Somehow, conductor as this superhuman conduit between the masters and the masterpieces and the immortals.

The players never think they project enough. In a hall that seats 3,300 people, it's a very scary thing to play so quietly that you can barely hear yourself.

Of course, if you think of a European or American household in the '50s, so what were the things that when people started climbing up the ladder, what did they buy? A fridge, a TV, I think piano was the number three item in say '53 or '54.

This conducting thing happened. In 1983 I was sucked into this international career, which was a very scary experience.

With American orchestras, in particular, because they play in such huge halls, getting a true pianissimo is very hard.

The Royal Festival Hall in London is nice; people hang out there. I think this inviting, non-exclusive character is very important.

As we watch TV or films, there are no organic transitions, only edits. The idea of A becoming B, rather than A jumping to B, has become foreign.