Truth implies meaning.
Composing is like making love to the future.
Yes, influences are enriching, and they can be found in every work of art, even the most original.
As I sit down and start to work, I often panic. I stare at the empty piece of music paper. How can I say that my piece will be ready for performance next January when I do not have a recipe for making it happen?
To understand Mozart's contradictory qualities would indeed be to understand genius.
The creative act is like writing a letter. A letter is a project; you don't sit down to write a letter unless you know what you want to say and to whom you want to say it.