Even that is a stimulus. Just the sound of the music, the pleasure in the sound of music tends to make me, at any rate, more imaginative in trying to find new combinations and melodies and rhythms than if I just sat at a table and thought about it. The writing on the wall points to a new romanticism, a renaissance of beauty and simplicity - but a romanticism composed of the new materials. Musical composition must be entirely a labor of love, but I do not advise trying to establish credit at your bank on the basis of your uncontaminated idealism. The futility of formulating rules for an art is proven by practically every genius.
Geniuses make their own laws.
Cited from the transcript of Aaron Copland's Composers Seminar, January 24, 1977. Archived in the offices of Oral History, American Music, Yale University. Transcribed by Frank J. Oteri from the audiotape 1 side 1 of David R. Williams's interview with Howard Hanson, June 9, 1978. Audiotape archived at the Eastman School of Music. Cited from Quincy Porter's Letter to Peter Kranz, January 15, 1965.