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I feel that I belong to the 19th century. Some composers' music is very topical. It almost says, 'This is about what I read in newspapers yesterday.' Not mine.

First, it doesn't surprise me that traditional music has experienced a kind of exhaustion in the 20th century - not forgetting that many musicians started to look outside the traditional structures of tonality.

Writing music is not so much inspiration as hard work.

As far as what I do, my value as a writer is certainly not to try to recapitulate a 19th century form. Certain styles of narrative don't conform to my style of experiencing the world.

My music is all about an idealistic human personality. I have 19th-century ideals.

I really didn't think about song writing.

I'm not a musician making words to go with my music.

It's hard for me to think of others because I'm not particularly in sympathy with the music of this century.

There is a wealth of twentieth century music that is being re-discovered by a generation that hasn't heard it.

Writing music is just something that I was born to do.