Silences between movements are employed only in order to bring the opposing duo to the fore.

The Third Quartet I made the instruments in pairs - Two different pairs - Violin and viola, and violin and cello. They played very different things from each other all through the whole piece.

The first thing that struck me about contemporary music in general had been thatthere was not much interest in rhythm.

My musical life started with hearing and being fascinated by contemporary music.

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.

Talking about a materialistic thing, I get about 13 times more royalties from Europe than I do from America.

Well when I was young, when I was very young, when I was a little boy I don't remember the music I heard, but there was an article in the Brooklyn Daily written by my Aunt about how I could choose phonograph records.