Jazz Is The Result Of The Energy

Out Of My Entire Annual Output Of Songs, Perhaps Two, Or At The Most Three, Came As A Result Of Inspiration. We Can Never Rely On Inspiration. When We Most Want It, It Does Not Come.

All These Tales Of People Sitting Down And Composing Symphonies Just As Though They Were Writing A Letter Are Very Much Exaggerated; At Least, It Isn't That Way In My Work.

Porgy Is...an Interesting Example Of What Can Be Done By Talent In Spite Of A Bad Setup. With A Libretto That Should Never Have Been Accepted On A Subject That Should Never Have Been Chosen, A Man Who Should Never Have Attempted It Has Written A Work That Has A Considerable Power.

The Composer Does Not Sit Around And Wait For An Inspiration To Walk Up And Introduce Itself...making Music Is Actually Little Else Than A Matter Of Invention Aided And Abetted By Emotion. In Composing We Combine What We Know Of Music With What We Feel.

It Sounds Simple, Of Course, But Personally I Can Think Of No More Mentally Arduous Task Than Making Music.