To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.

We musicians, like everyone else, are numb with sorrow at this murder, and with rage at the senselessness of the crime. But this sorrow and rage will not inflame us to seek retribution; rather they will inflame our art. Our music will never again be quite the same. This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before. And with each note we will honor the spirit of John Kennedy, commemorate his courage, and reaffirm his faith in the Triumph of the Mind.

When the study of the arts leads to the adoration of the formula (heaven forbid), we shall be lost.

It would be nice to hear someone accidentally whistle something of mine, somewhere, just once.

I'm not interested in having an orchestra sound like itself. I want it to sound like the composer.

This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.

I've been all over the world and I've never seen a statue of a critic.