Quotes from Henry Mancini

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

You know, I started in movies a long time ago, and once in awhile I'm taken aback. Sometimes one of my things will come on - they use my things as background music all the time, in somebody else's arrangements and It catches my ear.

Most people are oriented to words. When the public hears a melody, unless you put words to It, it takes longer to penetrate. It's always been like that, but I don't know why.

I would like a shot at Broadway.

Success is not usually easy or fast.

I don't want to get corny, but my career really has been the personification of the American dream.

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

I used to raise the devil when my father made me practice the flute and my mother made me take piano lessons.

If you call making people smile with 'The Pink Panther,' then I made a contribution.

It's very difficult to be funny musically. I think I achieved It with 'The Pink Panther.'

The great thing about a record is it frees your imagination; it gives your eyes a rest and lets your mind wander. There's the special thing that each record can mean a different thing to every person listening to it.

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

I don't like to surprise anyone with the music I compose for a film. That way, there is less trouble later on.

If you want to make money in music, get into the band uniform business.

My father was a steelworker who'd come over from Abruzzi, in Italy. He played in the band and he encouraged me to be a musician.

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

You've got to be an editor in order to be a good composer.

When I play 'Newhart' in concert, it always gets a hand, right from the very beginning. To me, 'Newhart' is a hit.

I try to change my concert program every couple of years - hopefully to keep my listeners interested.

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

I don't pretend to want to write the Great American Symphony.

Music has been taken over in this country by personalities and dominated by rock 'n' roll. There's been a synthesizer invasion and it's not going to go away.

I find I work best as a reactor, trying to portray something on a screen musically. If I were a boxer, I'd be a counter-puncher.

I score everything by hand on manuscript paper and then make copies.