Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes, it's a whole new social revolution - the 60's comes from it.

Even experimental composers, revolutionary composers, self-styled radicals are, in writing revolutionary music, recognizing the music that preceded them precisely by trying to avoid it.

Any asshole can write a tone-row. It takes a composer to write a tune.

In the olden days, everybody sang. You were expected to sing as well as talk. It was a mark of the cultured man to sing.

Success is all very well as long as you don't inhale.

A liberal is a man or a woman or a child who looks forward to a better day, a more tranquil night, and a bright, infinite future.

Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.