1432 quotes by composers for you to enjoy

Generally, the best recording is the original cast, because that's the way the piece grew: integrally, with them. Stephen Sondheim

Best Recording Way Cast Generally Piece Because Grew Them Original

I played the organ when I went to military school, when I was 10. They had a huge organ, the second-largest pipe organ in New York State. I loved all the buttons and the gadgets. I've always been a gadget man. Stephen Sondheim

Math and music are intimately related. Not necessarily on a conscious level, but sure. Stephen Sondheim

Music Related Sure Math Conscious Level Necessarily

I fell into lyric writing because of music. I backed into it. Stephen Sondheim

Music Writing Lyric Backed Fell Because

The more restrictions you have, the easier anything is to write. Stephen Sondheim

You Easier More Restrictions Write Anything

In the Rodgers and Hammerstein generation, popular hits came out of shows and movies. Stephen Sondheim

Generation Out Came Hammerstein Rodgers Hits Movies Popular Shows

I don't listen to recordings of my songs. I don't avoid it, I just don't go out of my way to do it. Stephen Sondheim

Way Out Recordings Songs Go Listen Just Avoid

I think 'lunch' is one of the funniest words in the world. Stephen Sondheim

Words World Lunch Think Funniest

My parents weren't around much, but I assumed everybody's family was the same. I didn't know people had mummies and daddies who would give them milk and cookies after school. I just thought everybody lived on Central Park West and they had a nanny to take care of them. Stephen Sondheim

Family People School Care Thought Parents Assumed Everybody Would Give Park Take Had Take Care Know Nanny Around Were West Same Just After After-School Central Central Park Them Much Cookies Who Lived Milk

Every single song I've ever written is sung by a character created by somebody else. Some might have a jaundiced view of love, some don't. But none of these songs is me singing - not a single one. Stephen Sondheim

Love Character Me Song Somebody Singing Single Every Else Sung Some Songs Written None Might Created View Ever

If you force yourself to write away from the piano, you come up with more inventive things. If you're too good a piano player, as some composers are, the music may become flavorless and glib. And if you're not a very good pianist, you're limited to the same patterns. Stephen Sondheim

Music Good You Yourself Become Too Composers Some More Inventive Pianist Write Piano Piano Player Come Force Limited Up Very Same May Patterns Away Things Player

I'm very opinionated about movie musicals when they're adapted from live shows. You'll sit still for a three-minute song in a theater. But in movies, a glance from someone's eyes will tell you the whole story in a few seconds. Stephen Sondheim

You Eyes Song Will Sit Few Live Seconds Musicals Tell About Someone Glance Opinionated Still Very Movie Story Theater Movies Whole Shows Live Shows Adapted

I'm a great audience. I cry very easily. I suspend disbelief in two seconds. Stephen Sondheim

Great Seconds Easily Disbelief Cry Audience Very Suspend Two

In serial music, the series itself is seldom audible... What I'm interested in is a compositional process and a sounding music that are one in the same thing. Steve Reich

Music Same Thing Seldom Itself Same Process Interested Serial Series Thing

We all need strategies for facing unknown repertory. Steven Stucky

Unknown Facing Repertory Strategies Need

To some extent, I'm mildly surprised by every new piece, by the precise path that my interest takes. Steven Stucky

Path Every Some Takes New Piece Surprised Precise Interest Extent

One kind of artist is always striving to annihilate the past, to make the world anew in each new work, and so to triumph over the dead weight of routine. I am the other kind... who only sees his way forward by standing on the shoulders of those who have already cleared the path ahead. Steven Stucky

Work World Path Past Other Way Those Striving Kind Anew Triumph Only Sees Weight Cleared Annihilate Over New Dead Make Always Am His His Way Artist Shoulders Standing Who Forward Each Routine

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