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I occasionally play works by contemporary composers and for two reasons. First to discourage the composer from writing any more and secondly to remind myself how much I appreciate Beethoven.

Playing the Beethoven symphonies, for example, is a consummate experience for a musician because Beethoven speaks so directly to who we are as people.

I love working with an orchestra, but there are many ways to make music.

Composers, like authors, have a lot in common. Our main goal is to connect with the listener emotionally.

If he's a true symphony artist, he knows better than that because he knows that the only truly creative musician is the jazz musician.

Composers in the old days used to keep strictly to the base of the theme, as their real subject. Beethoven varies the melody, harmony and rhythms so beautifully.

A symphony is a stage play with the parts written for instruments instead of for actors.

What makes a Beethoven symphony spectacular, what makes a Brahms rhapsody spectacular is that the patterns are wondrous.

Writing a play, you start with less, so more is demanded of you. It's as if you have to not only write a symphony, but invent the instruments as well.

I'm like any other composer. If you give me five years to write a symphony, I'm still going to be asking for more time two days before it's due.