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

A composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians.

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.

I just have to take my chances like any other composer.

If a composer could say what he had to say in words he would not bother trying to say it in music.

The orchestral or symphonic music never interested me.

For anyone who doesn't have that connection with Mozart, I urge those people to go and find some of his music, because it can quite genuinely make you just glad to be alive.

To find a new British composer who is really good is rare.

With Schubert, a lot of the melodies are very simple, but he's in this groove. He's in touch with his heart.