Life is like music it must be composed by ear feeling and instinct not by rule. Nevertheless one had better know the rules for they sometimes guide in doubtful cases though not often.

For I have learned to look on nature not as in the hour of thoughtless youth but hearing oftentimes the still sad music of humanity.

Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it time runs out.

My heart which is so full to overflowing has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary.

I think often sadness is a great place to get songs from.

Music has charms to sooth a savage breast to soften rocks or bend a knotted oak.

For me singing sad songs often has a way of healing a situation. It gets the hurt out in the open into the light out of the darkness.

I often begin movies with music in my head it's a very important dimension to me. Not just the music itself but how to use music in film: when and how and subtlety. I don't like to be too sweet in my stories and I like the abrasive clang the contrasting of sounds and cultures.

American movies are often very good at mining those great underlying myths that make films robustly travel across class age gender culture.

The movies that are made more thoughtfully or made or with more ambition often get just get drowned out by the noise.