Harrison Birtwistle Writing Quotations

When I was confronted with official tuition, the academic thing, I could see no relationship whatever between that and the music I'd been writing since I was 11.

I always write the pieces I want to write.

There are rhythmic ideas which sometimes only work up to a point. In writing there are moments when it just comes off the page, it's not just a collection of notes.

My attitude to writing is like when you do wallpapering, you remember where all the little bits are that don't meet. And then your friends say: It's terrific!

People say my music is English. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's not me writing English music, but that English music is becoming more like me.

One thing I've tried to do in writing music is take on very basic things, very archetypal things.