One has to get through a big pile of mail every day. I don't pass my letters on to a secretary; rather, I try to take care of all of them myself.

What concerns me, is the general social tendency to enforce a level, above which nothing rises and stands out.

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

But, on the other hand, if Schubert were alive today, he would find even richer fields to plow.

The work is the most important thing.

With creative people, truly new horizons open up.

When you go out onto the stage, all the preparation has to be forced into your subconscious. For the moment of the performance, we all have to return to a new level of unconsciousness. All the reflection and all the doubts have to be laid aside before you start.