I listened to the pure crystalline notes of one of Mozart’s concertos dropping at my feet like leaves from the trees.

I don’t go around regretting things that don’t happen.

Reviewing music or reviewing anything is a writing job. It’s nice if you are experienced in the field you are writing about, but writing is what you are doing.

I don’t care what other critics say, I only hope to be played.

The description and explanation is the best part of music reviewing. There is such a thing, and you know it too, as a gift for judgment. If you have it, you can say anything you like. If you haven’t got it, you don’t know you haven’t got it.

Every composer’s music reflects in its subject-matter and in its style the source of the money the composer is living on while writing the music.

Try a thing you haven’t done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time to figure out whether you like it or not.

I’ve never known a musician who regretted being one. Music itself is not going to let you down.

I seem to write an opera about every 20 years; if you live long enough you can write four operas. I finished my third in 1970.

I listened to the pure crystalline notes of one of Mozart's concertos dropping at my feet like leaves from the trees.