Richard Rodney Bennett

The different parts of my career seemed to take part in different rooms, albeit in the same house. It was just the way things were and I didn't actually think much about it at the time.

I just scribbled away and eventually a C-major chord was there. I didn't ever decide I was going to be a composer. It was like being tall. It's what I was. It's what I did.

Being on a musical quest was something I always enjoyed.

When I came across something I liked, I wanted to find out as much as I could about it. This was as true of hearing Hoagy Carmichael for the first time as it was later when I first heard Boulez.

I hated teaching composition. I was playing music I didn't particularly want to play, being on committees I didn't want to be on.

I wanted to write music, and cook, and play cards, and have a nice time.