Henry Mancini

“Broadway is intimidating. Don't think it's not.”

“It takes different mindsets to do different things.”

“In times of stress, I frequently remind myself that I'm doing what I want to do most and that's what really counts.”

“Stravinsky influenced film music in general - those stabbing chords and rhythms from 'The Rite of Spring.'”

“I was never In a restaurant until after I left home. My mother came from Abruzzi and they're noted for their great cooking.”

“I equate composing with orchestrating. I think my music in terms of an orchestra.”

“I read magazines and reviews. If consensus says something is good, I'll get it and see what's going on.”

“Hopefully the music of the future will not be all electronic. There is a place for it if it is used sparingly.”

“I don't have a trunk of manuscripts.”

“My wife and I never squabbled in front of the children. We never touched each other except in love.”

“I play citified Count Basie piano. As few notes as possible, my left hand in my pocket, that kind of stuff.”

“The Pavarotti and Galway albums were a lot of fun because I got to work with two of the best 'voices' in the world.”

“Writing for TV or films isn't great art. You have to have a common denominator. It's up to the composer to make that common denominator memorable.”

“Writing music is very, very clinical. You just sit down at a piano, map out a theme and when all the technicalities come together, out pours the music.”

“I've had pieces in my catalog that kind of amble along, that really never go anywhere, but are known and liked.”

“Too many schools across the country have cut back heavily on their music curricula.”

“I don't usually take a picture if I don't like it. I have that choice. But some pictures I like more than others.”

“I'm no songwriter because all of my popular songs have just been outgrowths of themes for the various pictures.”

“Some of the prettiest music I've done was in films that really were not a smash. Your music fares as the film does.”

“I compose the music according to the nature of the show. 'Peter Gunn's' focus was violence so that was my key.”