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

To start writing about your life is, from one standpoint, to stop living it. You must avoid adventures today so as to make time for registering those of yesterday.

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

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

Sooner or later you've heard all your best friends have to say. Then comes the tolerance of real love.

Perfection is no more a requisite to art than to heroes. Frigidaires are perfect. Beauty limps. My frigidaire has had to be replaced.

Intelligence is silence, truth is being invisible. But what a racket I make in declaring this.