The work is the most important thing.

The work is the most important thing.

All music has to speak in some form or other.

Many, many composers have only found their way to a certain form, through familiarizing themselves with texts.

Anyone who draws attention to himself as an individual, is viewed with suspicion. We acquired this tendency, of course, from America, and we must resist it: levelling, and imitation of what others are already doing.

...in my lieder concerts, I always strove, when possible, to sing only the works of a single composer, so that the audience could be gradually drawn into a particular creative genius' way of thinking, and could follow him.

Some critics have written that I wanted to teach through singing. Not at all. I was learning I went to school every time I gave a song recital.