"People say my music is English. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's not me writing English music, but that English music is becoming more like me"

Harrison Birtwistle's quote talks to the concept of cultural influence and how it can shape the way we produce art. He recommends that his music is frequently labeled as "English" by others, however he himself is not sure of what it is. He indicates that it is not always him writing English music, however rather that English music is becoming more like him. This could be analyzed as a reflection of how his own personal style and impacts have formed the English music scene. It might also be seen as a talk about how the English music scene has been affected by other cultures, such as his own. Eventually, Birtwistle's quote talks to the idea of cultural exchange and how it can form the method we create art.