Quotes by Composers

I lived under the Nazis and under the Communists. Gyorgy Ligeti

Communists Lived

First of all I listen to music. I like music. Gyorgy Ligeti

Music First Like First Of All Listen

I was fifteen years old, and I hardly knew how to play a simple Bach prelude on the piano when I began to compose music, and at the most advanced level. I had never studied such things as harmony. Gyorgy Ligeti

For the past ten years I have had no financial problems. Gyorgy Ligeti

Financial Problems Past Ten Ten Years Had Years

Stravinsky used Mother Goose. He was influenced by Mother Goose, indirectly, but very beautifully. Gyorgy Ligeti

Mother Indirectly He Goose Beautifully Very Influenced Used Stravinsky

Yes, fractals are what I want to find in my music. Gyorgy Ligeti

Music Find Yes Want

In my piano concerto I developed this polyphony to much higher complexity. Gyorgy Ligeti

Complexity Higher Piano Developed Concerto Much

Gesualdo was very important to me, I wanted to do something which corresponded to him. Gyorgy Ligeti

Me Important Corresponded Something Him Very Wanted Which

I don't use old music. Gyorgy Ligeti

Music Old Old Music Use

I like to stay home and listen to recordings. Gyorgy Ligeti

Home Stay Recordings Like Listen

Steinberg is great. I should like to meet him. Gyorgy Ligeti

Great Meet Like Him Should

There is a wonderful Hungarian literature, especially in lyric poetry. Gyorgy Ligeti

Wonderful Lyric Hungarian Poetry Literature

I continued to study Math and Physics on my own, but one and a half years later I realized that I did want to be a composer, and after that I never changed my mind. Gyorgy Ligeti

Physics Mind Half Own Changed Later Composer My Own Never Study Half Years Continue Math Years Did Want After Realized

It isn't false modesty when I say this, but although I am supposed to be a famous person it doesn't mean anything to me. I just sit at home and work. Gyorgy Ligeti

Work Home Me Sit Say Supposed Although Am False False Modesty Person Just Famous Famous Person Anything Mean Modesty

Sometimes I write them down in musical notation as a trigger to remind me about certain directions to go. Or I can be specific about a sound I'm looking for. Harold Budd

Me Sometimes Looking Down Musical Trigger About Directions Write Remind Sound Go Notation Them Certain Specific

When a piece is done, I mix it before going on to any other piece. Harold Budd

Before Other Piece Mix Any Done Going

I'm not really a pianist. Harold Budd

Pianist Really

I felt Brighton was a perfect ending to a really interesting career. Harold Budd

Ending Perfect Felt Interesting Really Brighton Career

You either are or you're not. Harrison Birtwistle

You Either

When I was a kid, I wrote music - from the age of 11 until the age of 18. Harrison Birtwistle

Music Age Kid Until Wrote

This sounds horribly pretentious, but I like to think that if music hadn't existed, I could have invented it. Harrison Birtwistle

Music Pretentious Think Horribly Invented Could Like Sounds Existed