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I consider myself a composer.

The real composer thinks about his work the whole time; he is not always conscious of this, but he is aware of it later when he suddenly knows what he will do.

Sincere composers believe in God.

As a composer, I'm basically trying to represent myself through my music in an honest way.

It doesn't necessarily mean at all that the composer plays his own works best.

Which is why, in my lieder concerts, I always strove, when possible, to sing only the works of a single composer, so that the audience could be gradually drawn into a particular creative genius' way of thinking, and could follow him.

I think a composer is always interested in his last work.