It's been thrown up to me most of my life: Why don't I just concentrate on conducting or composing or my own playing or on jazz? Andre Previn More Quotes by Andre Previn More Quotes From Andre Previn You can chase a Beethoven symphony all your life and never catch up. Andre Previn symphony There are a million things in music I know nothing about. I just want to narrow down that figure. Andre Previn learning figures want If you're going to do good work, the work has to scare you. Andre Previn scare good-work educational The basic difference between classical music and jazz is that in the former the music is always graver than its performance - whereas the way jazz is performed is always more important than what is being played. Andre Previn differences music important I stuck around in Hollywood for too long, i was there a long time and when I left I was smart enough to realize that what I was leaving was not just the movie business. Andre Previn entertainment In America, they would just as soon forgive you for an ax murder as for having done a movie. Andre Previn entertainment I don't even have a cell phone. I don't know how they work. Andre Previn phone know cell-phone work When I composed, I heard my music played by the orchestra within days of completion of the score. No master at a conservatory, no matter how revered, can teach as much by verbal criticism as can a cold and analytical hearing of one's own music being played. Andre Previn cold music criticism matter I stuck around in Hollywood for too long. I was there a long time, and when I left, I was smart enough to realise that what I was leaving was not just the movie business. I wanted to get rid of the whole atmosphere. Andre Previn smart business time long A Beethoven symphony should be rehearsed like chamber music, only for a lot more people. Andre Previn more like music people People who don't do jazz think it's black magic. But really, it's just a matter of getting used to it. It's fun to gamble. The trick is not to fall back on the things you've done before. Andre Previn you magic black people I don't ever consciously change gears when I play jazz or classical. It's all music. Andre Previn jazz music change play At MGM, you knew you were going to be working next year; you knew you were going to get paid. But I was too ambitious musically to settle for it. And I wanted to gamble with whatever talent I might have had. Andre Previn whatever year you talent I run around so much that I finally reasoned that composing is the one musical endeavour which you can do anywhere, anytime. Andre Previn finally which run you Music critics have made it quite clear that any composer who ever contributed a four-bar jingle to a film was to be referred to as a 'Hollywood composer' from then on, even if the rest of his output were to consist solely of liturgical organ sonatas. Andre Previn rest who hollywood music I found that jazz musicians, possibly more than their classical counterparts, wear long-standing friendships easily and gracefully. Andre Previn musicians wear more jazz When you're working with music that is invariably better than you are, it's difficult to become swell-headed. Andre Previn better you difficult music John Williams is, without question, talented. He writes very good scores and very good melodies and all that. Andre Previn question without he good I'm on very good terms with all my former wives. Andre Previn wives very good former I have a great many shortcomings, but writing for something on time has never bothered me. Andre Previn never great me time