A good listener tries to understand thoroughly what the other person is saying. In the end he may disagree sharply, read more

A good listener tries to understand thoroughly what the other person is saying. In the end he may disagree sharply, but before he disagrees, he wants to know exactly what it is he is disagreeing with. - Guide to Good Leadership.

Composers should write tunes that chauffeurs and errand boys can whistle.

Composers should write tunes that chauffeurs and errand boys can whistle.

Everything will past, and the world will perish but the Ninth
Symphony will remain.

Everything will past, and the world will perish but the Ninth
Symphony will remain.

Each song, you're telling a story and acting.

Each song, you're telling a story and acting.

When I speak of the gifted listener, I am thinking of the nonmusician primarily, of the listener who intends to read more

When I speak of the gifted listener, I am thinking of the nonmusician primarily, of the listener who intends to retain his amateur status. It is the thought of just such a listener that excites the composer in me.

From the persistence of noise comes the insistence of rage. From the emergence of tone comes the divergence of thought. read more

From the persistence of noise comes the insistence of rage. From the emergence of tone comes the divergence of thought. From the enlightenment of music comes the wisdom of... silence.

Music was invented to confirm human loneliness.

Music was invented to confirm human loneliness.

After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.

After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.

Secretly, I wanted to look like Jimi Hendrix, but I could never quite pull it off.

Secretly, I wanted to look like Jimi Hendrix, but I could never quite pull it off.