Yes, I get a report from BMI about the frequency of performances, and it is very surprising. They played one of my most advanced pieces, and one of my most unusual ones on the radio.

Silences between movements are employed only in order to bring the opposing duo to the fore.

When I was in Paris, all of the German refugees began to flow in and it was a very sad time.

Aaron Copland was a man that had a very specific point of view about what music should be which was that, he felt that new music should have the composer should show a personality in his music.

The Third Quartet I made the instruments in pairs - Two different pairs - Violin and viola, and violin and cello. They played very different things from each other all through the whole piece.

Almost every one of my various zero numbered birthdays has had a big concert in London and often in Paris.

Since I'm allergic to various things, the army wouldn't accept me during the war, and I got into the Office of War Information, which sent music to Europe.

Talking about a materialistic thing, I get about 13 times more royalties from Europe than I do from America.

The first thing that struck me about contemporary music in general had been thatthere was not much interest in rhythm.

My musical life started with hearing and being fascinated by contemporary music.

Why write for the orchestra? For one thing it's a very challenging problem.

The inner suffering of the evil you do to others is not fully understood until you are wearing their aches.

Candor is a compliment it implies equality. It's how true friends talk.

The more I see of democracy the more I dislike it. It just brings everything down to the mere vulgar level of wages and prices, electric light and water closets, and nothing else.

The last time I saw something that tall standing so still for so long, it was perched on the edge of a cliff shining a light across the sea.

The universities deceive when they say they have no agenda other than to open minds.

There are two rules in life: Rule #1: Don't sweat the small stuff. Rule #2: Everything is small stuff.

If you stay in the attention you are in, then you can predict everything that will happen to you for the rest of your life.

Without a goal [maneuvering is] aimless. You might be a master tactician, but you'll have no sense of strategy.

only when we have a respect for time will we have learned something of the art of living.

Every day in America, African Americans are reminded of their race in ways large and small. Every day.