Musical Priority Quotes

I don't know why, but there's a certain element of panic in writing lyrics that I'm not sure I enjoy. I don't write lyrics first, ever. I've never done that. So, in a sense, the lyrics are a bit of an afterthought - it's music first.

I want to do music, and I want that to be the highlight of everything that I do. I want that at the forefront.

Always focus on the music first. That's the big thing. Staying true to making good music and not sacrificing that for anything.

The error in the art-genre of Opera consists herein: a Means of expression (Music) has been made the end, while the End of expression (the Drama) has been made a means.

The music is notated first, the text follows. I might have to wait until the right kind of text or form arises. I often see the poems as “scores.”

If you focus too much on development of the visual angle, it could be a detriment to what you're doing musically.

If I were to explore music, I'd want to just focus on that and make that my priority.

If you call attention to yourself at the expense of the song, that's the cardinal sin.

With Orff it is text, text, text - the music always subordinate. Not so with me. In 'Magnificat,' the text is important, but in some places I'm writing just music and not caring about text. Sometimes I'm using extremely complicated polyphony where the text is completely buried. So no, I am not another Orff, and I'm not primitive.