I wrote music as soon as I knew notation.

- Harrison Birtwistle

You either are or you're not.

- Harrison Birtwistle

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.

- Harrison Birtwistle

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

- Harrison Birtwistle

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 colle…

- Harrison Birtwistle

Music is such a problem in the time it takes.

- Harrison Birtwistle

It's the irrational things that interest me.

- Harrison Birtwistle

I don't have ideas so much as there are things which constantly evolve... there are various threads or layers, if you like, which change.

- Harrison Birtwistle

In the end it doesn't matter what you do.

- Harrison Birtwistle