Composers are influenced by all the important music in their lives - and I suppose that since radio started playing popular music, that's as likely to be The Beatles or Aphex Twin as it is to be Verdi or Ravel.
I've learned a lot from the masters of orchestration, like Ravel and Stravinsky.
You might lose your spontaneity and, instead of composing first-rate Gershwin, end up with second rate Ravel.
Clare Fischer was a major influence on my harmonic concept. He and Bill Evans, and Ravel and Gil Evans, finally. You know, that's where it really came from. Almost all of the harmony that I play can be traced to one of those four people and whoever their influences were.
And, you know, I think the original recording of Ravel's Bolero, probably whoever played percussion on that, will never have It played better than that.
Why become a second-rate Ravel when you're already a first-rate Gershwin?
To George Gershwin, on refusinghim as a pupil: You would only lose the spontaneous quality of your melody, and end by writing bad Ravel.
If you could just ravel out into time. That would be nice. It would be nice if you could just ravel out into time
Whenever I ravel I seek the benefits of this great profession of chiropractic
The fabric of my faithful love No power shall dim or ravel Whilst I stay here - but oh, my dear, If I should ever travel!
My father had a varied ear, from Hank Williams to Ravel.