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I think that of my 21 symphonies, each has its own place.

All these tales of people sitting down and composing symphonies just as though they were writing a letter are very much exaggerated; at least, it isn't that way in my work.

This is what I want in heaven... words to become notes and conversations to be symphonies.

My symphonies would have reached Opus 100 if I had but written them down... Sometimes I am so full of music, and so overflowing with melody, that I find it simply impossible to write down anything.

A symphony must be like the world. It must contain everything.

The symphonies are the things that, as a soloist, I've not gotten to play. I used to travel the world playing concertos, and then I would sit and listen to the symphony.

A symphony is no joke.

I had a big background in listening to classical music and I started trying to compose, like I was playing the guitar but I heard an orchestra in my head.

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.

When facing symphonic orchestras which have played some works five thousands times, you have nothing to do.