He was happiest writing songs and operas, although he deemed song-writing as a "futile" occupation: "[I[t is distinctly discouraging for a composer who has written (as I have) nearly a dozen cycles to find, far from having sung them, most singers do not even know they exist".
He was happiest creating musical works, yet considered songwriting to be unproductive: "[I[t is discouraging for a composer who has composed many cycles to find that most singers are unaware of them".