainment, or acquisition of 'culture.'

When we separate music from life we get art.

We need not destroy the past. It is gone.

It's useless to play lullabies for those who cannot sleep.

The highest purpose is to have no purpose at all. This puts one in accord with nature, in her manner of operation.

There is no such thing as an empty space or an empty time. There is always something to see, something to hear. In fact, try as we may to make a silence, we cannot.

I have nothing to say, I am saying it, and that is poetry.

The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.