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 More Quotes by Andre Previn More Quotes From Andre Previn I admire Elliott Carter endlessly. But I have no ambitions to emulate him. Andre Previn endlessly him emulate admire Elliott Carter does not write the kind of music that the kids go off to school whistling. Andre Previn write go music school I finally wasn't interested in writing music that played while actors talked. Andre Previn finally interested music writing I've had the healthy and sobering experience of constantly working with music that is invariably better than any performance of it can be. Andre Previn performance better experience music I remain extraordinarily proud of the Vaughan Williams symphonies I recorded with the LSO, and in the 1980s and '90s, I made an almost complete cycle of orchestral works by Richard Strauss with the Vienna Philharmonic. Andre Previn complete vienna proud made There's a small group of music critics in the States who will forgive you anything - jazz, a long prison term, or what have you - anything but scoring a Hollywood musical. Andre Previn you music prison long The thing is that I'm naturally curious about a lot of different disciplines in music, and I enjoy doing them. And as long as people are nice enough to let me, I'll keep on trying. Andre Previn me music long people 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 my-life me my-own life I used to set myself little challenges to make the work more interesting. Andre Previn myself challenges work interesting I absolutely insist upon adequate rehearsal time - particularly for the pieces that orchestras know best. Because there, the tendency is not to take them apart - rediscover them - and you must. Andre Previn best know you time