JOHN EATON

I did not come here to make a cabinet for the ladies of this place [Washington], but for the nation.

If you love the woman, and she will have you, marry her.

Eaton has just married his mistress—and the mistress of eleven dozen others!

I've just simply used what I've used because of the great, great expressive potential of it.

I think the composer and production staff of an opera have a real responsibility to use visual elements of all kinds to make clear to the American audience, at any rate, exactly what is going on.

The way that I got involved with microtonal music was, frankly, through jazz.

We need to have as broad a range as possible, because life itself has that kind of range.

We need to open up the future. We also need to keep everything valuable from the past.

Well, opera began with an intent to resuscitate Greek drama, that is, modern opera as we know it.

If you look at the timing of many of the Greek dramas from the theatrical point of view, it's all off, and I think the reason for that is that music played a very important part.

Well, let me, first of all, say, that as a microtonal composer, I've never been much of a theorist.

I think I was first to do live performances on a modern electronic sound synthesizer.

It's not important to me to found a school; it's not important to me to have disciples.

I really write for people.

I think a lot of composers get into trouble just making up a plot and expecting an audience to follow that.

We need to open up the future. We also need to keep everything valuable from the past.

Well, opera began with an intent to resuscitate Greek drama, that is, modern opera as we know it.

If you look at the timing of many of the Greek dramas from the theatrical point of view, it's all off, and I think the reason for that is that music played a very important part.

I'm thinking in terms of a point of departure, a field of action for performers to express an expressive need of mine which hopefully the context of music would convey.

I think the composer and production staff of an opera have a real responsibility to use visual elements of all kinds to make clear to the American audience, at any rate, exactly what is going on.

In other words, I think that if an audience listens to something as an experience of how in tune it is or something of that kind, that the whole point is somehow being missed, and the music has failed.

I've just simply used what I've used because of the great, great expressive potential of it.

However, yes, especially as one gets older, you know, you really hope that your music will become more generally available, even though some of the performances might be riddled with faults.

Well, the very best operas are the ones written by the very best composers.

But nevertheless, it's music ultimately that matters in opera, and opera is a piece of music reaching out as a vision in sound reaching out to the world.

I want the audience to be so involved in the sweep of the music.

I think one of the greatest enemies in the use of technology, however, is the idea that if you use the technology you have to throw other things out of the window.

I think I was first to do live performances on a modern electronic sound synthesizer.

The way that I got involved with microtonal music was, frankly, through jazz.

We need to have as broad a range as possible, because life itself has that kind of range.

Well, let me, first of all, say, that as a microtonal composer, I've never been much of a theorist.

We need it to capture the energy of contemporary life.

Nevertheless, one doesn't have time to think, oh, well, this is a quarter tone sharp, or flat.

It's not important to me to found a school; it's not important to me to have disciples.

It is not your great father who does this; but the laws of the country, which he and every one of his people is bound to regard.

If you will go to the setting sun there you will be happy; there you can remain in peace and quietness. So long as the waters run and the oaks grow that country shall be guaranteed to you and no white man shall be permitted to settle near you.