I have learned throughout my life as a composer chiefly through my mistakes and pursuits of false assumptions, not by my exposure to founts of wisdom and knowledge.

The trouble with music appreciation in general is that people are taught to have too much respect for music they should be taught to love it instead.

Film music should have the same relationship to the film drama that somebody's piano playing in my living room has on the book I am reading.

Music is, by its very nature, essentially powerless to express anything at all. Music expresses itself.

Conductors' careers are made for the most part with 'Romantic' music. 'Classic' music eliminates the conductor; we do not remember him in it.

I am an inventor of music.

I know that the twelve notes in each octave and the variety of rhythm offer me opportunities that all of human genius will never exhaust.