Why write for the orchestra? For one thing it's a very challenging problem.
The Quartets have been a major part of my work.
My musical life started with hearing and being fascinated by contemporary music.
Almost every one of my various zero numbered birthdays has had a big concert in London and often in Paris.
Right at the end of the war I wrote a piano sonata, which was written at a time when Sam Barber used to come down here and we used to have lunch together in a very nice old hotel that's now not there.
The first thing that struck me about contemporary music in general had been thatthere was not much interest in rhythm.