The great-at-anything do not set to work because they are inspired, but rather become inspired because they are working. They don't waste time waiting for inspiration.

The greatest composer does not sit down to work because he is inspired, but becomes inspired because he is working.

The higher the voice the smaller the intellect.

A good composer is slowly discovered and a bad composer is slowly found out.

The finest singing, given a good voice to begin with, comes from the constant play of a fine mind upon the inner meaning of the music.

Jazz is not a 'form' but a collection of tags and tricks.

I had no idea Stravinsky disliked Debussy so much as this.

Beethoven, Wagner, Bach, and Mozart settled down day after day to the job in hand. They didn't waste time waiting for inspiration.

You may help a lame dog over a stile but he is still a lame dog on the other side.

For my part, if I had the power I would insist on all oratorios being sung in the costume of the period - with a possible exception in the case of the Creation.

The good composer is slowly discovered the bad composer is slowly found out.

Nightly you retrace your steps again to return to the scene of the crime. It's uncanny how you hover in the air of the wreckage that you left behind.

Either you will be under the blood or you will place the blood under you.

Every generation gets a chance to change the world Pity the nation that won't listen to your boys and girls Cos the sweetest melody is the one we haven't heard

Show me a wife who doesn't offer advice and I'll show you one who doesn't care very much.

I love jokes, but God, jokes can go so wrong. I have stayed up many nights thinking, "F**k. I can't believe I made that silly little joke. That was a disaster."

High-level, big-deal publicity has a way of getting old for me, but what never fails to thrill me is when I make personal appearances.

The true touchstone of wit is the impromptu.

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living, I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

MTV made a huge impact. Heavy rotation took you from selling 1m albums to 20m albums, and that meant a lot of dough.

You will never have time for prayer; you must make time.