All men are forced into one of two categories: those with eleven fingers and those without.

It's not evil that's ruining the earth, but mediocrity. The crime is not that Nero played while Rome burned, but that he played badly.

composition is notation of distortion of what composers think they've heard before. Masterpieces are marvelous misquotations.

Compose first, worry later.

To see itself through, music must have idea or magic. ... Music with neither dies young though rich.

Art means to dare - and to have been right.

In music the present is extended.